Review of David Bret's Joan Crawford Hollywood Martyr

David Bret's biography of stalwart film siren, and gay icon Joan Crawford promises much insight into her personal life and the development of her career. This is an ambitious undertaking, seeing as how a veritable web of mythos crystallizes around such legends. We are given a fairly thorough accounting of the progression of her career, and learn a bit about the development of Joan's psyche.

In chronicling her early days and life with her disjointed family, we are given insight into just how Joan (nee Lucille LeSueur) developed her ambitions and obsessive drive.

She certainly had a great deal to rise above and escape from, and her spunk and lack of modesty that allowed her to pursue all avenues to recognition, no matter how sordid. We are given a thorough accounting of her early days as a "taxi" dancer, and veritable prostitute, as well as the existence of several reputed "stag" films. Salacious tidbits pepper this reading and keep it engrossing. Her long treck to stardom, and the deliberation and perseverance she developed make for very engrossing reading.

When the narrative reaches the point where Joan's identity begins to be developed as a star, backed by the studio system and the legendary Louis B. Mayer, it unfortunately falls into precise and boringly accurate depiction of each and every film she starred in. Every plot detail is rendered excruciatingly. Anyone reading this book, is obviously a fan, and one would assume had viewed most of these films, and drew their own analysis. This does serve to give us insight into her method of acting, and tidbits of dirt on her fellow actors.

The interludes between the accountings of her movie vehicles are what keeps one reading. We are given much insight into Joan's development as a gay Icon. Her sexual prowess and conquests are carefully rendered. Her attraction to gay men and her desire to dominate and humiliate, to invoke a violent reaction is most titillating and intriguing. She had the extreme notion that if a man was driven to beat her, he must truly love her. This disturbing and often pitiful predilection lends a peek into a troubled subconscious. We are also given an insight into the seamy side of Hollywood. We learn of the lascivious behavior of many an MGM star at the time. One wonders just how true these often inflamed accountings are though. Granted, of course much behavior was kept under tight wrap, but according to our author nearly all the actors rendered were either closet homosexuals, or bisexual. This strikes one as partly true, but I sense an agenda.

Her personal relationships, and many marriages are also carefully portrayed. Her mother and brother were little more than abject hangers on. Her marriage to Douglas Fairbanks Jr. makes for interesting reading, especially due to the slighting she is given by her in laws Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford. They seem to have regarded her as no better than a common whore. We learn of her long-standing affair, and great love for Clark Gable. Her marriage to Franchot Tone is also chronicled and we see her cultural development. Joan developed a fabulous singing voice that was little utilized. We also are given a bit of inside information on her legendary long-standing enmity with Bette Davis.

One of the more intriguing aspects of this book, is the little credence that is given to her adopted daughter Christina's legendary tome "Mommie Dearest". We are even provided with facts that seem to refute Christina's claims. This aspect comes across as rather truthful and unbiased, because the author does not depict Joan as an exceptional mother by any means, but leads one to believe that the facts were stretched more than quite a bit, that Christina was ungrateful, and seeking notoriety, and glory of her mothers established name. One can draw their own conclusions. Joan's last marriage to Alfred Steele, the Pepsi Cola magnate seems to have provided her with a somewhat stable and healthy match, but unfortunately he died not long after they were married.

All in all, this book is well worth the read, for avid fans and film buffs.Alot of attention is given to Joan's gratefull devotion to her fans,and her affinity for stage crew and technicians.One comes away with a sympathetic veiw of this dualistic icon. We have here a portrait of a driven and uncompromising woman, who with a great deal of pluck and gumption rose to the very pinnacle of success, remarkable given her scattered background and lack of education. She was given to neurosis, and had many demons, but that is frequently that is what drives an artist to distinction. I would say this book would make rather tedious reading for one unfamiliar with her work.