The Silver Screen Oasis

Spoiler

I discovered this 1950s Joan Crawford film by accident, but despite others saying the movie was trashy I rather enjoyed it. At 51,I thought Joan was both outstanding and beautiful in the film. particulary when donning shorts, as the middle-aged cold hearted woman, whose heart was melted by con-man with a consience Jeff Chandler.

Like a lot of movies of the period, the female lead is wearing trousers when she has to run for her life. (Midnight Lace with Doris Day is an example) In Joan's case she's running away from her new husband Chandler, whom she believes is trying to kill her, and ends up swimming along the pier in front of her beach house.

The film reminds me of Hitchcock's Suspicion where Joan Fontaine believes her new husband is trying to kill her, it's the same here with Joan and Jeff Chandler. However, I won't give the rest of the plot away

It's also interesting to see the 51-year-old Joan look so convincing as the girlfriend and wife of Chandler, who was 35-years-of age. That reminded me of Jean Arthur and William Holden in Arizona

I saw it a long time ago. I didn't dislike it. I don't remember a thing about it, but I enjoyed it.

I too like FEMALE ON THE BEACH. Nice part for Jan Sterling too

I forgot to mention how attractive I thought Joan was with her short dark hair, which she also wore in Autumn Leaves and Johnny Guitar.

Joan in her later years looks better to me now than she did a few years ago. Is it because I am aging and I realize how really great looking she was, or is is it that I just got used to the hairstyles and eyebrows finally?

Great kinda campy movie. But you know, my thing is really not to make fun of movies in general. Joanie's my girl, but in this one, for me...it's JEFF! JEFF! JEFF! I love 1950's women's films:

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Hi,

Isn't this the movie with Natalie Shafer selling out Chandler as a beach boy cum gigolo??
Ressurected by Lotta Lenya merchandizing Warren Beatty some years later??

Larry

Vecchiolarry wrote:Hi,

Isn't this the movie with Natalie Shafer selling out Chandler as a beach boy cum gigolo??
Ressurected by Lotta Lenya merchandizing Warren Beatty some years later??

Larry

Yes, Larry. One of the several highlights of bizarre casting in this movie are the characterizations of ditsy Natalie Schafer and pixieish Cecil Kellaway as the most genteel of pimps for Jeff Chandler, who plays every rich dame's favorite boy toy. That alone makes this movie a great undiscovered comedy.

Thank you Moira,

I have never seen this film but I seem to remember Mary Boland complaining that she had lost a role in a Joan Crawford movie to Natalie Shafer; and it was about 'beach bums' (her words)....
Years later in NYC, she told me it was "Female on the Beach".... By then the film was in storage; I don't know if it plays much on TV then or now....

Larry