Classics from Columbia in the 1950's
TCM is now mining the vaults of Columbia studios from the golden age (1930's to the 1960's).
On top of there wonderful salute to Jean Arthur they have recently shown a few rarely broadcast Oscar nominees during their awards month salute.
"Queen Bee" (1955) was up for it's eye popping Jean Louis gowns (for which every High Class Drag Queen would kill over in the flutter of a false eyelash), but is more notable for giving Joan Crawford the most delicious camp role of her career. Her sugar dipped psycho is terrifying because the actresses infamous spine and jaws of steel are all too obvious under the cultivated ladylike exterior.
There is also a very strange element of fear and hysteria to the performance that suggests that Crawford knew she was dangerously close to creating a self portrait and too fascinated by the prospect to hold herself back. Watch her viciously rip apart the childhood room of a younger woman whom she later drives to suicide...MOMMIE DEAREST Indeed!
The other fascinating element for fans Of Charles Busch and his Camp Classic "DIE MOMMIE DIE" is to realize that his ENTIRE ACT seems to have been lifted from this film...The Voice, the style of movement, the eyebrows, the wardrobe, the lighting...all here. Fans of "Jane Eyre" may enjoy seeing the Devine Miss Bronte's greatest hit being made over again...virtually the only change being that the "Mad" wife is no longer locked up in a tower room...in fitting fifties neurotic fashion she is ruling the roost and reducing the supporting cast to smoldering rubble without striking a match.
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