The Damned Don't Cry

Starring:Joan Crawford, David Brian, Steve Cochran, Kent Smith, Hugh Sanders, Selena Royle, Jacqueline deWit, Morris Ankrum, Edith Evanson, Richard Egan, Sara Perry, Jimmy Moss, Eddie Marr, Lyle Latell, Herb Vigran, Frank Mills, Hugh Murray, Bob Alden, Herbert Lytton, Jameson Shade
Director: Vincent Sherman
Studio: Warner Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Joan Crawford bashes her way through this melodrama inspired by the Bugsy Siegel-Virginia Hill story. Our girl walks out of tacky poverty at the beginning and re-shapes herself into a fur-lined mobster's moll, her will of steel out-pointing the men at every stop. David Brian (recently her Flamingo Road co-star) is the looming blond monster who runs the organization, Steve Cochran is the Bugsy guy building his own network in Nevada, and Kent Smith is the meek accountant Joan bullies into becoming a syndicate player. It's all from that mid-career post-Mildred Pierce period that served Crawford so well, with the full-on film noir look (Ted McCord photographed) and the strong whiff of American sleaze.

Joan Crawford's face had assumed its masklike quality at this point, and at times she seems more of a business manager than an actress: organizing each scene, pushing the story along to its next stop. In its own over-the-top way, it works: there isn't a moment when she doesn't seem capable of devouring anybody that stands in her way. Everything is writ large in this movie, which makes it a fitting target for a Carol Burnett send-up... and which also makes it a great deal of fun. --Robert Horton
Description
It's a man's world. And Ethel Whitehead learns there's only one way for a woman to survive in it: be as tempting as a cupcake and as tough as a 75-cent steak. In the first of three collaborations with director Vincent Sherman, Joan Crawford brings hard-boiled glamour and simmering passion to the role of Ethel, who moves from the wrong side of the tracks to a mobster's mansion to high society one man at a time. Some of those men love her. Some use her. And one a high-rolling racketeer abuses her. When the racketeer murders his rival in Ethel?s swanky living room, she flees a sure murder rap right back to the poverty she thought she had escaped. And this time there may not be a man to pick up the pieces of her shattered life.

DVD Features:Audio Commentary:Commentary by Director Vincent ShermanFeaturette:New Featurette The Crawford Formula: An Interview with Director Vincent Sherman

The Joan Crawford Collection (Humoresque / Possessed (1947) / The Damned Don't Cry / The Women / Mildred Pierce)

Average customer rating:

you don't need any wire hangers to enjoy this set!
WHERE'S THE SECOND BOX SET??????
Fabulous as always
Gothic Diversion
FInally Joan gets the treatment she deserves!!!

The Joan Crawford Collection (Humoresque / Possessed (1947) / The Damned Don't Cry / The Women / Mildred Pierce)
Starring: Joan Crawford , John Garfield , Oscar Levant , J. Carrol Naish , and Joan Chandler
Director: Jean Negulesco , Curtis Bernhardt , and Vincent Sherman
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0008ENID4
Release Date: 2005-06-14

Amazon.com

The Joan Crawford Collection brings together a potent group of films from Crawford's career renaissance: her Warner Bros. run of the late 1940s, beginning with Mildred Pierce. Four of the titles are from that heated, noirish streak, including Crawford's 1945 Oscar-winning turn in Mildred, a great Hollywood example of an actress's persona meeting the zeitgeist moment. In this adaptation of the James M. Cain novel, Crawford plays a sacrificing mother perfectly willing to claw her way to success for the sake of her ingrate daughter. Michael Curtiz directed, snapping Crawford out of a long career slide.

Humoresque (1946) was promptly given the top-drawer treatment, and it's a truly epic melodrama about a restless society woman who takes up the cause of a young violinist (John Garfield) from the slums. Possessed (1947) gave Crawford a thorough workout as a woman in complete obsessive breakdown from various romantic traumas. What Crawford lacks in subtlety she makes up for in sheer will, which suits the character well (and brought another best actress Oscar nomination). The Damned Don't Cry (1950) is a film noir smash-up, with Crawford as a low-rent dame who brazens her way into becoming a fur-lined mobster's moll (it was loosely inspired by the Bugsy Siegel-Virginia Hill story). It's overripe but entertaining.

1939's The Women, an MGM picture, doesn't fit the mood of the collection, although it has its fans. George Cukor directed this catty version of the Clare Booth Luce play, which has an all-female ensemble cast; Crawford is in very good form as a bad girl. The movie's reputation is somewhat beyond its actual witchy charm. (Packaging gaffe: the photo on the back cover is from Seven Women.) DVD extras tend toward smallish documentaries, save the absorbing 90-minute career profile The Ultimate Movie Star on the Mildred Pierce disc, an even-handed study that includes frank revelations from director-lover Vincent Sherman and the "wire hangers" story from adopted daughter Christina. Sherman contributes a commentary on The Damned Don't Cry. --Robert Horton

Description

The Joan Crawford Collection features classics from the star whose career spanned more than 40 years. "I never go out unless I look like Joan Crawford the movie star. If you want to see the girl next door, go next door." - Joan Crawford

Customer Reviews:

you don't need any wire hangers to enjoy this set!.......2007-06-29

Fans of the divine Joan Crawford are sure to enjoy this great-value DVD set from Warners which packages five of Crawford's best films.

From the outer box artwork to the extra features, a lot of care and attention has clearly been spent on this set, and we are certainly lucky in having it so beautifully presented. The emphasis is very much on Joan's years as a film noir femme fatale, with The Damned Don't Cry, Possessed and Humoresque all from Crawford's glory days at Warner Brothers. Mildred Pierce (Keepcase), her first Oscar-winning role; plus her catty turn in The Women (Keepcase) are also here. Each disc is housed in it's own sturdy plastic Amaray case.

THE DAMNED DON'T CRY - Joan Crawford plays a gangster's moll who climbs up from the gutter only to discover that life at the top can be twice as dangerous. Extra features include the new featurette "The Crawford Formula: Real and Reel", audio commentary with director Vincent Sherman, and the trailer.

POSSESSED - Love takes a deadly turn in this noir drama co-starring Van Heflin and Raymond Massey. Crawford plays Louise Howell, a woman driven to desperate measures when her boyfriend marries another woman. Extra features include audio commentary by Dr. Drew Casper, featurette "The Quintessential Film Noir", and the trailer.

HUMORESQUE - Crawford gives one of her most nuanced performances as jaded socialite Helen Wright, whose love affair with an up-and-coming violin virtuoso sends her to the brink of madness. Extra features include featurette "The Music of Humoresque", and the trailer.

MILDRED PIERCE - From James M. Cain's novel comes the legendary potboiler about a devoted mother (Crawford) and her ungrateful, hellion of a daughter (Ann Blyth). Extra features include the movie-length TCM documentary "The Ultimate Movie Star", and a trailer gallery.

THE WOMEN - In director George Cukor's screen version of the Claire Booth Luce comedy, Joan Crawford plays a hard-boiled mantrap who moves in on Norma Shearer's husband. Fabulous comic turns from Rosalind Russell, Mary Boland, and Paulette Goddard. Extra features include alternate B&W fashion show sequence, and trailers.

Even at it's full list-price, buying this box set is cheaper than getting each DVD individually. If you love Joan Crawford, this will be a mandatory addition to your movie collection.

WHERE'S THE SECOND BOX SET??????.......2007-06-27

They can release Trog and Reunion in France, but not A Woman's Face, Possessed (1931), Sadie McKee, Torch Song, Our Dancing Daughters and Flamingo Road? Come on, Warner Brothers! Release another box set of Joan!

Fabulous as always.......2007-01-11

Wonderful collection of some of Joan's movies. Hours of pleasure watching them. Highly recommended.

Gothic Diversion.......2007-01-03

Put this collection on during a stormy day, but keep at least one light on and lock the tranquilizers in the medicine cabinet. Joan's performances are riveting and her face was made for monochrome. Watch "Humoresque" first. The director used the pounding piano and searing violin to propel the film but employed Oscar Levant as the comic foil so the film doesn't collapse under its own weight. In "Possessed", you'll see Joan on the verge of campiness, although she apparently visited insane asylum inmates in order to verify her facial expressions. "The Women" is a fast, furious "Sex and the City"-like farce. Buy this.

FInally Joan gets the treatment she deserves!!!.......2006-12-11

I am SO glad Joan gets her own box set, although I am miffed that Bette has a second one while poor Joan still only has one!
I would Love to see a second box set and even a third. Joan made some fun, campy films, but she always rose above the material.
I'd love to see Johnny Guitar, Flamingo Road, Torch Song and A Woman's Face in a set. And another with Female on the Beach, Autumn Leaves, Susuan and God and When Ladies Meet.
This set has The Women, which is the campiest and most quoted film. The "clever" plot involves a story devoid of men, but it is ALL the women talk about. Norma Sheaer, who deserves her OWN box set, is WONDEFUL in this film. Joan has a supporting role and she chews every inch of scenery she is in! Humoresque is my least favorite role. Joan falls for John Garfield and throws her life away for him. So NOT our Joanie! Possessed is OK. The role was written for Bette Davis and it is interesting to see Joan do the role while imaginging how Bette would OVERPLAY it while Joan does it more subtley. Now, The Damned Don't Cry is PURE CRAWFORD!! Woman claws her way to the top and uses every trick in the book to stay there. This should have been in a box set iwth Torch Song, Female on the Beach and Johnny Guitar. TOUGH "Don't F with me fellas!!!" Crawford! PLEASE release the second box set in early 2007!!!!!

Average customer rating:

Crawford formula
SUSPENSE, DRAMA, MOBSTERS, GREAT ACTING & THE BEAUTIFUL JOAN CRAWFORD ~ A MOVIE THAT HAS EVERYTHING!!!!!
Glamorous Film Noir Fun
Joan Crawford Commands The Screen In Fascinating Gangster Melodrama
Not Bad......

The Damned Don't Cry
Starring: Joan Crawford , David Brian , Steve Cochran , Kent Smith , and Hugh Sanders
Director: Vincent Sherman
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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Similar Items:

Possessed
Humoresque
Sudden Fear
Whirlpool (Fox Film Noir)
The Star

ASIN: B0008ENI84
Release Date: 2005-06-14

Amazon.com

Joan Crawford bashes her way through this melodrama inspired by the Bugsy Siegel-Virginia Hill story. Our girl walks out of tacky poverty at the beginning and re-shapes herself into a fur-lined mobster's moll, her will of steel out-pointing the men at every stop. David Brian (recently her Flamingo Road co-star) is the looming blond monster who runs the organization, Steve Cochran is the Bugsy guy building his own network in Nevada, and Kent Smith is the meek accountant Joan bullies into becoming a syndicate player. It's all from that mid-career post-Mildred Pierce period that served Crawford so well, with the full-on film noir look (Ted McCord photographed) and the strong whiff of American sleaze.

Description

It's a man's world. And Ethel Whitehead learns there's only one way for a woman to survive in it: be as tempting as a cupcake and as tough as a 75-cent steak. In the first of three collaborations with director Vincent Sherman, Joan Crawford brings hard-boiled glamour and simmering passion to the role of Ethel, who moves from the wrong side of the tracks to a mobster's mansion to high society one man at a time. Some of those men love her. Some use her. And one a high-rolling racketeer abuses her. When the racketeer murders his rival in Ethel?s swanky living room, she flees a sure murder rap right back to the poverty she thought she had escaped. And this time there may not be a man to pick up the pieces of her shattered life.

DVD Features: Audio Commentary:Commentary by Director Vincent Sherman Featurette:New Featurette The Crawford Formula: An Interview with Director Vincent Sherman

Customer Reviews:

Crawford formula.......2007-02-24

Not long after "Mildred Pierce", Joan Crawford starred in this gangster film about a woman who grew up with nothing, got married to a mean guy, had a child who died ... then decided to pursue a better life for herself at any price. Sounds a little like Mildred Pierce, but that's OK because Joan did these dramatic roles extremely well. And who could blame her for cashing in on the success of Mildred Pierce.

"the Damned Don't Cry" is an interesting film for any Crawford fan because she is once again very watchable in every scene and not just for her fine acting. Her face is captivating. As she grew older, her face became more prominent ... those big eyes, those big eyelashes. She almost became a parody of herself.

Crawford was not classically trained yet always delivered fine performances every time. This film is high up at the top, and is deserving of a place in your collection.

SUSPENSE, DRAMA, MOBSTERS, GREAT ACTING & THE BEAUTIFUL JOAN CRAWFORD ~ A MOVIE THAT HAS EVERYTHING!!!!!.......2006-10-03

I just love this fast-paced, action drama. Sexy, Joan Crawford, Handsome, David Brian, et al., perform brilliantly. The dialog is very cleverly well-written, and the sound and picture is of very good quality. A must see the the Joan Crawford and Film Noir fans!!!!!

Glamorous Film Noir Fun.......2006-01-19

"The Damned Don't Cry" is the kind of movie that Joan Crawford excelled. The formula consisting of either "shop girl" seeking the good life or "unappreciated wife and mother" seeking the good life, which is the case here, are played to perfection by the ultimate movie star. Joan leaves her hard working, yet seemingly uncaring husband, after the death of their young son and goes out seeking the "good things in life." This is a "from rags to riches" story that mirrors the film noir classics, but is a step above due to the acting talents of Joan and her male co-stars. David Brian is excellent as the sophisticated mob boss who seduces Joan into his world of luxuries and crime. Kent Smith plays a smart accountant which gets pulled into the world of the mob by his ambitious "true love" played by Joan. And then there's the tough and handsome playboy, Steve Cochran, (who also claims to be Joan's true love) which plays the rival mobster to David Brian's mob boss. I highly recommend this movie to both film noir fans, as well as to all Joan Crawford fans. The dvd features the original movie trailer, as well as a nice "making of" featurette, "The Crawford Formula: Real and Reel". The dvd has a clean transfer, however the film itself has a few minor blurs and glitches but nothing that would detract the viewer's enjoyment of the movie, but this is on the film itself and has nothing to do with the dvd's transfer. "The Damned Don't Cry" ranks right up there with Joan's other classics, such as: "Harriet Craig," "Flamingo Road," and one of my personal favorites, "Female On The Beach." All of which are sadly missing and desperately needed on dvd. If you're considering purchasing the Joan Crawford Collection box set, I highly recommend all the films in this collection. As one of the reviewers here mentioned, there are only three titles here that were not previously on dvd, "The Damned Don't Cry," "Humoresque," and "Possessed (1947)." And two titles that were already available on dvd, "Mildred Pierce," and "The Women." I would love to see all of Joan's movies available on dvd, for after all she was, and will always be, "the ultimate star."

Joan Crawford Commands The Screen In Fascinating Gangster Melodrama .......2005-08-22

By 1950 Joan Crawford was coming towards the end of her reign as one of the reigning stars at Warner Brother's Studios through most of the 1940's. However before she finally left the studio in 1952 to seek new challenges and better roles than she had been getting of late she had one last powerhouse performance to give in the bleak but riverting melodrama "The Damned Don't Cry". The Crawford on display in this story is the mature actress fully in command of her craft who by her sheer star power and gritty performing literally wipes every one else off the screen in this tawdry tale of underworld thugs and the women they use along the way. In many ways the screenplay is your typical rags to riches story so familiar to Crawford enthusiasts however Joan Crawford under the solid direction of veteran Vincent Sherman in the first of their three collaborations together really works magic with the stock character and makes the at times unbelievable "The Damned Don't Cry", a taut and totally fun outing. Full of double dealings, shoot outs, deception and a central female character who ruthlessly takes on the boys in a man's world, it makes a fitting conclusion to Joan Crawford's amazing career run at Warner Brothers and definately helped pave the way for the many hard broiled roles that became her trademark in the 1950's.

Based on a story by Gertrude Walker the story opens with a distraught woman dressed in a beautiful mink coat arriving at a dreary old house on the outskirts of the coal fields. She is no ordinary woman however as the story reveals and Ethel Whitehead (Joan Crawford) appears to be escaping from some dangerous past. With her story told in flashback we first see Ethel as a down trodden, financially strapped housewife married to a hard working but unimaginative husband Roy (Richard Egan), living with her parents and having to bear the criticism of her harsh father. Ethel's existence is shattered when her young son is killed while out riding the new bike his mother had just bought for him despite the disapproval of her husband. Deciding life must have more to offer than this existence Ethel packs up and moves to the city where she finds work firstly in a cigar store and then in modelling clothes for a firm handling out of town buyers which often involves the women being the "dates" for the travelling salesmen. Ethel gains in self confidence and in the belief in her own attractiveness towards men and when she meets gifted accountant Martin Blackford (Kent Smith), Ethel sees her chance to develop a better life. She pushes Martin into an involvement with the owner of a local nightclub to handle his financial affairs for a good price and from there they make the acquaintance of hardened gang land figure George Castleman (David Brian), who sets up a reluctant Martin as his organisation's chief accountant. Martin does it solely to please Ethel who he is in love with and proposes mariage to despite disapproving of Castleman's shady operations. Ethel however has her sights set much higher and begins an affair with Castleman during which she undergoes a complete transformation emerging as the mysterious but socially prominent Lorna Hanson Forbes. However the luxury apartment, beautiful clothes and world travel provided by Castleman have their price as she now discovers when she is caught in a plan by George to remove one of his underlings Nick Prenta (Steve Cochran) who is in charge of Castleman's operation in the west coast area of Palm Springs. Lorna reluctantly travels out to Palm Springs to spy on Nick for Castleman however she ends up falling in love with him and attempts to head off the inevitable show down between the two men that will only end in Nick's death. A now hardened Martin travels out to Palm Springs to warn Lorna that Castleman is onto her and when Castleman himself arrives there is a shootout which sees Nick killed and Lorna fleeing the scene in a frantic effort to get away from him. He however follows her back to her impoverished parents house and in one final fiery showdown between Lorna, Martin and Castleman where she is injured Ethel/Lorna finds herself right back where she began all those years ago with only a mink coat as evidence of her former glittering life as the "socially prominent", but equally mysterious, Lorna Hanson Forbes.

Largely based on the story of Las Vegas gangster Bugsy Siegel and his mistress Virginia Hill, "The Damned Don't Cry" proved to be one of the strongest vehicles that screen legend Joan crawford had enjoyed in some time. At this stage in her ever enduring career the role of Ethel Whitehead/Lorna Hansen-Forbes was one that suited Joan Crawford perfectly and in this lurid story she makes the absolute most of the meaty part. Rarely have I enjoyed her as much as here and the unique thing is that she makes her character's transformation from dowdy law abiding housewife to mistress of a mobster totally believable and she is equally riverting in both parts. Joan Crawford enjoyed a very successful collaboration with director Vincent Sherman here and in her next feature when she went on loan out to Columbia Studios for the suberb "Harriet Craig" and indeed by this stage in her career Crawford undoubtedly knew as much about directing herself as those hired to perform the task. She is totally compelling on screen and never for a moment does she really share the screen with anyone as the viewers attention seems to be constantly fixed on her. What is so pleasing about "The Damned Don't Cry", is that it provides such a strong central woman's role despite the story being the "rough and tumble man's story", type of product so familiar in the output at Warner Bros. Despite the Crawford powerhouse the two leading males in David Brian as the ruthless George Castleman and Steve Cochran as his rival Nick Prenta also make memorable impressions. One critic likened David Brian's character to a snarling cobra and that's a perfect description of his character here and rarely has Brian been so effective on screen. He enjoys an electric chemistry with Joan Crawford and their scenes together especially when the cracks start appearing in their relationship are especially noteworthy. Production wise "The Damned Don't Cry", has alot of the famed "noir" look about it and the cinematography is especially effective in depicting the drab and grainy existence of down trodden Ethel Whitehead which stands in stark contrast with the filmy look to those scenes when Ethel becomes Lorna and is enjoying the good life of priviledge in New York and Palm Springs which is further enhanced with some wonderful location photography in the desert resort. Sheila O'Brien's fashions for Joan Crawford are another visual standout in "The Damned Don't Cry", perfectly tracing the rise and fall of Ethel Whitehead from coal town to the heights of international society.

The saying "they sure don't make 'em like that anymore", is an apt description of "The Damned Don't Cry"., and for all Joan Crawford fans who like to see her in commanding, fully cut roles this one is a real treat. Along with "Harriet Craig", it is by far my favourite Crawford vehicle from the 1950's and it has everything a full bodied melodrama should have with ruthless men always ready to pull a gun, and classy no nonsense women who are prepared to use their "charms", to get ahead in a man's world. Joan Crawford like no other actress was perfect for these hard broiled type roles and she makes a real meal out of her part turning a fairly unbelievable story into an exciting and highly entertaining viewing experience. Don't miss Joan Crawford in one of her last Warner Bros. roles before she became a freelance actress in the sordid and fast moving "The Damned Don't Cry".

Not Bad.............2005-08-15

This is not the quintessential Crawford film. But it does have its moments, particularly at the film's climax towards the end. It has gangsters galore with Joan her typical shopgirl on the make for a better life. The film is uneven. It starts strong, then vacillates back and forth until the climax toward the end which finishes strong. Crawford gives a strong performance and is a much stronger actress here than she is usually given credit for. The DVD has parts that are grainy but for the most part it is a good transfer. There is a useless documentary with Vincent Sherman and a documentary called "The Crawford Formula" which lasts about 32 minutes but really isn't all that interesting.

Average customer rating:

Crawford formula
SUSPENSE, DRAMA, MOBSTERS, GREAT ACTING & THE BEAUTIFUL JOAN CRAWFORD ~ A MOVIE THAT HAS EVERYTHING!!!!!
Glamorous Film Noir Fun
Joan Crawford Commands The Screen In Fascinating Gangster Melodrama
Not Bad......

The Damned Don't Cry
Starring: Joan Crawford , David Brian , Steve Cochran , Kent Smith , and Hugh Sanders
Director: Vincent Sherman
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Film Noir | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video