Joan Crawford Film Noir Double Bill

"If you want to see the girl next door, go next door!" Joan Crawford

A Hollywood icon and a star that shined for over half a century. Joan Crawford's (1904-1977) film career most certainly had it's ups and downs and yet, every aspect of her work is fascinating and spell bounding.

With this very special Joan Crawford Double Bill, which highlights two key titles from the 1930s and 1950s, Film Noir UK will be able to show you the reason why Crawford is classed as the Queen of Hollywood.

12pm: Rain (1932): UK Premiere Director: Lewis Milestone Starring: Joan Crawford, John Huston, Fred Howard

A fierce monsoon throws together several different individuals who end up clashing over one person, prostitute Sadie Thompson (Joan Crawford).

W. Somerset Maugham’s powerful story had been adapted for the screen before, Gloria Swanson had the starring role in Raoul Walsh’s 1928 silent film Sadie Thompson. But it was Joan Crawford who pushed Maugham’s character to the next level of sexual and erotic energy. If anything Lewis Milestone’s Rain (1932) not only oozes sex, it pours!

With an incredible performance by both Crawford and fellow co-star John Huston, Rain is a ‘tour de force’ of camera work, style and direction of a film that caused controversy when first released.

Thanks to this stunning new 4K restoration, Lewis Milestone’s Rain can be rediscovered and celebrated as one of the true classic dramas of film history.

This screening is the UK Premiere of the brand new 4K restoration. Our thanks to the Mary Pickford Foundation. Introduction by James Harrison (Film Noir UK).

1:45pm: Sudden Fear (1952) Director: David Miller Starring: Joan Crawford, Jack Palance, Gloria Grahame

Playwright and wealthy San Francisco heiress Myra Hudson (Joan Crawford) becomes romantically involved with actor Lester Blaine (Jack Palance). But not everything is what it seems when it comes to Blaine’s past. Hudson has so many questions to answer in regards to her soon to be husband. Should she be worried?

Directed by David Miller (Lonely Are the Brave) Sudden Fear (1952) was the box office hit that Crawford needed after leaving Warner Brothers in 1951. In fact, it gave Crawford her third Academy Award nomination and the first Academy Award nomination in best supporting actor role for Jack Palance.

Also starring Gloria Grahame, playing Blaine’s deceptive ex-girlfriend, Sudden Fear is a perfect example of deceit, paranoia and suspense which we all love from film noir.

Special Introduction by Dr Lies Lanckman (Senior Lecturer in Film Studies at UWE)

Film Noir UK is a South West Silents company and is a not-for-profit organisation. With support of the BFI Film Audience Network, awarding funds from the National Lottery in order to bring this project to more audiences across the UK.