MovieChat Forums > Daisy Kenyon (1947) Discussion > Joan Crawford and Henry Fonda - can't se...

Joan Crawford and Henry Fonda - can't see it.

posted 12 years ago by luverofmovies
2 replies | jump to latest

I may be all wrong here, but I just don't see any screen attraction with these two great actors. Can't even see them together as a couple at all on the silver screen. Very different personalities.

This is not a commentary about the end of the movie, just saying that I can't see a very strong personalilty like Joan Crawford falling for a generally quiet, everyman personality like Henry Fonda. I also can't see her falling for the married Dana Andrews character, as she just didn't seem, at that time in her career, like the vulnerable woman who would involve herself in a situation where it was iffy. Her screen persona then seemed much too strong. I'm not sure this was the best part for Joan to play, though she was extemely good. In a different movie I could see her with Dana Andrews much more than Henry Fonda, though I love all three as wonderful actors. Just an observstion.

[–] sludgehound 10 years ago

Just seeing it now and having same reaction. Decent movie but yes the vibe is really run through the lines, nothing deep there. Cool to see the two male leads work. Bow tie and regular tie on them speaks volumes. Maybe the idea was to give the real spotlight to Crawford as The Woman so much fem that two opposite male types would crave her.
"Honeybun" comment gets annoying. Again I figure that was a male challenge message of sorts. Like sissyboy.
Lot of stock lighting tricks, vocal pauses, heartstrings, decision making, climax suspense. Grade B that way as a time filler back then. For moderns it's a time slice more than compelling but wasn't created for that. Fill the seats was the idea. Give them the surface look they expect.
Does kind of fit with the post-War image of the strong woman who came out of that struggle. Womwn would have been dragging the boys to movies and Joan would have filled the bill.
Took the soft 50s to drag in the pillow talk, girl can't help it follywood changes. Rather stark transition that was but I guess powers figured only so much of a market for b/w that was becoming just a formula by then.
Does make you appreciate the classics of this genre.
And for sure if want something more potent, The Woman in the Window does it.

[–] 10 years ago

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