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Yeah, I guess they were wise to avoid campiness. We all know how Faye Dunaway's career declined thanks to her horrendous "Mommie Dearest". Jessica probably didn't want the critics and public bashing her as an over-the-top Joan. I've always liked Joan Crawford films and interviews.
About 15 years or so ago, I read the book "Bette and Joan: The Divine Feud" by Shaun Consadine. Although I caught an error the author made by calling Joan's first talkie "The Passing Show" (or something to that effect) instead of "The Hollywood Revue of 1929", I really enjoyed the book.
It's somewhat disappointing finding out Susan didn't endeavor to give Bette's distinctive voice much of a try. I can't picture anyone portraying Bette and NOT affecting her accent. I saw Bette in person in a stage show in the 1970s and she was delightful. A real pro! As usual, she gave a tour de force performance and was most gracious to her audience. I wrote to her and she was nice enough to write back to me. What a kind lady!
I can't really see Jessica as Joan. I don't know. Perhaps if I see "Feud" I'll feel better about it. I always think of Jessica as the girl who tried to steal Fay Wray's role. But she was very good in "Frances". I thought I was going to like Faye Dunaway as Joan back when "Mommie Dearest" was released, but I was disappointed in both her and the film. I know how you feel about the Oscar thing. It's trivial, but I can see how it's irksome.
I keep forgetting about "Feud", Jennie. I saw a photo of Susan (with sunglasses) as Bette and she looked pretty good. The photo of Jessica as Joan that I saw left much to be desired. It could have just been that particular photo though. Have you been watching? If so, is it truthful or fictionalized? If it's good, I'd like to see it one day. (BTW, I rewatched "The Legend of Lizzie Bordon" on YouTube. It's still good. I was surprised to see a young Fionnula Flanagan as the Bordon's maid. She popped up years later as Nicole Kidman's ghostly servant in "The Others".)
Yes, I know Orson was considered the "boy wonder" thanks to "Citizen Kane". His next RKO release "The Magnificent Ambersons" didn't do so well. Perhaps not his fault since RKO butchered it. Between 1941 and 1944 Orson's Hollywood career had been a roller coster ride. Joan hit it big with "Rebecca" in 1940 and received an Oscar for "Suspicion" (1941). I guess my unsporting heart just won't let me accept a man getting top-billing in a film called "Jane Eyre" (based upon a well-loved classic girls' novel).
I've seen the other Orson Welles films you've mentioned. One I've caught up with within the last year or two is "The Lady from Shanghai". I had seen its famous mirror shooting showdown sequence many times on TV compilations of classic movie scenes. However, after viewing the complete film, I must say it's a bizarre film to say the least. Not at all uninteresting. But at times you couldn't help wondering "What the heck was Welles thinking?" because the film goes in many odd directions that don't fit in.
Yes, Orson's radio performances leave me flat except for his Mercury Theater work. Many people love him as Charles Foster Kane in "Citizen Kane" (and, I suppose, rightly so). I've always preferred him as Mr. Rochester in "Jane Eyre" even though some people find him miscast in the role. I'd love to know how he was able to receive top-billing over Joan Fontaine in a movie called "Jane Eyre" especially since she had won an Oscar for her work in "Suspicion".
I think one of the problems with old-time radio plays, that have been reworked for movies and TV shows, is that we are used to seeing them on TV instead of just listening to them on YouTube, etc. I had seen the film version of Lucille Fletcher's other famous radio play 'Sorry, Wrong Number" many times on TV. I knew it had been a famous radio play with Agnes Moorehead. Lucille Fletcher, herself, had written the movie version and it is an overly convoluted, but highly memorable thriller (with Barbara Stanwyck's performance a real tour de force). However, when I finally heard the original radio version, I was disappointed by its brevity and unconvolutedness.
I agree, telegonus. The radio play with Orson Welles didn't do much for me. The story works better with a woman as the lead. Herk Harvey originally visualized his main character of "Carnival of Souls" as a man. Thank goodness he changed it to a woman. I just can't see a man being so intimidated by a spook.
Rod Serling did give credit to Lucille Fletcher and her radio play "The Hitch-Hiker" in the episode's closing credits. Rod changed the main character from a man to a woman. You can hear the old-time radio play with Orson Welles on YouTube if you Google "Suspense - The Hitch-Hiker 9/2/42 on YouTube", it should take you to the YouTube link. The radio play is 29 minutes long. I listened to it on YouTube awhile ago.
"Carnival of Souls" has been described as what could be an extra long episode of "The Twilight Zone". However, it survives on its own cult status by being a creepy, imaginative low-budget film. It's quite impressive for its miniscule budget. Herk Harvey said he got inspired to make it by driving past the Salt Air Pavilion. Perhaps, when he was younger, he had heard Lucille Fletcher's radio play "The Hitch-Hiker" with Orson Welles and it stayed in his mind.
If you like this episode, you might like the feature film "Carnival of Souls" (1962). It's on many YouTube channels.
I love this episode. It's my all-time favorite. I love the clack-clack-clack of Marsha White's high heels on the hard floor of the 3rd floor. Very creepy scene of her all alone there with those mannequins. Anne Francis was so pretty. I do love watching "The After Hours" over and over. But, I would never like being locked in a department store at night. No way!!!
I too thought the theory they presented was probably true. I liked the way they showed incidents and then reshowed them from another point of view later on. It was a novel idea. One of the main things that saved Lizzie was that the male jury couldn't conceive a woman being strong enough to kill two people with an ax. I must confess, I am not a strong woman. I can't even help my husband chop logs with an ax in the backyard because I just don't have the strength. It's the way my weight is distributed. If anything makes me think Lizzie might have been innocent, it's that she wasn't strong enough. However, I've read some accounts that say she was on the broad side. I've seen photos of her and she certainly wasn't a size zero.
I liked Elizabeth Montgomery in "The Legend of Lizzie Borden". I watched it when it first aired. I came across it on YouTube recently. I didn't have the time to rewatch it though. If it's still there, I'll give it a rewatch.
Oh, Jennie. I remember that remake from its original TV broadcast. I honestly don't remember if it was originally shown in two parts. It's been awhile. There's also the 1963 version "Stolen Hours" with Susan Hayward.
I appreciate your hyperlinks, Jennie. Yesterday, I saw your Robert Osborne one. It's so easy to click onto the hyperlinks to access info.
I'll give "Dead Man's Shoes" a try, AngularTurnip. I never thought I'd give a remake another try after the dreadful 1980s remake of "The After Hours".
Well, I've received my copy of "The Menace". It's a short, but not an uninteresting mystery. Bette Davis is pretty as the platinum blonde love interest of handsome Walter Byron. There's a creepy museum room in the film's mansion. This film is based upon the Edgar Wallace novel "The Feathered Serpent". From the synopsis of the novel I've read, the film hasn't much to do with the novel's narrative.
Poor Edgar Wallace! His novel "The Dark Eyes of London" was filmed in Britain with Bela Lugosi in 1939 and the film has a so-so connection to the novel (as did the German krimi remake of the 1960s). Another Edgar Wallace novel "The Door with Seven Locks" was filmed in Britain in 1940. Yet, it certainly hasn't much at all to do with the novel (neither did the very odd German krimi remake of the 1960s).
Wow, I didn't know about Robert Osborne until I read your post and link, Jennie. In spite of his often mispronunciations and inaccuracies, he was a good host. I've always preferred the old AMC (American Movie Classics) host, Bob Dorian. He was a great host when AMC was legit (1984-1994) before it got bullied (and ruined) by TCM.
Pre-TCM, Ted Turner had TNT which had a paltry amount of film classics until he secured the older films being shown on AMC for his TCM channel. I still think TCM is the best channel on TV these days. But, I miss AMC back in its heyday. Old AMC and Nick at Nite were my favorite TV channels. I rarely watched anything else back in those days.
Catbookss, when I found out about this site, before IMDb closed its message boards, I left as many threads as possible so my IMDb friends would know about this site. I have the e-mail addresses of a couple of my IMDb friends. Thankfully, I see many of my IMDb friends have made it over to this site.
"Reflections of Murder" is a remake of the classic 1955 French thriller "Les diaboliques" (AKA: "Diabolique"). I must say, the remake isn't at all bad for a TV Movie.
I remember "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" from way back. Warner Archive released the DVD. The same thing with "Bad Ronald" (1974). I read the novel "Bad Ronald". It was sanitized for the TV Movie.