Talk:The Star (1952 film)

I've just finished listening to three books on Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. Two were autobiographies written by Davis ("The Lonely Life," and "This 'N That"), and the third was "Bette and Joan: The Divine Feud," by John Considine. As a result, my understanding of this film is a bit different than in the description provided.

First, Bette Davis is on record numerous times saying that this film was NOT based on Joan Crawford. She often quipped, "I would never play Joan Crawford. She did a good job doing that herself," or something to that effect. Also, according to Considine, the wedding of Katherine Albert's and Dale Eunson's daughter took place in 1952. This film was released that same year, so it must have been written, cast, and shot at least a year before (and a year before the supposed retaliatory wedding. I don't see how that could have been done in retaliation by Joan Crawford.

Perhaps more references are in order to make these claims? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2601:644:8400:4AD1:8590:7D8F:14A4:81A1 (talk) 22:18, 22 May 2018 (UTC)

To begin with, it's certainly not the case that one can believe every word that came out of Bette Davis's mouth. While she was making "Jezebel", she had a brief affair with the director, William Wyler, who did not want to marry her. For years, Davis told a story which heavily implied that Wyler married his second wife, Margaret Tallichet, only because she, Bette Davis, was angry with him and did not respond to a letter from him in a timely fashion. The story was a complete fabrication. I would take her claim that Margaret Elliott was not based upon Joan Crawford with a huge grain of salt.

Secondly, it is true that Joan Evans's wedding and the release of "The Star" both occurred in 1952---the former on July 24 and the latter on December 11. However, I don't see any reason that Joan Crawford could not have been aware that "The Star" was either in production or finished in July 1952, though not yet released. Although she would not yet have had an opportunity to view the film, she could also have been well aware that the main character was based upon herself and that it was an unflattering portrayal. Surely it was common knowledge of anyone who was aware that the film had been made that it was about a "washed-up movie star". I can well see that it's possible that Crawford's encouragement of Evans's marriage, her failure to inform Evans's parents about the marriage, and her hosting of the wedding was done in retaliation for "The Star". Jersey Jan (talk) 13:13, 21 December 2024 (UTC)