Joan appeared in 23 films from 1930 to 1935, including She Wanted a Millionaire (1932) and Me and My Gal (1932), both with Spencer Tracy, Little Women (1933) with Katherine Hepburn, The Man Who Reclaimed His Head (1934) with Claude Rains, and The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo (1935) opposite Ronald Coleman.
In 1938 Joan changed from blonde to brunette and her screen persona evolved into that of a seductive femme fatale. This change manifested itself most notably in Fritz Lang’s acclaimed The Woman in the Window (1944) and Scarlet Street (1945). In fact, she made five films for Lang, more that any other American actor or actress who worked with him.
Continuing to work up through the 1980’s, Joan also appeared in 386 episodes of Dark Shadows, receiving an Emmy Award nomination in 1968 for her role as "The Mistress of Collingwood". Joan ultimately appeared or starred in a total of 93 film and television productions.
Joan has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Publicity still from Disraeli
Photoplay, September 1930 - Artist: Earl Christy
Motion Picture Classic May 1930 - Artist: Don Reed
Stars of the Photoplay (1930)
Undated postcard from France (including the misspelling)
The iconic still from Scarlet StreetJoan Bennett - What do you think - Allure?
5 comments:
Trop belle !
Joan Bennett was a stunner and had
a stunning career. She was a true
chameleon. Starting her career as
a blonde that leading men wanted
to protect (although there was
something in her eye that said
she didn't need protecting).
Becoming a brunette for "Trade
Winds" started her on a whole new
career as a femme fatale and was
there anyone better at "mother"
parts than Joan. She could do it
all and did!!!
I love her. My favorite performance of hers is in The Reckless Moment, directed by Max Ophuls. Alas, it isn't on Region 1 DVD but I ordered it from England and it was completely worth it. There was a bio of the Bennett sisters out a couple of years ago, quite a good one too. One bit of trivia: she had absolutely terrible eyesight.
In the book they said after she dyed her hair many people commented on her resemblance to Hedy Lamarr, which I can also see.
Campaspe,
Yes, I would agree about her looking like Hedy and not bad to be compared to her. She was quite successful through a long career and of course had quite an "interesting" private live as well, but that's for others to seek out on their own. :-)
Bennett was an actress who loved to be directed, and that seems evident from the versatility of her roles. Different directors brought out different qualities in her. Fritz Land did an amazing job of bringing out the serious, dramatic side of her in WOMAN IN THE WINDOW. Max Ophuls brought out similar qualities in THE RECKLESS MOMENT. These serious roles seem to suit her best. Lang seemed to bring out a completely different side to her in SCARLET STREET.
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