Queen Bee (1955)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Ranald MacDougall

Writers:

Edna L. Lee (novel)
Ranald MacDougall (writer)

Release Date:

7 November 1955 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

She's so excitingly good . . . when she's so wonderfully bad!

Plot:

Eva Phillips is a Southern socialite whose manipulation and ruthlessness ruins the lives of everyone around her...

Plot Keywords:

Manipulation | Grief | Party | Recapture | Cousin Cousin Relationship

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars.

Cast

Joan Crawford	...	Eva Phillips
Barry Sullivan	...	Avery 'Beauty' Phillips
Betsy Palmer	...	Carol Lee Phillips
John Ireland	...	Judson Prentiss
Lucy Marlow	...	Jennifer Stewart
William Leslie	...	Ty McKinnon
Fay Wray	...	Sue McKinnon
Katherine Anderson	...	Miss Breen
Tim Hovey	...	Ted Phillips
Linda Bennett	...	Trissa Phillips
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Willa Pearl Curtis	...	Miss George (uncredited)
Robert McCord	...	Man (uncredited)
Juanita Moore	...	Maid (uncredited)
Olan Soule	...	Dr. Pearson (uncredited)
Bill Walker	...	Sam (uncredited)

Directed by
Ranald MacDougall

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Edna L. Lee		novel
Ranald MacDougall		writer

Produced by
Jerry Wald	....	producer

Original Music by
George Duning

Cinematography by
Charles Lang

Film Editing by
Viola Lawrence

Art Direction by
Ross Bellah

Set Decoration by
Louis Diage

Costume Design by
Jean Louis

Makeup Department
Clay Campbell	....	makeup artist
Helen Hunt	....	hair stylist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Irving J. Moore	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Lambert E. Day	....	sound
John P. Livadary	....	recording supervisor

Music Department
Morris Stoloff	....	musical director

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1955) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (2000) (Argentina) (all media) (re-release)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• LK-TEL (2000) (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2000) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-release)

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Christina Crawford, Joan Crawford's adopted daughter, recounted in her autobiography "Mommy Dearest" that she had to leave the theater midway through a showing of this film because it was too true-to-life in her mother's portrayal of the main character.

Quotes:

[last lines]
Avery 'Beauty' Phillips: The sun is shinin'; funny, I didn't expect the sun to be shinin'.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Die, Mommie, Die! (2003)

A very, very Crawford movie

Maybe I'm going out on a limb here, but having seen a great many of her movies, I would say that Joan Crawford was at her bitchiest in this picture. That is to say, bitchier than usual! She tears at the scenery, she tears at the script, and brother I feel sorry for her co-stars, because even though they are also a talented group, they of course don't stand a chance when Crawford's on the screen, which is basically every scene. Although her character doesn't appear right away, it's still obvious from the very start that this is a very, very Crawford movie. The film just instantaneously gives off that omen. The gist of the story is this: Crawford is a glamorous socialite who dominates her Southern family and takes great pride in doing so. Yes, we've seen Crawford play this type of role before(HARRIETT CRAIG), but I personally never tire of seeing Crawford getting the upper hand. Though they didn't get along too well in real life, Joan Crawford and Bette Davis had much in common when it came to choice of movie scripts. They both specialized in playing catty, indomitable females, and they both clearly relished doing so. Crawford is at her best in this one. Sure, the script isn't the greatest she's been given, and frankly it's pretty sleazy stuff, but Crawford does wonders with it and manages to turn in her finest performance. She clearly works at the part and isn't simply clawing and nailing at everyone around her. Even though her character is an absolute horror of a human being, Crawford does her best to make her a sympathetic one, and she just about pulls it off! Some people will discard this one as pure camp, but this is a movie that serious Joan Crawford fans like myself will treasure, and no doubt watch over and over again. Terrific!!!!!