Quotes

[on Joan Crawford and the book "Mommie Dearest"] Christina [Crawford's daughter, Christina Crawford] hurt her mother's image a lot, but at least not while Joan was still alive. Bette Davis wasn't so fortunate, or maybe I should say she was more fortunate. She had to endure the hurt, but anyway she was there to defend herself and to go on the offensive. I think I knew Joan as well as anyone ever did, but I honestly don't know how Joan would have handled "Mommie Dearest" if Christina had published it while she was still alive. She would have been heartbroken, but I don't think she would have just fallen apart. She was strong, but the Joan I knew was a very, very vulnerable person. I think it would have depended on her health, but because she cared so much about what her fans thought, she would have done something if she could.

The longer I'm away from the big studio system, the more I appreciate it. I'm just glad I was around at its height.

[on working with Joan Crawford] She phoned me almost every day to discuss some story point or she would come to the studio to talk about her wardrobe. I found her excellent to work with--intelligent, perceptive and she presented her thoughts in a way that was never high-handed. I had never worked with an actor who knew so much about filmmaking. She could have been imperious, but she never was. She always asked rather than told, and she listened. She appreciated being part of the process of working on the script, even though she had that power [in her contract].

[on working with Joan Crawford] I had heard so many stories about her, and I thought she'd be very demanding, overpowering and overwhelming. But Joan was very much down to earth, very simple, unpretentious and very smart about filmmaking.

[on working with Joan Crawford in The Damned Don't Cry (1950)] [Joan was] the most cooperative actress I ever worked with--and very knowledgeable about what worked and didn't work for her in the story and in her career. When we were preparing the picture, she looked back over her own life as raw material for the character. She had risen from Broadway chorus girl to silent-movie dancer to wealthy and influential star. Her entire past had been a toughening experience for her, and she used it brilliantly.