A Surprisingly Unforgettable Movie!

The acting in this movie is really good.

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

She is the lead actress. and the lead characters. and, using rumors, legends, the line between them is almost ambiguous. because, sure, at a very subjective view, the difference is missing. because her performance seems be a shark against her parteners. because the presence of Lucy Marlow and her decent work seems an error. that does "Quen Bee " more a good option for the fans of Joan Crawford. or good opportunity to discover her for a yong public. because, for her impressive job, a drama from "50 becomes a great lesson of seduction.

This ultra-glossy melodrama, directed with surprising style and flair by MacDougall, plus superbly photographed and set, adds up to a marvelous showcase for Joan Crawford. She's given a great lead-up entrance and then makes the most of her every scene. And she's handed a great support cast to bounce her charisma off. Even squinty-eyed Lucy Marlow looks attractive in her Jean Louis costumes. Sullivan, Ireland, Betsy Palmer, Fay Wray (in a small role right at the beginning) are most deft and convincing. But it is Crawford's film. Such style, such elegance, such glossiness. Yes, with Queen Bee we are back in familiar Joan Crawford territory - one of those heated Southern melodramas played with all stops out by Miss C in settings of tasteful luxury. It's all very much a woman's picture and despite the fact that it's based on a novel, it's also very much a stage affair with most of the action taking place on and around the giant central staircase set that is often even more stunningly lit than Miss C herself. The direction has what you might call an elegant style and the director allows Miss C to dominate the action, giving her an effective entrance and several scenes which she can play in the grand manner as she lectures Lucy Marlow (whose face is almost invariably in shadow). Miss M is obviously an inexperienced actress and is unflatteringly photographed to boot. John Ireland is also not photographed attractively, whilst Barry Sullivan is forced to go through the film with an ugly scar on his face (though he is the only one allowed to match Miss C in the histrionic dept). Fay Wray has a tiny role that is confined to one scene. Photography is glossy and the production slick, though production values are no more than average by "A" standards.

It's not that this is a bad film, but it doesn't quite work...and I'm not sure why. I just know that as I was watching it -- a story about a woman who manipulates everyone in a southern mansion -- I couldn't help thinking that Lillian Hellman could have fixed it.I can't fault the acting here. Joan Crawford is at her bitchy best. Even Barry Sullivan, whom I always thought of as a competent actor (though far from a favorite of mine), is very, very good. John Ireland does well. Betsy Palmer is excellent. Lucy Marlow as the visitor is very good. And it's interesting to see Fay Wray as the nut case in the early scenes.The basic story line seems fine -- A ruthless and unsatisfied wife at a southern mansion manipulates everyone (including the children) into a miserable life that includes multiple suicide. And you just know that in the end the witch (Crawford) will get her comeuppance...but how? But somehow, it just doesn't come together. Although the story line was fine, maybe the script was weak...or the direction. But that doesn't mean that it's not watchable. And of course, watching Crawford play a character that some say was very close to her real personality is extremely interesting.

I really think that Ms. Crawford ("Eva Phillips") kept a bunch of writers on-salary to write these movies particularly for her. Randall MacDougall certainly was one of those ! Can't you see her deciding which lines to "keep" and which ones to "ditch" ?? "Avery Phillips" (Barry Sullivan) was truly good in his alcoholic role - didn't you know the end of the movie would involve a car-accident when he picked up "Eva's" keys from his desk? I really didn't understand why the niece committed suicide - it was plain to me that "Eva" had hitched-up with every male in The South. John Ireland ("Judson Prentiss") was good in his role, as were Betsy Palmer and all the rest.The star of the show, of course, is the wardrobe Ms. Crawford wears. I recall the TV-appeal they had her to do for poor people all around the world, some time ago. Everyone in the world could have, at that time, been fed if they just hocked the necklace she was wearing. True Crawford ! "Poor people, but keep you hands off my necklace !"Yeah, the drag-queens really got some fodder for their acts, especially the fabulous Charles Pearce, who did an act about a bitch-fight between Bette Davis and Crawford, just by turning his wig around......but by using his own material. For those of you who didn't have the privilege of seeing Pearce perform, you missed some great talent....almost as famous as the ladies he mimicked.You weren't aware that the lighting for this movie were designed to highlight Crawford's eyes - thick brows, or not ?I think this film was a story of Crawford's real life - her own daughter couldn't sit through it. I loved "Queen Bee", because it made me laugh at such meanness, although I've known a lot of those people, too. You gotta admit one thing: NO ONE does "queen of mean" like Crawford did. Today's actresses don't have it in them to be mean AND glamorous - younger people may not realize that movies, in those days, ALWAYS had lines in them to say "how beautiful" the leading lady was.I'm not a hard-core fan of hers, but I truly enjoyed Crawford in "Queen Bee". Bravo to all!