POSSESSED

Directed by Curtis Bernhardt

(1947) Slow opening: a dazed Joan Crawford wanders the deserted L.A. streets, strikingly location-shot at dawn, her only word a desperately repeated “David”. Then therapy finds she’s a personal nurse, involved with Van Heflin, Raymond Massey and a debuting Gerald Brooks – is this a quadrangle? 35mm. Approx. 108 min.
12:30, 5:10, 9:45

“Twists in the story, Curtis Bernhardt’s assured, stylish direction, and one of Crawford’s most substantial acting jobs make this a top example of the post-WWII noir cycle.”
– Eric Monder, Film Journal 

HUMORESQUE

Directed by Jean Negulesco

(1946) “Bad manners… the infallible sign of talent!” snipes relentlessly “talent”-hunting, thrice-divorced socialite Joan Crawford to rough-edged, up-from-nothing violin virtuoso John Garfield. Tormented love ensues, to the tune of 23 classical works (dubbed by Isaac Stern), with a final sacrifice courtesy of Wagner. Based on the Fannie Hurst novel. 35mm. Approx. 125 min.
2:40, 7:20

“Producing it, [Producer Jerry Wald] had tried to keep Crawford’s image ordinary — he wanted plainer clothes and fewer boxed shoulders — then somehow Joan’s eyes just made the shoulders grow.”
– David Thomson, Warner Bros: The Making of an American Movie Studio