SPOILER ALERT
I have the terrible misfortune of being a walking talking spoiler. I can’t help it really, I just get so excited I have to let it all out, otherwise I would probably die of over excitement; have you ever shaken a soda bottle and not opened it as it threatened to burst? That’s me when I’m excited. Well, anyway whenever I write about movies, which will be often, be warned that I may manage to spoil some of the movie for you. I think that knowing what happens is only half the fun, watching it unfold is what it’s all about, but that’s my personal philosophy so if you don’t like spoilers just skip my movie posts.
HARRIET CRAIG: the ultimate biznatch wife
Yesterday I went through my usual routine of watching classic films, one of them happened to be "Harriet Craig", starring two very talented actors Joan Crawford and Wendell Corey.
By now you may be asking yourself "what makes Mrs. Craig the ultimate biznatch wife?", the answer can be summed up in three words: lying control freak.
The Craig household is composed of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Craig, Harriet's cousin Clare, and the two servants Mrs. Harold (who has been working in Walter Craig's home long before he married Harriet) and Lottie (who has been hired only recently). All of the members of the household live under Harriet's thumb without even realizing it, with the exception of Mrs. Harold; together they reside in a house that is more like a museum than a home. Window shutters must be left open for short amounts of time so as not to fade anything in the room, ash trays are kept handy, the Chinese vase that is Harriet's pride and joy must be kept away from the edge of the mantelpiece, and no one must ever lean on (or heaven forbid, sit on) the arm of the couch.
So Harriet Craig likes having a clean home, is that a crime? With Harriet that's just the tip of the iceberg. At the beginning of the film we see Harriet getting ready to take a trip, she is off to see her sick mother, but we don't actually see Harriet at first. What we see is a household in uproar, rushing all over the place trying to fulfill Harriet's every command, even Harriet's cousin Clare is ordered around like a hired servant. We already notice that something is off when we see how frazzled everyone is.
Enter Walter Craig: loving husband, all-around great guy, and unwitting victim of the machinations of Harriet Craig. It's obvious that Walter is smitten by his wife and ignorant of her schemes. Harriet has made plans for Walters comfort while she out of the house (because of course like all husbands he'd be a wreck without his wife), all meals have been arranged with Mrs. Harold, no one must leave the house unattended, and everything must stay just as she is leaving it.
Finally we reach Harriet's destination, the home where her mother is taken care of. Upon meeting Harriet's mother we find that her illness is not physical but mental and as we watch Harriet's interaction with her mother we begin to feel sympathy for her, she obviously cares about her mother. We later begin to feel more sympathetic towards Harriet when she goes to see her mother's psychiatrist. Harriet's visit reveals that she fervently blames her father for what is wrong with her mother, we the audience begin to wonder what exactly her father did that has affected not only Harriet's mother but Harriet herself. We also find out that Harriet wants to have children but that Walter Craig doesn't want any, apparently he doesn't like kids.
Sympathy for Harriet while watching this movie is short lived. Harriet cuts her trip short because no one is answering the phone at home (too bad cell phones didn't exist in the 50s :) ). On the train trip home we find out about Harriet's philosophy on marriage and men "No man's born ready for marriage; he has to be trained". That's right trained, I cringed when she said that. She also makes it clear that she doesn't believe in marriage for romantic reasons, it's all about a man needing a woman to keep house for him and a woman needing the security that a husband provides (boy have times changed).
When we return to the Craig home, we are greeted by a living room with newspapers strewn all over the floor, half filled drinks without coasters beneath them, cigarettes and their trail of ashes all over the place, and then we see it, omg! the Chinese vase is near the edge of the mantelpiece. What has Walter been up to!? Entertaining hussies and good for nothing bachelors most likely. And what's this, Mrs. Harold is no where to be found!
What has Walter Craig been up to? How will Harriet react to what happened in her home while she was gone? And where on earth is Mrs. Harold? Find out this and more in MARITAL NON-BLISS CONTINUED...
