Movie quote - "No man's born for marriage - He has to be trained."Released in 1950 - This fairly engaging, melodramatic vehicle stars Joan Crawford as the ultimate "Stepford" wife, a neurotic, nagging perfectionist who inevitably short circuits. And when Harriet short circuits, sparks (and vicious accusations) fly this way and that."Harriet Craig" is most certainly a very well-crafted soap opera of sorts that, due to the dead seriousness of its situations (and depending on how one views them), quickly becomes quite an enjoyable parody of itself. This, of course, allows the viewer plenty of opportunity to laugh out loud at the utter foolishness of Harriet's demanding relationships with those around her.Two of the highlights that take place in the course of this film's intriguing story-line are - (1) Much to her relief, Harriet learns from the professionals that mental illness is not necessarily hereditary - (2) Harriet goes to her husband's employer (behind his back) and out of complete, narrow-minded selfishness, attempts to ruin his golden opportunity for a prized promotion.Harriet Craig was adapted for the screen from the 1925 Pulitzer Prize-winning play "Craig's Wife" which was written by George Kelly.Filmed in glossy b&w, this picture was directed by Vincent Sherman whose other films from that era include - Backfire, The Damned Don't Cry and The Young Philadelphians.

As so often happened in Hollywood back in the day, form outweighs content in this movie. Basically it's a soap opera. But thanks to excellent movie-making craftsmanship, it's a soaper well worth watching--very enjoyable.The cast is excellent, and outshining them all is Joan Crawford, marching through her ultra-neat mansion like a drill sergeant. With her broad padded shoulders, butch hairdo, flashing eyes and jutting jaw, she scares the pants off any weak man, and, alas, Wendell Corey as her husband is that man, a fine fellow but eminently malleable and trusting, at least until the last part of the movie.To me the best part of the movie consists of the two final confrontations between Crawford and Corey. The movie is full of great lines but the rapid-fire exchanges in these confrontations, delivered with expert timing, are just super. Fine work by writers Anne Froelich and James Gunn.Of course I spent the whole movie waiting for that vase to be smashed! The closing shot of Crawford left with her husband's lavish house but not much else, is a powerful ending.

I agree with most of the previous reviews on this page re the movie HARRIET CRAIG. I like Joan Crawford as an actress but not too many of her earlier films. I think she hit her stride in 1939 with The Women and in the 1940s and 1950s. I agree with the author 'beyondtheforest' regarding comparing certain stars to their roles and what others have said decades later after they had passed on. Although I believe some of her daughter's account of her mother which coincides with other Hollywood friends and acquaintances of Crawford's (before they passed away) including Harriet Craig's director Vincent Sherman whom Crawford had an affair with. Sherman did say that he had witnessed some of Christina Crawford's accusations which led to Crawford throwing him out of her house the night he spoke up about it.Harriet Craig, The Women and Possessed (the second movie she made with the same title, and The Damned Don't Cry are my favorite Crawford movies. IMO, Crawford was best in the second Possessed. She, herself said that it took a lot out of her to play that part in Possessed, therefore she never desired to play such intense characters again. People forget that Crawford was a good actress and always played independent women who pick themselves up and move forcefully thru a male dominated world. I enjoy those movies more so than her Mildred Pierce. Although I like the Crawford Mildred Pierce (esp the ending) more so than the recent HBO miniseries featuring Kate Winslet, which was boring yet supposed to be true to the novel.Author 'beyondtheforest' mentioned that 1950 was was a good year for movies and performances. Crawford could have been nominated for HARRIET CRAIG along with Katherine Hepburn in ADAM'S RIB. The nominees were Bette Davis and Ann Baxter (ALL ABOUT EVE), Gloria Swanson (SUNSET BLVD), Judy Holliday (BORN YESTERDAY), and Eleanor Parker (CAGED). The favorites were Davis and Swanson but the problem was that Ann Baxter insisted that the studio nominate her in the Best Actress category, since she herself said that the movie's title was ALL ABOUT EVE and may have siphoned off votes from Davis. Many people had cautioned Baxter to stop campaigning for the Best Actress category and settle for Best Supporting Actress, where she and Bette Davis surely would have won in both categories. Instead, Judy Holliday won the the Oscar.At the end of HARRIET CRAIG, Walter should not have said that she could have the house! I would like to think that he did not relinquish his house that he grew up in, when he eventually divorced her. Believe it or not, there are still a few HARRIET CRAIGS in this year of 2012. I know someone who actually said that she married for PROTECTION; she BARGAINED, since she married late in life, and has since TRAINED her husband into the mode she had always wanted. The word LOVE never came up.

Joan Crawford is "Harriet Craig," a manipulative, insecure woman who has to control everything around her in this 1950 film also starring Wendell Corey, K.T. Stevens, Lucile Watson, Allyn Joslyn and Viola Roche.The director, Vincent Sherman, knew how to get a good performance out of Crawford and did so several times, in "Goodbye, My Fancy" and "The Damned Don't Cry." He described her as a very bright, knowledgeable woman when it came to every aspect of filming. Here, Crawford is a cold, manipulative bitch married to hapless Walter (Corey), and as is implied, the sex is great. Pretty soon, he forgets that he's uncomfortable in his own house and that Harriet has isolated him from his friends and things he used to enjoy, and also that she can't have children - so she says. Harriet is unfortunately stuck with the old Craig family housekeeper, Mrs. Howard, who continues to be a burr in her saddle. Mrs. Howard sees through Harriet, as does the boss' wife (Watson). She recommends a promotion which will require Walter to spend some time away from dear Harriet in China. When Harriet finds out, she has a fit and makes sure the boss decides against sending him. Wouldn't want Walter gambling away the company money while drunk, now, would we? Harriet's niece Clare (Stevens) is made to feel extremely grateful by Harriet, so she works for Harriet for free. When Harriet finds out a worker at Walter's lab is interested in Clare, she tells Clare he's a womanizer who brags about it. Harriet is a piece of work.The saddest part of all of this is that I know someone like Harriet and believe me, this portrait is only slightly exaggerated! They are sad cases. They make the lives of everyone around them miserable. And they aren't happy people.Crawford is great in the role and has been said, she plays this type of part very well. She has the regal looks, the voice, and the requisite chilly delivery. For those who say this was the real Crawford, no one knows for sure. I don't think anyone deals with the woman herself at this point, only a plastic persona. She had to have been a lot more charming than Harriet and also, unlike Harriet, capable of letting down her hair once in a while and having a good time. Crawford the actress had many more sides to her than the "Queen Bee" and "Harriet Craig" persona. I think she was at her best in "A Woman's Face" and "Possessed" (the second one) which show what she could really do. I never felt she was great in comedy, but she was a hard worker who could do drama well.Wendell Corey does a good job as a man who loves his wife, his work and his friends and has to walk a thin line. The rest of the cast is uniformly very good, and the Craig house is gorgeous, if you like living in a museum. I'm really talking about the layout.As a spoiler, I think it would have been a riot if, after what we see in the film, Walter ended up with the widow next door. Who knows? Maybe he did.