FEUD: Abandoned!

April 17, 2017 9:41 AM - Season 1, Episode 7

Tensions explode on the set of Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte. Joan becomes convinced she's being made a fool of by Bette and Bob, and throws one of the greatest diva tantrums of all time, checking herself into a hospital in an attempt to shut down the production.

Her plan backfires badly - the studio recasts her in the picture, and sues her for breach of contract. Joan lashes out in agony, causing the long suffering Mamacita to pack up and leave.

posted by dnash (7 comments total)

While the show seems to have become more focused on Joan, I love how they've kept the perspective of both sides. Like the scene where Bette suggests Joan go inside and cool off instead of staying to provide off-camera lines for Bette's close up shots. You can tell Bette legitimately means well - Joan looks exhausted from working in the heat. There's no malice in that moment. And yet Joan can't let herself see anything other than being disrespected and unwanted.

Mamacita's "You have done this to yourself" is chillingly true.
posted by dnash at 9:52 AM on April 17, 2017

Cedars of Lebanon and Mount Sinai merged into Cedar-Sinai in 1961 but didn't consolidate their venues until 1976 at the Mount Sinai site. Until that time(according to LA Times 1964 articles about crawford and my 1968 birth certificate ) they were called by their individual names. The CoL site is now scientology headquarters.
posted by brujita at 2:20 PM on April 17, 2017

Yes....do NOT fuck with Mamacita!
posted by brujita at 8:13 PM on April 17, 2017

Davis spelled her name with an e for Balzac's Cousin Bette, which Lang played in a 1998 adaptation.
posted by brujita at 9:28 PM on April 17, 2017

She became a rabid fundamentalist christian.
posted by brujita at 10:14 AM on April 19, 2017

The Hollywood Reporter tried to get Olivia de Havilland to comment on the show.

"I have received your email with its two questions," De Havilland replied. "I would like to reply first to the second of these, which inquires of me the accuracy of a current television series entitled Feud, which concerns Bette Davis and Joan Crawford and their supposed animosity toward each other. Having not seen the show, I cannot make a valid comment about it. However, in principle, I am opposed to any representation of personages who are no longer alive to judge the accuracy of any incident depicted as involving themselves."

Added De Havilland, "As to the 1963 Oscar ceremony, which took place over half a century ago, I regret to say that I have no memory of it whatsoever and therefore cannot vouch for its accuracy."

posted by dnash at 10:21 AM on April 19, 2017

Davis made it clear in her memoirs that De Haviland was one of her dearest friends.
posted by brujita at 11:01 AM on April 19, 2017