At Home with Joan Crawford (1953)

Pretty Good

Good concept, poorly executed.

A lot of fun.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Jimmy Fund: At Home With Joan Crawford (1953) *** (out of 4) This short film was made to help raise money for the Jimmy Fund, which was a hospital in Boston that took care of children with cancer. The film shows Joan Crawford walking out of her daughter's bedroom and heading for the camera where she talks about the children with the disease and then asks people to donate money. Several of these shorts were made back in the 1950s and if you're a fan of Crawford then you'll want to check this out. This isn't the most cheerful short ever made but it did serve its purpose. It's rather sad to think that 55-years after this was released that we're no closer to any cure.

After presumably reading her children a book entitled "Clowns", glamorous movie star Joan Crawford says goodnight to her children. And, the children say goodnight to their mother. They are happy and healthy, but Ms. Crawford knows many other children are not so lucky. They have cancer. Crawford narrates while we see child cancer patients in New England. They look okay, but thousands of little children are dying of cancer every year. They need money to fight the disease. You can help...Crawford encourages viewers to make a donation, to "The Jimmy Fund" of Boston, MA. Theater personnel will help take the money. "Please give as generously as you can," Crawford pleads, "please…" Her children are never seen, by the way; they are only heard saying goodnight. Interesting to see the clown doll and "Clowns" book carried by Crawford reappears in a cancer-stricken boy's arms, but she is never seen with any children. Crawford is effective in this short, well-photographed fund-raiser.***** At Home with Joan Crawford (1953) Jimmy Fund ~ Joan Crawford

This is a film you really can't rate, as it's really a public service announcement--and I am actually shocked it's listed on IMDb. Unfortnuately, while it is a noble little advertisement, it's just creepy when seen today.The film begins with Joan Crawford telling her perfect children goodnight in her perfectly arranged life. It's all very waxy-looking considering how well-orchestrated and non-spontaneous it all is. And, in light of the book and movie "Mommy Dearest", it's hard to take this extremely crafted scene as anything other than a creepy portrait of a very creepy family. The purpose of the segment is to encourage New Englanders to contribute to a cancer research fund--a noble cause.Bizarre, very fake and creepy.

yes this short is dated and could possibly be seen as money grabbing but it is for a good cause....the Jimmy fund! which i believe is for cancer research, and Joan is delectable as always, the users who gave this a 1 rating are either, Joan haters, uncharitable or just plain dumb. Most people don't know but Joan actually anonymously paid for (most of her life) a hospital bed for people who don't have much money for them to use. She's not the child beating sado-masochistic mother that her Jealous daughter Christina (John Travolta) makes her out to be, she was a beautiful woman outside, but especially inside and is still to this day loved and missed.