Want to know the best Joan Crawford movies? How about the worst Joan Crawford movies? Curious about Joan Crawford’s box office grosses or which Joan Crawford movie picked up the most Oscar® nominations? Need to know which Joan Crawford movie got the best reviews from critics and audiences and which one got the worst reviews? Well you have come to the right place…. because we have all of that information and much more.
Even though Joan Crawford (1904-1977) was voted by the American Film Institute as the 10th greatest film actress, I have to admit that I have not seen many of her movies (fourteen to be exact). So how did I write a movie page that ranked all of her movies from 1st to 78th? Lots and lots of research is the answer.
Well the first place I started was IMDb (Internet Movie Database) and saw she had lots of acting credits. Then I read two of her biographies….Not The Girl Next Door by Charlotte Chandler and Possessed: The Life of Joan Crawford by Donald Spoto. Next I was lucky enough to find this Best of Everything Joan Crawford tribute page on the internet which was jam packed with tons of hard to find box office information from the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. Using the information that I had collected from these sources I was able to finally write this page.
Her IMDb page shows 103 acting credits from 1925-1972. This page ranks 78 Joan Crawford movies from Best to Worst in seven different sortable columns of information. Television shows, shorts, cameos and movies that were not released in North American theaters were not included in the rankings.
Joan Crawford Movies Ranked In Chronological Order With Ultimate Movie Rankings Score (1 to 5 UMR Tickets) *Best combo of box office, reviews and awards.
Year
Movie (Year)
Rating
S
Year Movie (Year) Rating S
1932
Grand Hotel (1932)
AA Best Picture Win
1945
Mildred Pierce (1945)
AA Best Picture Nom
AA Best Actress Win
1939
The Women (1939)
1954
Johnny Guitar (1954)
1962
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)
1931
Possessed (1931)
1933
Dancing Lady (1933)
1947
Possessed (1947)
AA Best Actress Nom
1946
Humoresque (1946)
1934
Chained (1934)
1941
A Woman's Face (1941)
1936
Love on the Run (1936)
1959
The Best of Everything (1959)
1949
Flamingo Road (1949)
1934
Forsaking All Others (1934)
1940
Strange Cargo (1940)
1937
Mannequin (1937)
1952
Sudden Fear (1952)
AA Best Actress Nom
1929
The Hollywood Revue of 1929 (1929)
AA Best Picture Nom
1936
The Gorgeous Hussy (1936)
1937
The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (1937)
1934
Sadie McKee (1934)
1947
Daisy Kenyon (1947)
1927
The Unknown (1927)
1935
No More Ladies (1935)
1930
Paid (1930)
1938
The Shining Hour (1938)
1950
The Damned Don't Cry (1950)
1941
When Ladies Meet (1941)
1931
Dance, Fools, Dance (1931)
1932
Rain (1932)
1950
Harriet Craig (1950)
1930
Our Blushing Brides (1930)
1937
The Bride Wore Red (1937)
1928
Our Dancing Daughters (1928)
1964
Strait-Jacket (1964)
1956
Autumn Leaves (1956)
1932
Letty Lynton (1932)
1942
They All Kissed The Bride (1942)
1935
I Live My Life (1935)
1931
This Modern Age (1931)
1940
Susan and God (1940)
1930
Montana Moon (1930)
1942
Reunion in France (1942)
1939
The Ice Follies of 1939 (1939)
1927
West Point (1927)
1955
Queen Bee (1955)
1928
Across to Singapore (1928)
1931
Laughing Sinners (1931)
1957
The Story of Esther Costello (1957)
1951
Goodbye, My Fancy (1951)
1929
Our Modern Maidens (1929)
1928
Four Walls (1928)
1943
Above Suspicion (1943)
1953
Torch Song (1953)
1955
Female on the Beach (1955)
1933
Today We Live (1933)
1929
Untamed (1929)
1927
Spring Fever (1927)
1926
Tramp, Tramp, Tramp (1926)
1927
Twelve Miles Out (1927)
1965
I Saw What You Did (1965)
1952
This Woman Is Dangerous (1952)
1928
Rose-Marie (1928)
1963
The Caretakers (1963)
1925
Sally, Irene and Mary (1925)
1929
The Duke Steps Out (1929)
1925
Proud Flesh (1925)
Uncredited
1927
Winners of the Wilderness (1927)
1967
Berserk (1967)
1928
Dream of Love (1928)
1925
Pretty Ladies (1925)
1926
The Boob (1926)
1965
Della (1965)
1927
The Understanding Heart (1927)
1926
Paris (1926)
1927
The Taxi Dancer (1927)
1928
The Law of the Range (1928)
1970
Trog (1970)
78 Joan Crawford Movies Can Be Ranked 6 Ways In This Table
The really cool thing about this table is that it is “user-sortable”. Rank the movies anyway you want.
- The highlighted movie links take you to that movie’s trailer or a small clip of the Joan movie.
- Sort Joan Crawford movies by co-stars of her movies
- Sort Joan Crawford movies by adjusted domestic box office grosses using current movie ticket cost (in millions)
- Sort Joan Crawford movies by yearly domestic box office gross
- Sort Joan Crawford movies by how they were received by critics and audiences. 60% rating or higher should indicate a good movie.
- Sort by how many Oscar® nominations and how many Oscar® wins each Joan Crawford movie received.
- Sort Joan Crawford movies by Ultimate Movie Rankings (UMR) Score. UMR Score puts box office, reviews and awards into a mathematical equation and gives each movie a score.
R
Movie (Year)
UMR Co-Star Links
Adj. B.O. Worldwide (mil)
Review
Oscar Nom / Win
UMR Score
R Movie (Year) UMR Co-Star Links Actual B.O. Domestic (mil) Adj. B.O. Domestic (mil) Adj. B.O. Worldwide (mil) B.O. Rank by Year Review Oscar Nom / Win UMR Score S
2
Grand Hotel (1932)
AA Best Picture WinGreta Garbo &
Lionel Barrymore3.50
172.9
363.20
9
81
01 / 01
99.5
1
Mildred Pierce (1945)
AA Best Picture Nom
AA Best Actress WinEve Arden &
Ann Blyth9.70
306.8
500.50
16
82
06 / 01
99.1
3
The Women (1939)
Norma Shearer &
Joan Fontaine6.80
260.4
362.10
13
83
00 / 00
98.0
4
Johnny Guitar (1954)
Ernest Borgnine &
Sterling Hayden7.10
167.4
167.40
45
86
00 / 00
96.5
5
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)
Bette Davis
10.20
147.3
212.20
20
84
05 / 01
95.9
6
Possessed (1931)
Clark Gable
3.00
156.4
231.20
21
82
00 / 00
94.7
8
Dancing Lady (1933)
Clark Gable &
Fred Astaire4.30
199.5
322.20
9
67
00 / 00
94.3
7
Possessed (1947)
AA Best Actress NomVan Heflin
5.40
156.5
156.50
63
78
01 / 00
93.9
10
Humoresque (1946)
John Garfield
6.20
189.9
282.90
57
67
01 / 00
93.7
9
Chained (1934)
Clark Gable
3.70
174.2
266.20
5
72
00 / 00
93.6
12
A Woman's Face (1941)
Melvyn Douglas
3.50
133.8
236.80
67
82
00 / 00
92.6
13
Love on the Run (1936)
Clark Gable
3.80
164.0
267.60
34
69
00 / 00
91.7
13
The Best of Everything (1959)
Stephen Boyd &
Hope Lange10.00
179.7
179.70
22
62
02 / 00
91.6
15
Flamingo Road (1949)
Sydney Greenstreet
6.30
157.6
201.70
33
70
00 / 00
91.3
17
Forsaking All Others (1934)
Clark Gable
4.00
187.3
294.50
4
59
00 / 00
90.6
16
Strange Cargo (1940)
Clark Gable &
Peter Lorre3.70
144.2
210.50
35
72
00 / 00
90.4
17
Mannequin (1937)
Spencer Tracy
4.30
176.8
271.00
35
57
01 / 00
89.3
18
Sudden Fear (1952)
AA Best Actress NomJack Palance
4.60
89.8
89.80
67
82
04 / 00
89.2
18
The Hollywood Revue of 1929 (1929)
AA Best Picture NomNorma Shearer &
Buster Keaton4.90
150.3
238.20
12
59
01 / 00
89.0
19
The Gorgeous Hussy (1936)
James Stewart
4.90
209.6
290.20
18
48
02 / 00
88.8
21
The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (1937)
William Powell
4.40
183.6
298.00
28
54
00 / 00
88.7
22
Sadie McKee (1934)
Franchot Tone
2.40
112.2
174.40
39
73
00 / 00
87.3
24
Daisy Kenyon (1947)
Henry Fonda
4.70
137.8
137.80
74
64
00 / 00
86.9
23
The Unknown (1927)
Lon Chaney Sr.
2.00
67.6
99.10
25
84
00 / 00
86.1
26
No More Ladies (1935)
Joan Fontaine &
Robert Montgomery3.20
143.3
208.30
20
60
00 / 00
86.0
27
Paid (1930)
Robert Armstrong
2.80
152.6
204.20
26
56
00 / 00
85.8
28
The Shining Hour (1938)
Robert Young
3.80
150.4
218.30
45
57
00 / 00
85.6
28
The Damned Don't Cry (1950)
David Brian
4.40
98.8
141.90
69
72
00 / 00
85.3
31
When Ladies Meet (1941)
Greer Garson &
Robert Taylor3.70
144.3
229.30
61
55
01 / 00
84.3
32
Dance, Fools, Dance (1931)
Clark Gable
2.50
128.8
192.60
34
60
00 / 00
84.0
30
Rain (1932)
Walter Huston
1.50
75.3
98.60
55
75
00 / 00
83.2
32
Harriet Craig (1950)
Wendell Corey
3.10
70.6
70.60
103
77
00 / 00
83.2
33
Our Blushing Brides (1930)
Robert Montgomery
2.70
144.9
200.80
31
53
00 / 00
83.0
34
The Bride Wore Red (1937)
Franchot Tone &
Robert Young2.60
107.8
199.00
94
64
00 / 00
82.8
35
Our Dancing Daughters (1928)
Johnny Mack Brown
2.50
80.0
116.10
33
71
02 / 00
82.7
36
Strait-Jacket (1964)
Lee Majors
6.30
71.9
71.90
45
73
00 / 00
81.5
35
Autumn Leaves (1956)
Cliff Robertson
3.10
61.6
61.60
108
76
00 / 00
81.4
38
Letty Lynton (1932)
Robert Montgomery
2.20
105.6
164.10
30
62
00 / 00
81.3
39
They All Kissed The Bride (1942)
Melvyn Douglas
2.90
106.2
151.30
96
59
00 / 00
79.6
40
I Live My Life (1935)
Frank Morgan
2.60
118.2
189.70
42
55
00 / 00
79.2
42
This Modern Age (1931)
Neil Hamilton
2.10
107.5
135.30
50
55
00 / 00
76.8
41
Susan and God (1940)
Fredric March &
Rita Hayworth2.30
89.9
120.60
83
60
00 / 00
76.1
45
Montana Moon (1930)
Johnny Mack Brown
2.30
124.6
159.20
45
49
00 / 00
76.1
44
Reunion in France (1942)
John Wayne
3.00
111.1
197.90
93
52
00 / 00
75.3
47
The Ice Follies of 1939 (1939)
James Stewart
2.90
111.7
180.60
80
51
00 / 00
74.1
46
West Point (1927)
William Haines
1.70
58.7
80.90
31
67
00 / 00
73.4
46
Queen Bee (1955)
Fay Wray
2.80
57.7
57.70
115
64
02 / 00
72.1
48
Across to Singapore (1928)
Ramon Novarro
1.80
57.9
93.10
52
64
00 / 00
70.4
49
Laughing Sinners (1931)
Clark Gable
1.80
94.8
116.20
59
52
00 / 00
69.4
49
The Story of Esther Costello (1957)
Heather Sears
3.40
64.6
64.60
75
60
00 / 00
67.3
51
Goodbye, My Fancy (1951)
Robert Young
3.70
80.1
94.10
94
54
00 / 00
66.5
52
Our Modern Maidens (1929)
Douglas Fairbanks Jr.
2.20
66.4
84.30
60
58
00 / 00
65.4
53
Four Walls (1928)
John Gilbert
2.00
63.9
84.90
48
57
00 / 00
63.8
56
Above Suspicion (1943)
Fred MacMurray
2.60
92.9
92.90
105
46
00 / 00
60.0
55
Torch Song (1953)
Marjorie Rambeau &
Gig Young3.60
65.3
65.30
103
52
02 / 00
59.1
54
Female on the Beach (1955)
Jeff Chandler
2.20
45.9
45.90
130
60
00 / 00
58.6
57
Today We Live (1933)
Gary Cooper
1.70
79.0
138.60
53
49
00 / 00
57.7
59
Untamed (1929)
Robert Montgomery
2.30
70.3
95.80
53
51
00 / 00
56.5
57
Spring Fever (1927)
William Haines
1.30
45.2
59.10
47
58
00 / 00
54.8
60
Tramp, Tramp, Tramp (1926)
Harry Langdon
0.70
26.4
34.60
59
61
00 / 00
49.9
61
Twelve Miles Out (1927)
John Gilbert
2.30
76.6
104.50
21
45
00 / 00
49.8
62
I Saw What You Did (1965)
John Ireland
2.70
28.6
28.60
81
57
00 / 00
43.5
63
This Woman Is Dangerous (1952)
Dennis Morgan
2.40
46.3
46.30
142
51
00 / 00
42.6
64
Rose-Marie (1928)
James Murray
2.30
71.8
102.70
43
37
00 / 00
28.3
65
The Caretakers (1963)
Robert Stack
4.50
56.4
56.40
58
38
01 / 00
22.6
66
Sally, Irene and Mary (1925)
Constance Bennett
1.40
56.6
71.50
21
38
00 / 00
22.3
67
The Duke Steps Out (1929)
William Haines
2.30
70.3
90.50
54
33
00 / 00
20.3
68
Proud Flesh (1925)
UncreditedDirected by King Vidor
0.30
13.9
13.90
57
48
00 / 00
15.5
68
Winners of the Wilderness (1927)
Tim McCoy
0.50
18.5
33.10
87
45
00 / 00
14.2
68
Berserk (1967)
Ty Hardin
2.80
24.5
24.50
81
42
00 / 00
12.3
70
Dream of Love (1928)
Nils Asther
1.10
35.8
60.30
78
36
00 / 00
10.2
72
Pretty Ladies (1925)
Zasu Pitts
1.20
48.6
59.20
24
32
00 / 00
9.8
72
The Boob (1926)
Gertrude Olmstead
0.50
18.6
23.90
80
39
00 / 00
7.8
73
Della (1965)
Charles Bickford
0.30
3.6
3.60
147
43
00 / 00
6.7
75
The Understanding Heart (1927)
Ralph Bushman
1.50
49.9
62.70
40
28
00 / 00
6.3
74
Paris (1926)
Charles Ray
1.00
35.9
48.00
41
32
00 / 00
6.0
76
The Taxi Dancer (1927)
Owen Moore
0.90
30.8
42.50
72
31
00 / 00
4.6
77
The Law of the Range (1928)
Tim McCoy
0.50
14.7
25.50
113
26
00 / 00
0.9
78
Trog (1970)
Michael Gough
2.30
15.9
15.90
101
26
00 / 00
0.8
Stats and Possibly Interesting Things From The Above Joan Crawford Table
- Twenty-seven Joan Crawford movies crossed the magical $100 million domestic gross mark. That is a percentage of 34.61% of her movies listed. Mildred Pierce (1945) was her biggest box office hit.
- An average Joan Crawford movie grosses $80.50 million in adjusted box office gross.
- Using RottenTomatoes.com’s 60% fresh meter. 36 of Joan Crawford’s movies are rated as good movies…or 46.15% of her movies. Johnny Guitar (1954) is her highest rated movie while Trog (1970) was her lowest rated movie.
- Fifteen Joan Crawford movies received at least one Oscar® nomination in any category…..or 19.23% of her movies.
- Three Joan Crawford movies won at least one Oscar® in any category…..or 3.84% of her movies.
- A “good movie” Ultimate Movie Rankings (UMR) Score is 60.00. 47 Joan Crawford movies scored higher than that average….or 60.25% of her movies. Mildred Pierce (1945) got the the highest UMR Score while Trog (1970) got the lowest UMR Score.
Possibly Interesting Facts About Joan Crawford
1. Joan Crawford’s birth name was Lucille Fay LeSueur. The only movie that lists her birth name is Pretty Ladies (1925). How she got the Joan Crawford name comes from Bob Kale. “Her name was voted on by the public in a movie magazine. The public’s first choice was Joan Arden. Since there was already a Joan Arden already making movies….they had to go with the second choice…..Joan Crawford. She initially hated the name because she thought it was to close to “crawfish”.
2. Joan Crawford was nominated for 3 Oscars® during her career….winning one time for 1945’s Mildred Pierce. Her other two nominated performances were for 1947’s Possessed and 1952’s Sudden Fear. She amazingly was never nominated for a Golden Globe®.
3. Speaking of Possessed….she is one of the few actresses to appear in two movies with the same name that have absolutely nothing to do with each other. Possessed (1931) was about a factory worker and was a romantic movie…while Possessed (1947) was about a woman that is obsessed with a man and how that obsession leads to murder.
4. Joan Crawford was married 4 times in her life. Marriage one was to actor Douglas Fairbanks Jr. (an actor), marriage two was to Franchot Tone (they appeared in 8 movies together), marriage three was to Phillip Terry (an actor) and finally she was married to Alfred Steele (CEO of Pepsi-Cola). Many of her movies at her request/demand had Pepsi placement in them. Joan Crawford adopted five children. The three girls were Christina, Cathy and Cynthia. The two boys were both called Christopher …although one of the two boys was reclaimed by his birth mother. Christina authored the book…Mommie Dearest….which was turned into a movie starring Faye Dunaway as Joan Crawford.
5. Joan Crawford appeared in two all-star movies….1929’s Hollywood Revue and 1944’s Hollywood Canteen. Both roles were cameos and were not included in the rankings. It should be noted that Hollywood Revue was the first time Crawford’s voice was heard in movies….while Hollywood Canteen was one of the biggest box office hits of the 1940s.
6. One of Joan Crawford’s last project was one of Steven Spielberg’s first projects. She appeared in the TV movie Night Gallery, which had 3 segments (she starred in the 2nd segment, directed by Spielberg) and aired in November of 1969. The actual TV show did not premiere until over a year later, in December of 1970.
7. According to Quigley Publications…..Joan Crawford was a Top Ten Movie Star from 1930 to 1936. She was ranked #1 in 1930, #3 in 1931 and 1932, #10 in 1933, #6 in 1934, #5 in 1935 and #7 in 1936. By the end of 1937 she was considered “box office poison”….without a doubt a case of …”what have you done for me lately”.
8. Joan Crawford and Bette Davis simply hated each other. Their feud lasted for decades and is legendary in the history of Hollywood. Somehow they managed to actually act in a movie together….1962’s Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?. Then again I guess the fact that their two characters in the movie hated each other as well…made the acting pretty easy for them.
9. Joan Crawford was Fred Astaire‘s first on screen dance partner. The two appeared in 1933’s Dancing Lady. Others in the cast….Clark Gable, Franchot Tone (her 2nd husband) and the Three Stooges.
10. One of the best collection of Joan Crawford fans can be found on Facebook at Joan Crawford Chat Room. If you are a Joan Crawford you have to join this group….it is easily the best movie group on Facebook that I have come across….and I am in many Facebook movie groups.
Check out Joan Crawford‘s career compared to current and classic actors. Most 100 Million Dollar Movies of All-Time.
This is the 3rd home for my Joan Crawford movie page….but this is a brand new You Tube video…made especially for my new and hopefully final home for my Joan Crawford page.
But Wait…We Have More Joan Crawford Movie Stats…How About Adjusted Worldwide Grosses on 59 Joan Crawford Movies
Movie (Year) | UMR Co-Star Links | World-Wide Box Office Adjusted (mil) | S |
---|---|---|---|
Movie (Year) | UMR Co-Star Links | World-Wide Box Office Adjusted (mil) | S |
Mildred Pierce (1945) AA Best Picture Nom AA Best Actress Win |
Eve Arden & Ann Blyth |
500.50 | |
Grand Hotel (1932) AA Best Picture Win |
Greta Garbo & Lionel Barrymore |
363.20 | |
The Women (1939) | Norma Shearer & Joan Fontaine |
362.10 | |
Dancing Lady (1933) | Clark Gable & Fred Astaire |
322.20 | |
The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (1937) | William Powell | 298.00 | |
Forsaking All Others (1934) | Clark Gable | 294.50 | |
The Gorgeous Hussy (1936) | James Stewart | 290.20 | |
Humoresque (1946) | John Garfield | 282.90 | |
Mannequin (1937) | Spencer Tracy | 271.00 | |
Love on the Run (1936) | Clark Gable | 267.60 | |
Chained (1934) | Clark Gable | 266.20 | |
The Hollywood Revue of 1929 (1929) AA Best Picture Nom |
Norma Shearer & Buster Keaton |
238.20 | |
A Woman's Face (1941) | Melvyn Douglas | 236.80 | |
Possessed (1931) | Clark Gable | 231.20 | |
When Ladies Meet (1941) | Greer Garson & Robert Taylor |
229.30 | |
The Shining Hour (1938) | Robert Young | 218.30 | |
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) | Bette Davis | 212.20 | |
Strange Cargo (1940) | Clark Gable & Peter Lorre |
210.50 | |
No More Ladies (1935) | Joan Fontaine & Robert Montgomery |
208.30 | |
Paid (1930) | Robert Armstrong | 204.20 | |
Flamingo Road (1949) | Sydney Greenstreet | 201.70 | |
Our Blushing Brides (1930) | Robert Montgomery | 200.80 | |
The Bride Wore Red (1937) | Franchot Tone & Robert Young |
199.00 | |
Reunion in France (1942) | John Wayne | 197.90 | |
Dance, Fools, Dance (1931) | Clark Gable | 192.60 | |
I Live My Life (1935) | Frank Morgan | 189.70 | |
The Ice Follies of 1939 (1939) | James Stewart | 180.60 | |
Sadie McKee (1934) | Franchot Tone | 174.40 | |
Letty Lynton (1932) | Robert Montgomery | 164.10 | |
Montana Moon (1930) | Johnny Mack Brown | 159.20 | |
They All Kissed The Bride (1942) | Melvyn Douglas | 151.30 | |
The Damned Don't Cry (1950) | David Brian | 141.90 | |
Today We Live (1933) | Gary Cooper | 138.60 | |
This Modern Age (1931) | Neil Hamilton | 135.30 | |
Susan and God (1940) | Fredric March & Rita Hayworth |
120.60 | |
Laughing Sinners (1931) | Clark Gable | 116.20 | |
Our Dancing Daughters (1928) | Johnny Mack Brown | 116.10 | |
Twelve Miles Out (1927) | John Gilbert | 104.50 | |
Rose-Marie (1928) | James Murray | 102.70 | |
The Unknown (1927) | Lon Chaney Sr. | 99.10 | |
Rain (1932) | Walter Huston | 98.60 | |
Untamed (1929) | Robert Montgomery | 95.80 | |
Goodbye, My Fancy (1951) | Robert Young | 94.10 | |
Across to Singapore (1928) | Ramon Novarro | 93.10 | |
The Duke Steps Out (1929) | William Haines | 90.50 | |
Four Walls (1928) | John Gilbert | 84.90 | |
Our Modern Maidens (1929) | Douglas Fairbanks Jr. | 84.30 | |
West Point (1927) | William Haines | 80.90 | |
Sally, Irene and Mary (1925) | Constance Bennett | 71.50 | |
The Understanding Heart (1927) | Ralph Bushman | 62.70 | |
Dream of Love (1928) | Nils Asther | 60.30 | |
Pretty Ladies (1925) | Zasu Pitts | 59.20 | |
Spring Fever (1927) | William Haines | 59.10 | |
Paris (1926) | Charles Ray | 48.00 | |
The Taxi Dancer (1927) | Owen Moore | 42.50 | |
Tramp, Tramp, Tramp (1926) | Harry Langdon | 34.60 | |
Winners of the Wilderness (1927) | Tim McCoy | 33.10 | |
The Law of the Range (1928) | Tim McCoy | 25.50 | |
The Boob (1926) | Gertrude Olmstead | 23.90 |
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For comments….all you need is a name and a comment….please ignore the rest.
Thank you Bruce.
Fascinating data!