I forgot to add, I recently learnt David Niven had an affair with Princess Margaret during her marriage to Lord Snowden. I don't know why that surprised me given her charisma, beauty, sexual freedom, and unhappy marriage, but it did. He hadn't seemed the type, in my eyes. Either way, his life is definitely something…

I wish you (and anyone interested in Old Hollywood) could get your hands on "Bring on the Empty Horses," David Niven's first book on his time in Hollywood. It's out of print now, unfortunately, but it's utterly fascinating and it forever changed how I saw some people. First and foremost, Errol Flynn who was his…

Thank you for the link, and hurrah for Mamacita being real. It's interesting that they say there is no evidence for Joan Crawford finding Baby Jane or being behind the idea of adapting it for the screen. Hm. Feud's version certainly adds more pathos to the situation. As for Mamacita having 9 children, oof. I know that…

Fascinating. Thank you for sharing the real-life tidbits and factoids. I agree that Joan was a canny operator (nicely put, btw), but I have to think that there was *some* degree of desperation as well, if only because she no longer had a wealth of movie choices, let alone choices with first-tier directors that would…

Vanity Fair has an interesting article on Joan's brother and the alleged stag films, if you're interested: http://www.vanityfair.com/h… It has a photo of Hal, too, and he looks quite handsome, but he seems to have been as weaselly in real life as he was portrayed here.

Do we even know if Mamacita was a real person as opposed to a composite of various close assistants or aides throughout Crawford's life?

Haha, did I screw up the name as well? I probably did. I just got so fixated on Stanley Tucci's performance and on "Biff" as something reminiscent of Back to the Future. 😃

I didn't know that. Thank you for sharing. It adds another layer to the line. (My vote is for more twisted, followed by "more horrible," then "sadder.") I think I'm going to pick up a book on Warner after this is done. I know scraps about him from David Niven's books and some Hollywood autobiographies that I read ages…

Thanks! I can very much see Bette Davis as an Aries. Joan, though, doesn't fit my perception of the sign. I'd have thought her more something like a Leo. But it's all probably a bit silly at the end of the day. :)

I absolutely LOVED how Joan and Bette's cars drew up facing each other slowly in the lot like two gunfighters facing off at the OK Corral.

I think she probably did deep down, but Joan seems the sort driven by the emotions (and alcohol) of the moment. Even putting aside what the previews suggest for next week, Joan shows in small ways how much values and needs Mamacita, from the card for Christine's play debut to apologizing so vociferously tonight. I can…

That would be glorious. We must make this happen somehow!

Stanley Tucci and Jack Warner get the episode MVP for me. From the Hagsploitation discussion to repeatedly screwing up Brad's name ("Biff".. Lol!) to even small things like "do you see any brothers in this room?," the Zanuck pastrami line, and the hilariously petty "GIVE ME BACK MY CIGAR!!!"… he just made me grin…

I'd never seen the actress before tonight and was astonished at how much she captured the young Bancroft not only in feel but also in looks, bone structure, and something about the eyes. Very lovely women, both of them.

Such a riveting episode. Full of brazen gall, campy fun, touching moments, and manipulation, all at once. I was touched most by Anne Bancroft's look of pity and empathy as she glimpsed Joan in the mirror pretending to be so forlorn and subdued. Like Geraldine Page, Bancroft understood Joan's plight enough not to mind…

That last part made me smile. Thank you for explaining your reasoning and your interest in the writers' process and choices. In my case, I think the answer may be simple OCD. lol. ;)

I agree with all your points regarding the innumerable unanswered questions about Diana. I would much rather have had those answers than the whole Bad Renard, mayoral candidate, plot line. What Diana was and what she was capable of always interested me far more than stupid Bonaparte and his moustache-twirling antics.…

This!! All of this!! Every single one of those questions!

But do we k ow if it had been done in the past on a pregnant woman without never-before-seen consequences? I'm not arguing, I simply don't remember enough about the finer points of what was said back then and you seem to have a good memory of the old episodes.

Now that I've gathered my thoughts a little, some random comments: