Queen Bee

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Queen Bee

1955,

1h 35m,

Drama

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4 Reviews

Tomatometer

58%

1,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

Tomatometer

4 Reviews

58%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

In the 1950s American South, the vicious and conniving Eva Phillips (Joan Crawford) makes the lives of those around her miserable -- especially her husband, Avery (Barry Sullivan), who resorts to heavy drinking and becomes an alcoholic. Meanwhile, when Eva discovers her sister-in-law (Betsy Palmer) is to wed her former lover (John Ireland), she really becomes nasty. Witnessing Eva's cruel exploits is Avery's cousin, Jennifer Stewart (Lucy Marlow), who can only stand by, mortified.

Francois Truffaut

Arts (France)

May 9, 2022

The acting is not absolutely bad, but weak, very weak, including Joan Crawford’s... Not only is the mise- en-scene clumsy but also, because of its solemn awkwardness, it curbs the timid impulses of the script [and] dulls the rare clever details.

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Clyde Gilmour

Maclean's Magazine

Oct 30, 2019

A vintage item for the Joan Crawford Fan Club, but a bit of an ordeal for non-members like me. She appears as the self-adoring psychotic empress of a wealthy tribe of moderns.

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Jul 1, 2010

C+

About as much fun as being stung by a bee.

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Carol Cling

Las Vegas Review-Journal

Aug 22, 2003

3/5

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Hermione R

May 21, 2017

Excellent Joan Crawford vehicle. Scary controlling bitch and she knows it. Terrific interaction between all the characters. Having a lotta money may not make you happy.

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Theodore W

Apr 24, 2017

Strong performances in a depressing story. Not much to add from what everyone else has said, except that I loved Crawford's gowns. She's 51-years-old here and except for those eyebrows (why, Joan, why??) she looks fabulous!

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Ranald MacDougall

Director

Joan Crawford

Eva Phillips

Barry Sullivan

Avery 'Beauty' Phillips

Betsy Palmer

Carol Lee Phillips

John Ireland

Judson Prentiss

Lucy Marlow

Jennifer Stewart

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Synopsis

In the 1950s American South, the vicious and conniving Eva Phillips (Joan Crawford) makes the lives of those around her miserable -- especially her husband, Avery (Barry Sullivan), who resorts to heavy drinking and becomes an alcoholic. Meanwhile, when Eva discovers her sister-in-law (Betsy Palmer) is to wed her former lover (John Ireland), she really becomes nasty. Witnessing Eva's cruel exploits is Avery's cousin, Jennifer Stewart (Lucy Marlow), who can only stand by, mortified.

Director: Ranald MacDougall
Producer: Jerry Wald
Screenwriter: Edna L. Lee, Ranald MacDougall
Distributor: Columbia Pictures, Columbia TriStar Home Video
Production Co: Columbia Pictures Corporation
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 7, 1955, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 15, 2010
Runtime: 1h 35m
Sound Mix: Mono

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