few thing be more amusing to me than the hollywood myth that joan crawford and especially in middle age ( she be 50 when this movie be make ) and be the most intensely sexy and desirable woman who ever live . that myth find no more fervent expression than in this movie . wow . the story be all carefully craft to rotate around the myth rather like a vast conglomeration of space debris and dust rotate around a giant and frozen planet . and it work . if you like joan crawford melodrama . i have never see a good one . the plot be absurd and which be to say that it perfect . the support cast be also right on the money represent the willowy niece and the bitter and alcoholic husband and the emotionally destroy belle and the suave neighbor and his unstable sister . all of the actor ( except maybe the child ) easily outperform crawford ( in term of create genuine and believable character ) and which be exactly what this kind of movie need . she the ( tragus ) comic center while everyone else provide the contrast . the plot be about as subtle a an atomic bomb and with explosion drop in at regular interval ( no and i be go to shoot this dog ) to move the plot forward in roughly the same way that a bulldozer shove a house off it foundation . which be perfect . this be melodrama . subtlety be not of the essence . keep the atomic bomb come . the movie great strength and though and be the overall production . the costume and the set and the superb and creepy lighting be of the very high caliber . forceful but not completely ridiculous . just when you think the stark and interior scene with deep shadow have become too much and they switch to a bright and airy outdoor scene . the end be predictable and tragic and yet happy at the same time and which be to say and melodramatic and chuckle inducing . but it do not leave me feel annoyed and a some of crawford movie do . instead and it make me resolve to put this movie on my dvd wish list . i definitely want to see it again .