joan crawford least likable character could be the one she play in this film and a a controlling and vindictive woman of wealth who run and ruin ( or nearly ruin ) the life of all those whom she have relationship with in her large southern plantation mansion . apparently the relationship come out of her money and their lack of it and as well a the level of her misdirected intelligence and lack of empathy for others and none of which get explain very fully . even to her own child and the product of her marriage to heavy drinking philosophize character play by barry sullivan and she show a cold disregard and especially the choice of a nanny and who even mean than joan . into this dysfunction come jennifer stewart a a young cousin from chicago who upset the strange family chemistry that have be develop over the year and befriend the poor kid and and catch a lot of eye . john ireland seem a natural a the one guy who can and do ( in some well do scene ) stand up to queen bee joan and present his usual suppressed aversion to injustice while also straddle the fence . it worth stick with for the end .