Mildred Pierce
Poster for Mildred Pierce, 1945
Starting her career as a vaudeville dance and progressing to silent movie 'it girl', Joan Crawford (active 1924-77) became a top tier Hollywood actor and was named Time magazine's first ever 'Queen of Movies' in 1937. Crawford's ambition and drive far outstripped her early chorus dancer roles. Adept at self-promotion, she boosted her profile with public appearances, which eventually led to major studio interest and starring roles in movies such as Our Dancing Daughters, Untamed and Dance, Fools, Dance.
Costume from Mildred Pierce, 1945
Designed by Milo Anderson
Synthetic textile
By the end of the 1930s, Crawford fell from being one of Hollywood's highest paid stars to being labelled 'box office poison' due to failing ticket sales. A career hiatus followed, broken by her Academy Award-winning turn as troubled mother Mildred Pierce, a role her peers had shunned due to associated age implications. Crawford accepted the Award from her bed, having avoided attending the ceremony due to doubts she would lose to Ingrid Bergman.*
From the exhibition
DIVA
(June 2023 to April 2024)
DIVA celebrated the power and creativity of iconic performers, exploring and redefining the role of 'diva' and how this has been subverted or embraced over time across opera, stage, popular music, and film.
In the 16th century, as the female performer emerged from the all-male actor troupes, so did the diva. An Italian word commonly used since the 14th century to describe goddesses or deities, 'diva' became a fitting description for exceptional female performers whose divine talents made them appear other-worldly.
[*Victoria & Albert Museum]
Taken in the V&A
Mildred Pierce
Poster for Mildred Pierce, 1945
Starting her career as a vaudeville dance and progressing to silent movie 'it girl', Joan Crawford (active 1924-77) became a top tier Hollywood actor and was named Time magazine's first ever 'Queen of Movies' in 1937. Crawford's ambition and drive far outstripped her early chorus dancer roles. Adept at self-promotion, she boosted her profile with public appearances, which eventually led to major studio interest and starring roles in movies such as Our Dancing Daughters, Untamed and Dance, Fools, Dance.
Costume from Mildred Pierce, 1945
Designed by Milo Anderson
Synthetic textile
By the end of the 1930s, Crawford fell from being one of Hollywood's highest paid stars to being labelled 'box office poison' due to failing ticket sales. A career hiatus followed, broken by her Academy Award-winning turn as troubled mother Mildred Pierce, a role her peers had shunned due to associated age implications. Crawford accepted the Award from her bed, having avoided attending the ceremony due to doubts she would lose to Ingrid Bergman.*
From the exhibition
DIVA
(June 2023 to April 2024)
DIVA celebrated the power and creativity of iconic performers, exploring and redefining the role of 'diva' and how this has been subverted or embraced over time across opera, stage, popular music, and film.
In the 16th century, as the female performer emerged from the all-male actor troupes, so did the diva. An Italian word commonly used since the 14th century to describe goddesses or deities, 'diva' became a fitting description for exceptional female performers whose divine talents made them appear other-worldly.
[*Victoria & Albert Museum]
Taken in the V&A