FX’s Feud aired its final episode of the season last night, and (spoiler alert) fans hoping for one final epic shadefest between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford were instead taken on a rather uncomfortable journey into the abyss of the screen legends’ careers.
For Crawford, that meant delving into the world of Trog, her final film. While the 1970 picture wasn’t her last acting gig (she is credited with some TV appearances), the show makes it out to be the final straw in her long and turbulent career. In Feud, Crawford fights early on to be cast as a scientist — specifically, Marie Curie. The plan fails, and in Trog she finally gets to play one. It’s not exactly what she’d hoped for.
Related: That bizarre Bette Davis musical number from last night’s ‘Feud’ is real
And thanks to the internet, we can catch a glimpse at what the real-life film looked and felt like.
The irony is that Crawford delivers a pretty solid performance in what is otherwise a total B movie.
Here’s the trailer:
And here’s Joan giving it her all while having to say “Trog” with a straight face and acting against a cheap Bigfoot costume:
When John Waters introduced a screening of Trog last year, he delighted in telling the crowd that, “[Crawford] treated this as if it was the most serious movie that was ever being made.”
Related: Olivia de Havilland was asked if she watches “Feud” and her rejection letter is priceless
He then went on to read some of the reviews and gossip that were written around the time of production, many of which made it into Ryan Murphy‘s Feud.
Watch that below:
RIGay
I remember “Trog”; I thought it was pretty good Sci-Fi fare in its day.
IanHunter
It’s not that bad. It is a campy sci-fi, beneath Joan, but it is entertaining. I found a copy of Trog at the flea market years ago. I would recommend watching it for the fun of it.
william_mcrae
For a woman whose film career stretched back over a 45 year period and who was nominated three times for the Academy Award (and winning one in the process), “Trog” was an embarrassing end to a long and diverse movie resume.
Yes it trashy and silly and can be enjoyed for being a campy piece of sci-fi horror. But for someone of Crawford’s calibre to be involved in such a low level project highlights what desperate lengths the aging actress would go to when trying to secure a leading role even if it was something she should have passed on.
To use a modern day equivalent, it would be like a veteran actress today (ie: Helen Mirren or Meryl Streep) accepting the lead role in “Sharkado”.
Whilst us movie goers can appreciate the ridiculous nature of these movies, for Crawford it was sinking to an all time professional low that effectively ended her big screen career for good.
batesmotel
I think the problem was that her career was already long over at that point and she was desperate to work in anything just to keep working. She wasn’t being offered anything anymore when that script came along. Hollywood didn’t want to cast older actresses in big films. Even Jane Fonda recently said she had to start her own production company as she wasn’t being offered anything past age 40.
pdquick
Now I totally want to see a Sharkado with Helen Mirren and Meryl Streep. That would rock.
pdquick
The best thing about the finale was all the digs at Faye Dunaway. We see what you did there, Ryan Murphy.
Jere
I haven’t seen TROG, but, just from the clips available here, Crawford’s performance seems compelling and entirely on point. I don’t see anything over the top or overtly campy here from Crawford.
Uppity
While entertaining, the series Feud very heavy handedly promoted the notion that Joan and Bette were puppets of a male-dominated system and it was in fact the fault of men that they were at each other’s throats. But this argument falls apart when you see that the bulk of Hollywood’s female stars retired gracefully and graciously without having conspicuously feuded with any other female. Joan and Bette were just difficult people. And that will also be why the roles dried up, because nobody wanted to work with them. I do get tired of the constant refrain from actresses that the roles get scarcer as they get older. It’s actually the same for men. They’ve chosen a profession with a use by date. So they need to be smarter about saving their money and transitioning into a related field or getting out entirely. The rest of us usually have to do the same thing in our chosen profession, so why can’t they? It just rings so hollow when they complain, especially given how much money they make.
dgsea06
“Trog” Fun flick. Crawford didn’t have to really emote (She portrayed a scientist, after all.) The premise of the movie is still compelling. What if scientists could rejuvinate “Kennewick Man”? The “Icelander” or, well, name your fave. I’d say give Sigorney Weaver a break from “Avatar” and let her go back to the stage and play Mimi in “La Boheme” or Blanche in “Streetcar”. But where would we get a Brando?
Davis did “Charlotte” and it was sad. Crawford in Trog and Davis in Charlotte.
Oh, what am I saying?
He BGB
She looks good. That’s what mattered. But I’m curious if she has one if those pulley contraptions under her wig that older stats used to pull back the loose skin. Dietrich did it. Anyway, I think it’s terrible that it was her last movie to be remembered for that, being last movie kinda humiliating. I remember seeing her in Night Gallery around this time, directed by a new guy named Spielberg. She was glam with jewelry and high wig, flowing white gown. She resented being directed by a boy, a newbie. She played a woman who got her eye sight back for just a few hours and the power went off in the whole city. What bad luck.
He BGB
If = of
Stats = stars
Doughosier
Many screen legends ended their careers with embarrassing films. Bette with Wicked Stepmother. Mae West with Sexette. Lana Turner with Witched Brew…
Blackceo
I felt so sad for Joan Crawford in the finale. Its ashame that she and Davis didn’t end up as maybe not friends but allies. I think they were different women in their approach to their craft, but I actually think they had things in common that would’ve allowed them to at least be ladies who lunch and could call each other up for a good talk.
There was one particular scene in the finale where a young gay man perfectly summed up why Crawford and Davis have big gay male fan bases. Many of us have always been attracted to strong women who are survivors and are a bit dramatic. I’m a fan of both ladies, although I have to say I’m more of a Crawford fan than Davis. Bette’s acting was better than Joan’s, but there’s something about Crawford that just made me want to root for her. Its ashame how Hollywood just threw them out once they reached a certain age.