Daisy Kenyon

Rating 4.5/5

Daisy Kenyon is a very unique movie of its' time. Starring Joan Crawford, Henry Fonda, and Dana Andrews, this movie isn't quite sure what type of genre it is. Is it a film noir? Is it a romance? Is it just a wonderful combination of both? Yes it is.

Daisy, played by Crawford, is a strong-willed career woman who is in love with a married man. At the beginning of the movie, Daisy is attempting to rid herself of her immoral love affair, but finds herself unable to when Dan, played by Dana Andrews, turns on his charismatic charm.

To complicate the plot, enter Peter Lapham, played by Henry Fonda. Peter is a tormented veteran who has begun to fall in love with Daisy. Daisy struggles as to where she should turn and has to rely on her heart as her compass.

As mentioned in a previous review, I am a major Joan Crawford fan, and this movie was actually one of the first movies of hers that I had seen. Watching it for the second time, now that I have seen roughly 95% of her films, I can say that this is definitely one of Crawford's better performances. She became famous for playing rags to riches roles, so it is a bit of a breath of fresh air to see her play a character that starts out the film as a woman who is already a success.

What this movie does better than some, is portray a love triangle in an original way. Daisy's suitors don't fight or change themselves to win her over, and in turn, Daisy remains true to herself throughout the film.

Daisy Kenyon really seemed to be ahead of its' time in the way that it tackled many topics such as feminism, racism, and mental health. Topics that are not usually spoken of in the "classic film" era.

If you have ever been interested in exploring any of Joan Crawford's many films, this one is a definite must see.