87 Joan Crawford Movies & TV Shows, Ranked Best to Worst

Former child star Jane Hudson is now left to care for her wheelchair bound sister Blanche, who is also a former child actress. While Blanche plans revenge on Jane, for the car crash years ago, that left her crippled, Jane plans to keep her sister imprisoned as she also plans a new rise to fame. 

Mildred Pierce is an award-winning romantic crime drama film which tells the story of a hard-working mother, Mildred, whose husband leaves her for another woman. She starts a restaurant business in order to support her two daughters, and soon the business becomes quite a success. Despite this, her elder daughter doesn’t appreciate her mother's efforts.

Mary Haines lives a wealthy and happy life with her wealthy financier husband Stephen and their little daughter Molly. But her life takes a turn after her friend finds out that Stephen is having an affair.

Johnny Guitar is a Western drama film which tells the story of a strong-willed female saloon owner, who helps a wounded gang member, but she soon finds herself wrongly suspected of murder.  

This film revolves around the stories of a few individuals who are completely different from each other. The only thing common about them is that they are staying at the same hotel in Berlin.

Marian Martin, a factory worker from Pennsylvania, who dreams of a luxurious life, rejects fellow worker’s marriage proposal and goes to New York. After meeting wealthy, divorced attorney Mark Whitney, who isn’t ready to marry again, she becomes his mistress. They fall in love, but she decides to leave him realizing that their relationship can create scandal and damage his political ambitions.

Sadie McKee’s life takes an ugly turn when she is deserted by Tommy, her boyfriend, for a showgirl named Dolly. She goes back to her hometown, where she gets involved with Brennan, an alcoholic millionaire. She eventually marries him for his money. Although she is initially viewed as a gold-digger, things change when she helps him beat his alcoholism. However, she leaves Brennan after learning that Tommy is in trouble, and she sets out to find him.

Dancing Lady is a musical romantic comedy film which tells the story of a rich playboy Tod who helps Janie, a young dancer to get a job in a Broadway musical which is being directed by Patch. While Patch thinks that Janie is using her charms rather than her skills in order to advance her career, Tod feels that he can use Janie however he wants.

Jessie Cassidy plans to escape the poverty at her home and pushes her boyfriend Eddie Miller to marry her. But Eddie is a crook and convinces Jessie to work as a shopgirl. When shipping tycoon John L. Hennessey falls in love with Jessie, Eddie proposes a devious plan to steal Hennessey’s money. 

To her boyfriend’s dismay, a successful novelist falls in love with her married publisher and decides to marry him by luring him away from his wife. To her, this is the only logical thing to do. However, her boyfriend thinks otherwise and to win her back, he arranges a meeting between the two ladies; the publisher’s wife and the novelist. 

Jeff Williams has been in love with his best-friend Mary Clay ever since they were children. But Mary is marrying their other best friend Dill Todd. When Dill runs away the night before the wedding and marries Connie Barnes, Jeff finally has a chance of winning Mary’s heart. But Mary still has feelings for Dill. 

Mrs. Fay Cheyney is a wealthy American widow, who has becoming the darling of English society. She finds herself being pursued by two British aristocrats Lord Kelton and Lord Arthur Dilling. However, none of them are aware of the fact that Fay and her servants are actually jewel thieves.

Tired of her fast life, Olivia Ridley, a New York night club dancer, agrees to marry Harry Linden, a wealthy farmer from Wisconsin, a match not at all approved by Henry’s dominating sister, Hannah. Nonetheless, they get married and move to the farm, where Olivia faces opposition from Hannah. To make matter worse, her brother-in-law falls in love with her, while his wife becomes her ally. 

Margaret Landi’s marriage is almost over. On a visit to her birthplace in Ireland, she meets a teenager called Esther, who has been left deaf, mute and blind by a terrible accident. Rich and lonely, Margaret brings Esther back to her home in Boston and becomes a mother figure to her until her greedy and womanizing husband reenters her home.    

To prove that there is no basic difference between a peasant and an aristocrat, Count Armalia sends club singer Anni to an upper class resort hotel in the Alps, where she must masquerade as his wealthy friend. There she meets Rudi Pal, one of Armalia’s snobbish friends. Although engaged to another aristocrat, Rudi falls in love with Anni. Anni too begins to take her role much too seriously. 

Richard Field is unable to marry his secretary Diane Lovering because his wife Louise refuses to divorce him. He sends Diane on a cruise to weigh her options but she falls in love with Mike Bradley on the cruise. She returns to New York, with the intention of breaking things up with Richard, but Richard proposes to her. 

With the loss of their entire fortune in a stock market crash and father’s sudden death, former socialites Bonnie and Rodney Jordan must now work to earn their living. While Bonnie becomes a cub journalist, Rodney joins a bootlegger gang, little knowing that one day she will be asked to investigate a murder he has committed under duress. 

Across to Singapore is a romantic drama film which tells the story of Joel, a young man, who falls for Priscilla, a beautiful lady. However, he soon finds out that she is betrothed to his older brother.

Marcia Townsend completely believes in loyalty towards one’s partner, which Jim agrees with; but Marcia is interested in womanizing playboy Sheridan Warren. Even after their marriage, Sherry continues with his philandering and is unrepentant about it. Marcia turns tables on him by throwing a society party where she invites Sherry’s girlfriends and declares her intentions of being unfaithful, which finally cures Sherry.

Two rival journalists, Mike and Barney, are given two boring assignments. One is to cover the wedding of a millionairess while the other is to interview an aviator couple. The plot takes up a drastic turn when the millionairess bride runs away from the wedding venue with Mike in her toe. Eventually they lead a merry chase across Europe with the aviator couple and Barney following them. 

Based on a 1937 play by Rachel Crothers, the 1940 comedy-drama film Susan and God follows the story of a society matron who discovers a new religious movement and becomes a changed woman. The drastic change in her personality affects the relationships around her. 

Young British woman, Diana Boyce Smith, is engaged to Lt. Claude Hope, serving as a British naval officer during World War I. When Diana’s estate in Kent, is bought by American Richard Bogard, she and Richard fall in love. However, the war and Diana’s commitment to Claude will change their lives forever. 

The story revolves around a socialite bored with her life in New York and an adventurous Irish archeologist, whom she meets on a trip to Greece. Although ill suited to each other, they fall in love and he follows her to New York, where her social life makes him uneasy. Yet, they become engaged to be married. But will they finally marry? 

This 1931 short film revolves around the stolen pearls of Norma Shearer. After the theft, a detective is sent to interrogate the party guests, most of which are famous Hollywood stars. 

This historical fiction based on Samuel Hopkins Adams 1934 novel - The Gorgeous Hussy - centres around Peggy Eaton, an inn keeper’s daughter, who works her way up and gains influence in the White House during the tenure of President Andrew Jackson. The friendship generates huge controversy and results in trouble for both.

After a cabaret performer is dumped her boyfriend, who is a travelling salesman, she decides to join the Salvation Army to find solace. 

Della Chappell, a wealthy widow and a recluse, has been living in seclusion with her daughter Jenny for over 15 years. When a big outside company wants to buy part of her property for development, they send lawyer Barney Stafford to represent them. After meeting Jenny, he is drawn towards her, but also notices some strange things about that household.

Talented ice-skater Larry Hall falls for and marries inexpert Mary McKay, thus jeopardizing his career. Mary gets a film contract which forbids her to marry, so they keep their marriage a secret. When Mary becomes a star, out-of-work Larry goes to New York to produce ice follicles show which is a huge success. Will their careers allow them a life of togetherness? 

Pretty Ladies is a drama comedy film which tells the story of a female comic Maggie who takes a fall off the stage and ends up landing on the drum of Al, a musician. They eventually fall for one another, and get married. Soon, Al becomes a famous songwriter, while Maggie becomes a stay-at-home mother. Things get complicated when Al starts having feelings for another woman.

This silent drama film tells the story of a woman who finds herself in a complicated situation after the man she really loves is accused of murder. Eventually, she agrees to marry another influential suitor.

A silent war drama film set during the French and the Indian War. The daughter of a French general, Rene Contrecouer, falls for a soldier of fortune.

A silent film about a girl from the Southern United States who struggles to be a dancer in New York city. She becomes a taxi dancer and attracts many admirers in the process.

This documentary film provides us a tour of several places in Hollywood, including a movie studio, a famous shopping centre, as well as the Santa Anita racetrack.

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ is an adventure romantic drama film which tells the story of Ben-Hur, a wealthy young Jewish prince, who is a friend fo the powerful Roman tribune, Messala. Ben-Hur’s life gets ugly when an accident and a false accusation leads him to getting arrested falsely. Instead of helping him, Messala, who has now become arrogant and corrupt, makes sure that Be-Hur is jailed and separated from the rest of his family.  

This is a silent romantic drama film focusing on a convict’s daughter, who earns her living as a taxi dancer. Saved from an unwanted advance by a friend of her boyfriend, she falls for him.  Also in love with him is the daughter of the judge who sent her father to prison 18 years ago. 

Proud Flesh is a romantic comedy drama film which tells the story of Fernanda, a young orphaned girl who had survived an earthquake in San Francisco. She is soon adopted by her relatives in Spain, and raised as a gentlewoman. Years later, she is courted by Don Jaime, but she starts to dislike him. Eventually, she decides to return to the US, where she falls for a young plumber who manufactures bathtubs.

Katherine Emerson is a girl from a small town who wants to experience all the luxuries in life. Therefore, she leaves her town behind and sets off to New York, looking for a better life. She is soon involved in a train wreck where another woman, a co-passenger is killed. After finding the deceased woman’s purse, she learns that the latter was invited to spend six months in a luxury apartment in Manhattan. Therefore, she decides to assume the identity of the victim.

A young woman named Thyra arrives in a kingdom named Chekia to get married to the old king. However, a revolution erupts and the king is killed before the marriage could take place. Meanwhile, the Duke falls in love with Thyra, but so does the chief revolutionary Gigberto.