Lana Turner... a Daughter's Memoir (2001) (TV)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Carole Langer

Writer:

Luke Sacher (writer)

Release Date:

2001 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary

Cast

Robert Wagner	...	Narrator
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Del Armstrong	...	Himself - Makeup Artist
Lillian Burns	...	Herself - MGM Drama Coach 1937 (archive footage)
Jackie Cooper	...	Himself - Actor
Cheryl Crane	...	Herself
Kirk Douglas	...	Himself - Actor
Irving Fine	...	Himself - Publicist
Evie Wynn Johnson	...	Herself - Lana's Friend
Juanita Moore	...	Herself - Actress
Tyrone Power	...	Himself (archive footage)
Glenn Rose	...	Himself - Lana's Publicist
Robert Stack	...	Himself - Actor
Lana Turner	...	Herself (archive footage)

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour | Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Company:

Soapbox Productions

Movie Connections:

Features Somewhere I'll Find You (1942)

Interesting documentary on a Hollywood legend

Cheryl Crane talks about her mother, Lana Turner, in this 2001 documentary, "Lana Turner...A Daughter's Memoir." Turner's private life often overshadowed her film work, some of which was excellent. Beautiful as well as sexy, the actress started out at MGM as a teenager. Her career lasted 54 years.

Narrated by Robert Wagner, the prime interviewee is Crane, who looks lovely and comes off as very intelligent as she comments on her mother's life, which is punctuated by photos and film clips. She also speaks frankly about the great scandal - her stabbing of Lana's gangster lover, Johnny Stompanato. There are interviews as well with Turner's long-time makeup man, her good friend Evie Johnson, and others. One of the film clips is of Tyrone Power, the great love of Turner's life, playing with Cheryl as Lana sits beside him. "He was the one she didn't get to keep," Cheryl says.

Turner is portrayed as a party-loving, man-loving woman who was somewhat of a negligent mother, leaving Cheryl with her nanny for huge periods of time. It was only later in their lives that the two developed a strong relationship. Negligent didn't mean uncaring, however - when she learned that her current husband, Lex Barker, was abusing Cheryl, she threw him out of the house.

What emerges is a portrait of a woman who loved stardom, loved being beautiful, and loved being attractive to men. When looked at closely, her life was both traumatic and somewhat empty. Lucky for Turner, she had a daughter who cared about her - which is something some other female stars didn't have.