Bette Davis and Joan Crawford are two of the greatest actresses ever. Both are listed in AFI’s Top 10 of Classic Screen Legends….Davis ranked 2nd….while Crawford comes in 10th place. Their greatness can not be argued. Still we felt it would be fun to look at their entire careers and see who has the statistical edge. So…we looked at all of their movies and put them in this massive table. Below the table is our breakdown of their stats in 6 different categories. Not sure this proves anything…but it is cool to see their movies listed together.
Joan Crawford Movies vs Bette Davis Movies Can Be Ranked 6 Ways In This Table
The really cool thing about this table is that it is “user-sortable”. Rank the movies anyway you want.
- Sort Joan Crawford Movies vs Bette Davis Movies by who starred in the movie
- Sort Joan Crawford Movies vs Bette Davis Movies by co-stars of their movies
- Sort Joan Crawford Movies vs Bette Davis Movies by adjusted domestic box office grosses using current movie ticket cost (in millions)
- Sort Joan Crawford Movies vs Bette Davis Movies how they were received by critics and audiences. 60% rating or higher should indicate a good movie.
- Sort by how many Oscar® nominations each Joan Crawford Movies vs Bette Davis Movies received and how many Oscar® wins each Joan Crawford Movies vs Bette Davis Movies won.
- Sort Joan Crawford Movies vs Bette Davis Movies by Ultimate Movie Rankings (UMR) Score. UMR Score puts box office, reviews and awards into a mathematical equation and gives each movie a score.
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- Use the search and sort button to make this page very interactive.
CreditRank Movie (Year) UMR Co-Star Links Review % Oscar Nom / Win S UMR Score CreditRank Movie (Year) UMR Co-Star Links Actual B.O. Domestic (mil) Adj. B.O. Domestic (mil) Adj. B.O. Worldwide (mil) B.O. Rank by Year Review % Oscar Nom / Win S UMR Score 1 All About Eve (1950)
AA Best Picture WinBette Davis 8.90 198.9 282.3 9 92 14 / 06 100.0 3 Grand Hotel (1932)
AA Best Picture WinJoan Crawford 3.50 172.9 363.2 9 81 01 / 01 99.5 2 Mildred Pierce (1945)
AA Best Picture NomJoan Crawford 9.70 306.8 500.5 16 82 06 / 01 99.1 4 The Little Foxes (1941)
AA Best Picture NomBette Davis 4.40 168.5 274.0 39 87 09 / 00 98.9 4 Now, Voyager (1942) Bette Davis 6.10 226.2 443.6 25 84 03 / 01 98.7 5 Jezebel (1938)
AA Best Picture NomBette Davis 4.30 170.2 233.2 36 84 05 / 02 98.6 5 The Women (1939) Joan Crawford 6.80 260.4 362.1 13 83 00 / 00 98.0 10 Dark Victory (1939)
AA Best Picture NomBette Davis 4.70 179.4 262.3 41 80 03 / 00 97.8 8 Watch on the Rhine (1943)
AA Best Picture NomBette Davis 6.10 220.6 348.2 41 69 04 / 01 97.3 10 The Old Maid (1939) Bette Davis 5.70 220.5 310.3 24 76 00 / 00 96.6 12 Johnny Guitar (1954) Joan Crawford 7.10 167.4 167.4 45 86 00 / 00 96.5 12 Old Acquaintance (1943) Bette Davis 6.50 234.0 373.6 35 75 00 / 00 96.4 13 All This, and Heaven Too (1940)
AA Best Picture NomBette Davis 4.20 161.3 271.4 29 78 03 / 00 96.3 13 The Letter (1940)
AA Best Picture NomBette Davis 3.50 133.1 211.6 42 84 07 / 00 96.2 17 What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) Joan Crawford &
Bette Davis10.20 147.3 212.2 20 84 05 / 01 95.9 16 A Stolen Life (1946) Bette Davis 8.70 268.2 398.3 29 72 01 / 00 95.8 18 The Man Who Came To Dinner (1942) Bette Davis 4.80 176.9 272.4 52 78 00 / 00 95.3 19 The Corn Is Green (1945) Bette Davis 6.10 193.9 321.4 53 70 02 / 00 95.1 20 Possessed (1931) Joan Crawford 3.00 156.4 231.2 21 82 00 / 00 94.7 19 Mr. Skeffington (1944) Bette Davis 7.90 266.9 415.2 24 66 02 / 00 94.6 22 Dancing Lady (1933) Joan Crawford 4.30 199.5 322.2 9 67 00 / 00 94.3 21 Possessed (1947) Joan Crawford 5.40 156.5 156.5 63 78 01 / 00 93.9 23 In This Our Life (1942) Bette Davis 4.70 175.3 296.7 54 72 00 / 00 93.7 25 Humoresque (1946) Joan Crawford 6.20 189.9 282.9 57 67 01 / 00 93.7 24 Chained (1934) Joan Crawford 3.70 174.2 266.2 5 72 00 / 00 93.6 26 Deception (1946) Bette Davis 5.80 177.5 271.5 60 69 00 / 00 92.9 27 Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964) Bette Davis 10.70 122.9 122.9 24 80 07 / 00 92.7 28 A Woman's Face (1941) Joan Crawford 3.50 133.8 236.8 67 82 00 / 00 92.6 30 The Bride Came C.O.D. (1941) Bette Davis 4.70 180.8 265.4 33 66 00 / 00 92.4 31 The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939) Bette Davis 3.80 147.1 248.4 50 71 05 / 00 91.8 32 Love on the Run (1936) Joan Crawford 3.80 164.0 267.6 34 69 00 / 00 91.7 33 The Best of Everything (1959) Joan Crawford 10.00 179.7 179.7 22 62 02 / 00 91.6 34 Flamingo Road (1949) Joan Crawford 6.30 157.6 201.7 33 70 00 / 00 91.3 35 Juarez (1939) Bette Davis 4.70 180.0 251.3 39 61 02 / 00 91.1 36 The Great Lie (1941) Bette Davis 3.90 150.4 248.6 54 69 01 / 01 90.7 38 Kid Galahad (1937) Bette Davis 4.10 172.0 251.6 38 64 00 / 00 90.7 39 Forsaking All Others (1934) Joan Crawford 4.00 187.3 294.5 4 59 00 / 00 90.6 37 Strange Cargo (1940) Joan Crawford 3.70 144.2 210.5 35 72 00 / 00 90.4 39 Mannequin (1937) Joan Crawford 4.30 176.8 271.0 35 57 01 / 00 89.3 40 Sudden Fear (1952) Joan Crawford 4.60 89.8 89.8 67 82 04 / 00 89.2 40 The Hollywood Revue of 1929 (1929)
AA Best Picture NomJoan Crawford 4.90 150.3 238.2 12 59 01 / 00 89.0 41 The Gorgeous Hussy (1936) Joan Crawford 4.90 209.6 290.2 18 48 02 / 00 88.8 44 The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (1937) Joan Crawford 4.40 183.6 298.0 28 54 00 / 00 88.7 43 Marked Woman (1937) Bette Davis 3.10 128.4 190.9 70 70 00 / 00 87.9 45 The Petrified Forest (1936) Bette Davis 1.90 83.8 119.3 102 82 00 / 00 87.3 46 Sadie McKee (1934) Joan Crawford 2.40 112.2 174.4 39 73 00 / 00 87.3 49 Daisy Kenyon (1947) Joan Crawford 4.70 137.8 137.8 74 64 00 / 00 86.9 48 It's Love I'm After (1937) Bette Davis 2.30 95.9 156.9 101 76 00 / 00 86.4 47 The Unknown (1927) Joan Crawford 2.00 67.6 99.1 25 84 00 / 00 86.1 52 No More Ladies (1935) Joan Crawford 3.20 143.3 208.3 20 60 00 / 00 86.0 53 Paid (1930) Joan Crawford 2.80 152.6 204.2 26 56 00 / 00 85.8 52 The Shining Hour (1938) Joan Crawford 3.80 150.4 218.3 45 57 00 / 00 85.6 54 The Sisters (1938) Bette Davis 3.70 147.1 214.8 46 58 00 / 00 85.6 54 The Damned Don't Cry (1950) Joan Crawford 4.40 98.8 141.9 69 72 00 / 00 85.3 54 Pocketful of Miracles (1961) Bette Davis 7.00 101.9 101.9 33 67 03 / 00 84.6 56 When Ladies Meet (1941) Joan Crawford 3.70 144.3 229.3 61 55 01 / 00 84.3 58 June Bride (1948) Bette Davis 5.00 133.5 172.6 71 58 00 / 00 84.0 60 Dance, Fools, Dance (1931) Joan Crawford 2.50 128.8 192.6 34 60 00 / 00 84.0 59 Dead Ringer (1964) Bette Davis 5.70 65.5 95.0 52 79 00 / 00 83.7 58 Rain (1932) Joan Crawford 1.50 75.3 98.6 55 75 00 / 00 83.2 61 Harriet Craig (1950) Joan Crawford 3.10 70.6 70.6 103 77 00 / 00 83.2 64 Our Blushing Brides (1930) Joan Crawford 2.70 144.9 200.8 31 53 00 / 00 83.0 61 Of Human Bondage (1934) Bette Davis 1.50 72.3 90.7 73 75 01 / 00 82.9 64 Beyond the Forest (1949) Bette Davis 3.70 92.7 121.0 95 68 01 / 00 82.9 65 The Bride Wore Red (1937) Joan Crawford 2.60 107.8 199.0 94 64 00 / 00 82.8 66 Our Dancing Daughters (1928) Joan Crawford 2.50 80.0 116.1 33 71 02 / 00 82.7 68 Strait-Jacket (1964) Joan Crawford 6.30 71.9 71.9 45 73 00 / 00 81.5 66 Autumn Leaves (1956) Joan Crawford 3.10 61.6 61.6 108 76 00 / 00 81.4 70 Letty Lynton (1932) Joan Crawford 2.20 105.6 164.1 30 62 00 / 00 81.3 69 Death on the Nile (1978) Bette Davis 14.60 67.1 67.1 49 72 01 / 01 81.0 72 They All Kissed The Bride (1942) Joan Crawford 2.90 106.2 151.3 96 59 00 / 00 79.6 74 I Live My Life (1935) Joan Crawford 2.60 118.2 189.7 42 55 00 / 00 79.2 71 Phone Call From a Stranger (1952) Bette Davis 3.80 73.5 73.5 92 69 00 / 00 79.0 73 Fashions of 1934 (1934) Bette Davis 1.60 76.3 129.2 70 67 00 / 00 78.3 75 The Nanny (1965) Bette Davis 3.50 37.1 37.1 72 77 00 / 00 76.9 76 This Modern Age (1931) Joan Crawford 2.10 107.5 135.3 50 55 00 / 00 76.8 76 Dangerous (1935) Bette Davis 1.30 59.8 92.9 101 68 01 / 01 76.6 78 That Certain Woman (1937) Bette Davis 3.00 124.2 165.2 73 49 00 / 00 76.6 78 Susan and God (1940) Joan Crawford 2.30 89.9 120.6 83 60 00 / 00 76.1 80 Montana Moon (1930) Joan Crawford 2.30 124.6 159.2 45 49 00 / 00 76.1 80 Front Page Woman (1935) Bette Davis 1.00 46.1 65.2 126 73 00 / 00 75.8 84 Reunion in France (1942) Joan Crawford 3.00 111.1 197.9 93 52 00 / 00 75.3 83 Jimmy The Gent (1934) Bette Davis 0.90 44.5 62.5 116 72 00 / 00 74.3 84 Three on a Match (1932) Bette Davis 1.00 47.3 62.2 119 71 00 / 00 74.2 85 The Ice Follies of 1939 (1939) Joan Crawford 2.90 111.7 180.6 80 51 00 / 00 74.1 85 West Point (1927) Joan Crawford 1.70 58.7 80.9 31 67 00 / 00 73.4 86 20,000 Years in Sing Sing (1932) Bette Davis 1.40 70.6 130.9 68 63 00 / 00 73.2 87 Queen Bee (1955) Joan Crawford 2.80 57.7 57.7 115 64 02 / 00 72.1 89 The Rich Are Always with Us (1932) Bette Davis 1.10 54.9 54.9 107 66 00 / 00 71.6 90 Another Man's Poison (1951) Bette Davis 2.40 52.1 52.1 140 67 00 / 00 71.1 91 Special Agent (1935) Bette Davis 1.40 62.9 62.9 95 63 00 / 00 71.0 92 Across to Singapore (1928) Joan Crawford 1.80 57.9 93.1 52 64 00 / 00 70.4 93 Winter Meeting (1948) Bette Davis 2.30 62.4 76.8 130 63 00 / 00 70.4 94 Laughing Sinners (1931) Joan Crawford 1.80 94.8 116.2 59 52 00 / 00 69.4 95 Payment on Demand (1951) Bette Davis 4.40 93.9 143.2 79 52 00 / 00 69.1 94 The Virgin Queen (1955) Bette Davis 2.70 56.3 56.3 119 63 01 / 00 69.1 95 The Man Who Played God (1932) Bette Davis 1.50 75.0 116.9 56 58 00 / 00 69.0 99 The Story of Esther Costello (1957) Joan Crawford 3.40 64.6 64.6 75 60 00 / 00 67.3 99 The Anniversary (1968) Bette Davis 3.90 31.8 31.8 78 70 00 / 00 66.8 102 Goodbye, My Fancy (1951) Joan Crawford 3.70 80.1 94.1 94 54 00 / 00 66.5 100 The Catered Affair (1956) Bette Davis 2.70 53.0 82.2 120 63 00 / 00 66.5 102 Bordertown (1935) Bette Davis 2.50 114.3 158.7 49 43 00 / 00 66.2 101 The Bad Sister (1931) Bette Davis 0.80 42.9 42.9 161 65 00 / 00 65.5 103 Our Modern Maidens (1929) Joan Crawford 2.20 66.4 84.3 60 58 00 / 00 65.4 104 The Golden Arrow (1936) Bette Davis 1.30 56.2 79.6 128 60 00 / 00 63.8 106 Four Walls (1928) Joan Crawford 2.00 63.9 84.9 48 57 00 / 00 63.8 107 Where Love Has Gone (1964) Bette Davis 8.30 95.0 95.0 31 45 01 / 00 61.6 109 Above Suspicion (1943) Joan Crawford 2.60 92.9 92.9 105 46 00 / 00 60.0 107 Parachute Jumper (1933) Bette Davis 0.70 31.9 52.8 147 65 00 / 00 59.4 111 The Cabin in the Cotton (1932) Bette Davis 1.20 60.1 60.1 94 56 00 / 00 59.4 111 The Dark Horse (1932) Bette Davis 0.90 42.3 51.2 126 61 00 / 00 59.2 112 Torch Song (1953) Joan Crawford 3.60 65.3 65.3 103 52 02 / 00 59.1 113 Female on the Beach (1955) Joan Crawford 2.20 45.9 45.9 130 60 00 / 00 58.6 115 Today We Live (1933) Joan Crawford 1.70 79.0 138.6 53 49 00 / 00 57.7 114 Return from Witch Mountain (1978) Bette Davis 16.40 75.7 75.7 42 50 00 / 00 57.7 116 The Working Man (1933) Bette Davis 1.10 53.7 110.1 80 56 00 / 00 56.9 117 So Big! (1932) Bette Davis 1.10 55.2 66.2 105 56 00 / 00 56.7 118 Untamed (1929) Joan Crawford 2.30 70.3 95.8 53 51 00 / 00 56.5 117 Housewife (1934) Bette Davis 0.70 34.0 43.5 146 62 00 / 00 56.4 119 Connecting Rooms (1970) Bette Davis 2.40 16.9 16.9 96 67 00 / 00 55.9 120 Spring Fever (1927) Joan Crawford 1.30 45.2 59.1 47 58 00 / 00 54.8 124 The Star (1952) Bette Davis 2.80 54.4 54.4 121 52 01 / 00 51.5 122 The Whales of August (1987) Bette Davis 1.30 3.7 3.7 158 68 01 / 00 50.1 123 Tramp, Tramp, Tramp (1926) Joan Crawford 0.70 26.4 34.6 59 61 00 / 00 49.9 125 Twelve Miles Out (1927) Joan Crawford 2.30 76.6 104.5 21 45 00 / 00 49.8 126 The Girl From 10th Avenue (1935) Bette Davis 0.90 41.3 54.9 141 56 00 / 00 48.2 125 The Empty Canvas (1963) Bette Davis 1.40 17.9 17.9 112 63 00 / 00 47.7 127 Ex-Lady (1933) Bette Davis 0.70 30.5 37.9 152 58 00 / 00 46.8 129 I Saw What You Did (1965) Joan Crawford 2.70 28.6 28.6 81 57 00 / 00 43.5 130 Fog Over Frisco (1934) Bette Davis 0.70 34.8 52.1 142 55 00 / 00 42.6 131 This Woman Is Dangerous (1952) Joan Crawford 2.40 46.3 46.3 142 51 00 / 00 42.6 132 John Paul Jones (1959) Bette Davis 2.40 43.5 91.9 95 52 00 / 00 41.8 133 Bureau of Missing Persons (1933) Bette Davis 1.00 45.3 45.3 108 50 00 / 00 39.3 134 Bunny O'Hare (1971) Bette Davis 2.60 16.7 16.7 102 57 00 / 00 33.5 135 The Watcher in the Woods (1980) Bette Davis 5.00 20.7 20.7 102 53 00 / 00 28.8 136 The Scapegoat (1959) Bette Davis 1.60 29.3 61.3 125 50 00 / 00 28.4 138 Rose-Marie (1928) Joan Crawford 2.30 71.8 102.7 43 37 00 / 00 28.3 137 The Big Shakedown (1934) Bette Davis 0.60 26.0 26.0 171 50 00 / 00 25.9 139 Satan Met a Lady (1936) Bette Davis 0.90 38.2 45.1 155 45 00 / 00 23.2 141 The Caretakers (1963) Joan Crawford 4.50 56.4 56.4 58 38 01 / 00 22.6 140 Burnt Offerings (1976) Bette Davis 4.70 23.9 23.9 85 49 00 / 00 22.3 142 Sally, Irene and Mary (1925) Joan Crawford 1.40 56.6 71.5 21 38 00 / 00 22.3 143 The Duke Steps Out (1929) Joan Crawford 2.30 70.3 90.5 54 33 00 / 00 20.3 144 Storm Center (1956) Bette Davis 1.50 28.8 28.8 156 44 00 / 00 17.6 145 Winners of the Wilderness (1927) Joan Crawford 0.50 18.5 33.1 87 45 00 / 00 14.2 146 Berserk (1967) Joan Crawford 2.80 24.5 24.5 81 42 00 / 00 12.3 147 Dream of Love (1928) Joan Crawford 1.10 35.8 60.3 78 36 00 / 00 10.2 148 Pretty Ladies (1925) Joan Crawford 1.20 48.6 59.2 24 32 00 / 00 9.8 149 The Boob (1926) Joan Crawford 0.50 18.6 23.9 80 39 00 / 00 7.8 150 Della (1965) Joan Crawford 0.30 3.6 3.6 147 43 00 / 00 6.7 151 The Understanding Heart (1927) Joan Crawford 1.50 49.9 62.7 40 28 00 / 00 6.3 152 Paris (1926) Joan Crawford 1.00 35.9 48.0 41 32 00 / 00 6.0 153 The Taxi Dancer (1927) Joan Crawford 0.90 30.8 42.5 72 31 00 / 00 4.6 154 The Law of the Range (1928) Joan Crawford 0.50 14.7 25.5 113 26 00 / 00 0.9 155 Trog (1970) Joan Crawford 2.30 15.9 15.9 101 26 00 / 00 0.8 156 Wicked Stepmother (1989) Bette Davis 0.00 0.1 0.1 231 27 00 / 00 0.4
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This entire site is brilliant & extremely satisfying for statistic-junkies! THANK YOU Bruce!
Hey Ringoh….thanks for writing such nice things about our website….it makes all of this work worth it….to see compliments like this one….thanks again.
So… eight Bette Davis movies in the top 10 and one Bette Davis in the bottom 10?
Case closed….
Hey Terry…well if you sort by some of the other categories….it gets better for Joan. Box Office….4 Joan 6 Bette in Top 10….5 and 5 when looking at the Bottom 10. Critic/Audience Rating…5 for Joan 6 for Bette (Baby Jane tie) but 9 for Joan and 1 for Bette when looking at Bottom 10
They are ranked as they are ranked. How very sad for Crawford.
(read that in Bette’s voice.)
Hey Terry…..I like it….very funny.
Great site Bruce – my biggest surprise was to see how much money “The Gorgeous Hussy” made – I’ve never seen that film and by all previous accounts had assumed it was a failure – keep up the databases!
I find her less than amazing in it but it’s pretty good and worth a viewing. I think it’s interesting to that it was a year or so before Jezebel (and then GWTW). Could Bette have been inspired?
I am sure Bette was keeping an eye on Joan….lol.
Hey Dana H. think of The Gorgeous Hussy as a modern day Transformers movie….costly….critics hated it….audiences despised it….yet it was a hit at the box office…the power of Joan….James Stewart was offering no box office support back then. Despite Hussy’s large budget…it was still 10% profitable for MGM.
Your site is an invaluable tool when it comes to anything related to Hollywood box office! I especially like the year end reviews as you provide actual box office numbers as well as adjusted ones. I know it’s a labor of love for you and appreciate the work and research you put into Ultimatemovieeankings.com
Thank you John M. for such kind words about our website. We just crossed 9 million views….which for this mom and pop website is pretty good. Glad you like our year reviews….we have slowly been getting more of those done. Thanks again.
Great! Did I read it right that Mildred Pierce outgrossed every Davis film? Interesting that Crawford blew her out of water right up to ’36 or so and then she generally did better than her at Warner’s in the late ’30s to early ’40s.
Hey Simon C. yep Mildred Pierce was the biggest hit of either Joan or Bette’s career. Joan had the 1st, 4th, 9th and 10th biggest hits. Combined they had 54 $100 million hits…Joan had 28 of them to Bette’s 26. Thanks for checking this out.
I loved it, Bruce.
Your comment made me look at the table using the sort button and the “year”….good stuff there….I had not thought about doing it that way. Joan has the best rated movie many many times.
She does indeed — particularly in the early to mid. Thirties, as I said, and then again later. What’s wonderful is that it shows how popular she was and why she lasted for nearly two decades at MGM alone. It wasn’t only due to answering fan mail diligently. Lol. She really connected with women and men in a big way. You’ve done her a major service with this. And it casts further light on the very real rivalry between these two greats and that Joan regularly triumphed and could be trusted to fill theatres. I wonder if we could compare Shearer with Crawford in the same way?
Good comment on Joan’s success. The lady was a star for almost 50 years….so I agree she connected with lots of men and women. Actually the way our database is set up….doing a comparison page is actually really easy…I will try and get that done tomorrow. Today I did the same thing with Joan and Myrna Loy….who unlike Joan and Bette were great friends off screen. https://www.ultimatemovierankings.com/joan-crawford…/