Joan Bennett - Actor Profile

Joan Bennett

Acting
Updated: May 09, 2026
50Total Films
10.0 Highest Rated
Born: Feb 27, 1910
Birth Place: Palisades, New Jersey, USA

About Joan Bennett

Joan Geraldine Bennett (February 27, 1910 – December 7, 1990) was an American stage, film and television actress. Besides acting on the stage, Bennett appeared in more than 70 motion pictures from the era of silent movies well into the sound era. She is possibly best-remembered for her film noir femme fatale roles in director Fritz Lang's movies such as The Woman in the Window (1944) and Scarlet Street (1945). Bennett had three distinct phases to her long and successful career, first as a winsome blonde ingenue, then as a sensuous brunette femme fatale (with looks that movie magazines often compared to those of Hedy Lamarr), and finally as a warmhearted wife/mother figure. In 1951, Bennett's screen career was marred by scandal after her third husband, film producer Walter Wanger, shot and injured her agent Jennings Lang. Wanger suspected that Lang and Bennett were having an affair, a charge which she adamantly denied. In the 1960s, she achieved success for her portrayal of Elizabeth Collins Stoddard on TV's Dark Shadows, for which she received an Emmy nomination. For her final movie role, as Madame Blanc in Suspiria (1977), she received a Saturn Award nomination. Description above from the Wikipedia article Joan Bennett, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Joan Bennett Movies & Career Overview

The filmography of Joan Bennett reflects exceptional commercial consistency. Across 50 major appearances, the actor has built a reputation through performances in multiple genres and storytelling styles.

Dominant Genre

A large portion of Joan Bennett's work falls within the Drama genre, where audiences tend to respond most strongly to their on-screen presence.

Success Ratio

Approximately 98% of Joan Bennett's films maintain ratings above 6.5, indicating a consistent level of audience approval.

One of the most highly rated entries in their career remains She Wanted a Millionaire, which stands out as a key performance.

Advertisement

Best Joan Bennett Movies Ranked

Must-watch hits from Joan Bennett's career based on audience ratings.

Full Filmography

Every movie Joan Bennett has appeared in, with audience ratings and verdicts.

YearMovieCharacterSuccessMore
2009 Dark Shadows: The Vampire Curse Elizabeth Collins Stoddard (archive footage) Super Hit Similar →
2009 Dark Shadows: The Haunting of Collinwood Elizabeth Collins Stoddard (archive footage) Super Hit Similar →
2001 Suspiria 25th Anniversary Self Hit Similar →
1988 The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind Self (archive footage) Super Hit Similar →
1987 James Stewart: A Wonderful Life Self (archive footage) Hit Similar →
1986 The Spencer Tracy Legacy: A Tribute by Katharine Hepburn Self Super Hit Similar →
1982 Divorce Wars: A Love Story Adele Burgess Super Hit Similar →
1978 Suddenly, Love Mrs. Graham Super Hit Similar →
1977 Suspiria Madame Blanc Super Hit Similar →
1970 House of Dark Shadows Elizabeth Stoddard Collins Hit Similar →
1956 Navy Wife Peg Blain Hit Similar →
1956 There's Always Tomorrow Marion Groves Hit Similar →
1955 We're No Angels Amelie Ducotel Hit Similar →
1951 Father's Little Dividend Ellie Banks Hit Similar →
1950 For Heaven's Sake Lydia Bolton Hit Similar →
1950 Father of the Bride Ellie Banks Hit Similar →
1949 The Reckless Moment Lucia Harper Hit Similar →
1948 Hollow Triumph Evelyn Hahn Hit Similar →
1947 Secret Beyond the Door Celia Lamphere Hit Similar →
1947 The Macomber Affair Margaret Macomber Hit Similar →
1945 Scarlet Street Katherine 'Kitty' March Super Hit Similar →
1944 The Woman in the Window Alice Reed Hit Similar →
1942 Girl Trouble June Delaney Super Hit Similar →
1941 Wild Geese Calling Sally Murdock Hit Similar →
1941 Man Hunt Jerry Stokes Hit Similar →
1941 She Knew All the Answers Gloria Winters Hit Similar →
1939 The Man in the Iron Mask Princess Maria Theresa Hit Similar →
1938 The Texans Ivy Preston Hit Similar →
1937 Hollywood Party Herself Hit Similar →
1936 Two in a Crowd Julia Wayne Super Hit Similar →
1936 Big Brown Eyes Eve Fallon Average Similar →
1935 The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo Helen Berkeley Hit Similar →
1935 The Fashion Side of Hollywood Self Hit Similar →
1935 Two for Tonight Bobbie Lockwood Super Hit Similar →
1935 Mississippi Lucy Hit Similar →
1933 Little Women Amy Hit Similar →
1933 Arizona to Broadway Lynn Martin Super Hit Similar →
1932 Week Ends Only Venetia Carr Super Hit Similar →
1932 The Trial of Vivienne Ware Vivienne Ware Super Hit Similar →
1932 She Wanted a Millionaire Jane Miller Super Hit Similar →
1931 Hush Money Joan Gordon Super Hit Similar →
1931 Many a Slip Pat Coster Super Hit Similar →
1930 Scotland Yard Xandra, Lady Lasher Hit Similar →
1930 Crazy That Way Ann Jordan Super Hit Similar →
1929 The Mississippi Gambler Lucy Blackburn Super Hit Similar →
1929 Three Live Ghosts Rose Gordon Hit Similar →
1929 Bulldog Drummond Phyllis Hit Similar →
1928 Show Folks Night Club Patron (uncredited) Hit Similar →
1928 Power A Dame Super Hit Similar →
1923 The Eternal City Page (uncredited) Super Hit Similar →

Joan Bennett - Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best movie of Joan Bennett?

According to audience ratings, the best movie starring Joan Bennett is "She Wanted a Millionaire" with a rating of 10.0/10.

How many movies has Joan Bennett acted in?

Joan Bennett has been featured in at least 50 major films throughout their career.

What are some other popular movies by Joan Bennett?

Other notable films include "Week Ends Only", "Hush Money", and "Many a Slip".

Advertisement