This Is Joan Collins

New Showbiz Analysis

The film opens with the sterile precision of a studio interview, where lighting technicians adjust the glow on Joan Collins’ face before she declares, “I’m just gonna start with me.” This self-referential framing sets the tone for a hagiography that treats Collins’ white, upper-class femininity as the natural apex of Hollywood. The sold meaning is clear: success is earned through wit and resilience, not systemic advantage. Collins positions herself as the competent subject who has survived the perils of the profession, framing male authority as a threat to be managed and her own longevity as a triumph of individual will. The film’s argument is tested against its internal logic when it presents Richard Burton as the primary obstacle. While Collins frames him as a difficult partner, the narrative never interrogates the power dynamics of their marriage, instead celebrating her ability to navigate them. This reinforces the idea that women’s success is a matter of personal skill, not structural change. The camera loves Collins, treating her as unblemished and deserving of admiration, while other women like Linda Evans serve as foils to her dominance. The ending reinforces this hierarchy, with a montage of *Dynasty* moments intercut with recent footage of Collins smiling and waving. The last image rewards longevity and fame, punishing no one. The film’s moral verdict is that white, wealthy, glamorous women are the natural leaders of Hollywood, and their power is earned through charm and resilience. It is a celebration of old Hollywood glamour, where the system is not critiqued but embraced.