Culver City. Another reason for Joan’s settling on A Woman’s Face was—her face. She was entering a period of mature, almost statuesque beauty, but she was also afraid of being considered too old to be cast as a leading lady. In 1941 she would turn thirty-five, and well-founded rumors were circulating that both Garbo (thirty-six) and Shearer (thirty-nine) intended to quit the business permanently—primarily over disputes about the quality of their assignments, but also because they knew that leading roles were scarce for “aging women” (which meant actresses past their midthirties). And so Joan
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