Mommie Dearest (1981)

Director:

Frank Perry

Writers:

Christina Crawford (book)
Robert Getchell (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

18 September 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

To my darling Christina, with love...Mommie Dearest

Plot:

Mommie Dearest, best selling memoir, turned motion picture, depicts the abusive and traumatic adoptive upbringing of Christina Crawford at the hands of her mother...screen queen Joan Crawford.

Plot Keywords:

Hollywood | Mansion | Perfection | Star | Lawyer

Awards:

6 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Faye Dunaway	...	Joan Crawford
Diana Scarwid	...	Christina Crawford (adult)
Steve Forrest	...	Greg Savitt
Howard Da Silva	...	Louis B. Mayer
Mara Hobel	...	Christina Crawford (child)
Rutanya Alda	...	Carol Ann
Harry Goz	...	Alfred Steele
Michael Edwards	...	Ted Gelber
Jocelyn Brando	...	Barbara Bennett
Priscilla Pointer	...	Mrs. Chadwick
Joe Abdullah	...	Captain
Gary Allen	...	Jimmy
Selma Archerd	...	Connie
Adrian Aron	...	Wedding Guest
Xander Berkeley	...	Christopher Crawford (adult)
Matthew Campion	...	Actor in Soap
Carolyn Coates	...	Mother Superior
Jerry Douglas	...	Radio Interviewer
Margaret Fairchild	...	Mother Superior
Phillip R. Allen	...	Pepsi Executive #1
James Kirkwood Jr.	...	Master of Ceremonies
Michael Hawkins	...	Pepsi Executive #2 (as Michael Gainsborough)
Matthew Faison	...	Pepsi Executive #3
Peter Jason	...	Pepsi Executive #4
Ellen Feldman	...	Ginny
Robert Harper	...	David
Cathy Lind Hayes	...	Nurse
Victoria James	...	Photographer
Dawn Jeffory	...	Vera
Virginia Kiser	...	Beth Simpson
S. John Launer	...	Pepsi Chairman
Russ Marin	...	Funeral Director
Nicholas Mele	...	Assistant Director #2
Belita Moreno	...	Belinda Rosenberg
Warren Munson	...	Lawyer
Alice Nunn	...	Helga
Norman Palmer	...	Male Guest
David Price	...	Tony
Jeremy Scott Reinbolt	...	Christopher Crawford (child)
Michael Talbott	...	Driver
Arthur Taxier	...	Decorator
Joseph Warren	...	Mr. Dodd
Erica Wexler	...	Susan
Dick McGarvin	...	Tour Bus Driver
Brent Dunsford	...	Fan
Joseph Dypwick	...	Fan
Wendy Pitzer	...	Fan
David Sanderson	...	Fan
Ian Bruce	...	Assistant Director
Peter Eastman	...	Doctor
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Josh Gans	...	Boy on carousel (uncredited)

Directed by
Frank Perry

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Christina Crawford		book
Robert Getchell		writer
Tracy Hotchner		writer
Frank Perry		writer
Frank Yablans		writer

Produced by
David Koontz	....	executive producer
Neil A. Machlis	....	associate producer
Terence O'Neill	....	executive producer
Frank Yablans	....	producer

Original Music by
Henry Mancini

Cinematography by
Paul Lohmann

Film Editing by
Peter E. Berger

Casting by
Nancy Klopper
Lynn Stalmaster

Production Design by
Bill Malley

Art Direction by
Harold Michelson

Set Decoration by
Richard C. Goddard

Costume Design by
Irene Sharaff

Makeup Department
Kathryn Blondell	....	hair stylist: Ms. Dunaway
Claude Díaz	....	wig maker: Faye Dunaway
Lee Harman	....	makeup artist: Ms. Dunaway
Charles H. Schram	....	makeup artist
Vivienne Walker	....	hair stylist
Sylvia Nava	....	hair technician (uncredited)

Production Management
Neil A. Machlis	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Alan B. Curtiss	....	second assistant director
Michael Daves	....	first assistant director
Robert J. Doherty	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Matty Azzarone	....	assistant property master
Kent H. Johnson	....	property master
Eugene S. Kelley	....	construction coordinator

Sound Department
Clint Althouse	....	boom operator
David E. Campbell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Denis Dutton	....	sound effects editor
Cecelia Hall	....	sound effects editor
Sean Hanley	....	dialogue loop editor
David J. Hudson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Larry Jost	....	sound mixer
John T. Reitz	....	sound re-recording mixer
George Watters II	....	sound effects editor

Special Effects by
Joseph P. Mercurio	....	special effects
Ken Speed	....	special effects assistant

Stunts
Sherry Peterson	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Doug J. Campbell	....	dolly grip (as Douglas J. Campbell)
R.B. Garig	....	dolly grip
J. Michael Marlett	....	gaffer
John C. Moulds	....	second assistant camera
Leo J. Napolitano	....	first assistant camera
Ralph Nelson	....	still photographer (as Ralph Nelson Jr.)
Guy Polzel	....	key grip
Timothy E. Wade	....	camera operator

Casting Department
Deborah Brown	....	casting: New York

Costume and Wardrobe Department
James P. Cullen	....	costumer
Bernadene C. Mann	....	costumer: Ms. Dunaway
Eric Seelig	....	costume supervisor: men
Andrea E. Weaver	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Greig McRitchie	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
June Edgerton	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Joel Marrow	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Mauri Syd Gayton	....	production coordinator
Ileen Maisel	....	assistant: Mr. Yablans
Marshall Schlom	....	script supervisor
Jonathan A. Zimbert	....	technical advisor

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1981) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1983) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Runtime:

129 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:AA (Ontario) | Iceland:16 | UK:15 (video rating) (1987) | UK:AA (original rating) | Sweden:15 | USA:R (original rating) | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | USA:PG (re-rating after appeal) | West Germany:12 | Australia:M | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Chadwick School - 26800 Academy Drive, Palos Verdes Peninsula, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

The highest-rated film on IMDb to win the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Picture (6.3).

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: If you watch the scene where Joan cuts down her prize rose garden, you'll notice that she is photographed mostly in shadow. That's because, although we hear her muttering to herself on the soundtrack about being "box office poison," her mouth isn't really moving.

Quotes:

Christina Crawford: My babies! Someone stole both my babies!
Joan Crawford: That's good, darling. They were thoughtless, selfish, spoiled children. Now they won't wake you up when you need your rest.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Who's the Boss?: Grandmommie Dearest (#8.9)" (1991)

Soundtrack:

Tangerine

Drama? Maybe... The world's funniest comedy? Yep!

Oh Lord, Here it comes..... This is the big one. Never before has there been (and probably never will there be again) a camp monstrosity as huge as this. An over-the-top "true story" about Christina Crawford being adopted, raised and tormented by the legendary film star Joan Crawford, the film is an amazing exercise in excess. Virtually every line in the film is a quotable hoot (and legions of people can almost recite the script!) It is an overabundance of comedic riches. It's almost impossible to pick a favorite scene. First, though it is likely that certain aspects of this film have a seed of truth, there is no way that this is an authentic film biography.......NO WAY. So, while a few incidents are loosely derived from fact, most of it is guilt-free hilarity. Christina's book was striking, but contained nothing as wild and vicious as this film presents. And it's entirely probable that some of Christina's memories were exaggerated by childhood perspective (although there's no denying that her mother was an obsessive, neurotic, steamroller of a woman.) Even Tina explained, in her book, certain aspects of the bad behavior which shed some light on Joan's actions. None of that is presented here. For example, the infamous rare meat scene...the film doesn't disclose that Joan paid high black market prices for the beef (during wartime rationing) and was appalled that Tina turned her nose up at it and wasted it. Also, the violent night raid scene is actually a compilation of two different occasions, etc.... The film tries to maximize and sensationalize everything and over-do everything to the point where it turns comic. Dunaway (who has, herself, described her mesmerizing and ferocious performance as "Kabuki") is beyond fascinating to watch. She imbues the role with an intense, stunning magnetism which blows everyone else off the screen. It's amazing that the sets were left intact! Despite an explosive, unforgettable performance, Faye actually looks almost nothing like the real Joan Crawford. Her eyes are not nearly large enough and nothing is done to make them appear so, her eyebrows are ridiculous, her chest is not as pronounced as Joan made hers and her hair is almost never the way the real Joan wore it! And both women have HIGHLY unique voices, but which are not alike at all. Still, she radiates all the necessary star quality for the role. Anne Bancroft would have LOOKED the part more, but who knows what the film would have been like? Better? Duller? It certainly could not have been wilder! Highlights of the Faye Dunaway circus act include: the legendary cold cream-faced night raid with the iconic screech, "No Wire Hangers!", her tirade with the scissors when she catches Tina mocking her, her showdown with the boarding school principal, the resultant wrestling match with Tina back home and the magnificent face-off with the Pepsi Board of Directors. It would be impossible to list the many quotes which make this film required viewing (only the surface has been scratched in the Memorable Quotes section.) "I fought worse monsters than you for years in Hollywood. I know how to win the hard way" immediately followed by "Don't F*CK with me fellas!! This ain't my first time at the rodeo", isn't a bad start. Too hilarious! Young Hobel really holds her own as Tina and though Scarwid is less successful as grown Tina, she still gets in a few good licks. In any case, the film has provided untold hours of enjoyment and allowed for some instant bonding whenever people start spouting off the hilarious lines. WHEN is someone going to adapt this into a stage show?!