Mommie Dearest (1981)

Director:

Frank Perry

Writers:

Christina Crawford (book)
Robert Getchell (writer)

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)

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:

Faye Dunaway truly felt she would win an Oscar for her performance as Joan Crawford. When the film was released to poor reviews and Paramount's promotion of the film as a camp classic she was furious. To this day she refuses to talk about the film. In fact, when she is interviewed she submits a list of topics that are off-limits to the interviewer, one of which is Mommie Dearest. She has been known to stop interviews if asked about the film.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Young Christina is obviously holding a wig on while Joan furiously tries to brush out her hair (before resorting to those effective scissors).

Quotes:

Joan Crawford: [Joan addresses the fans camped out in front of her house on Oscar night] I would rather be here with you than anywhere else in the world. You, all of you here and everywhere, gave me this award tonight. And I accept it from you and only you. I love all of you. Now please forgive me, good night.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Witch (#1.3)" (1997)

Soundtrack:

June In January

Awarrrarragh!!

Indisputable classic of the highest order, 'Mommie Dearest' just SCREAMS cult hit every chance it gets, and just about ruined Faye Dunaway's reputation in the process. Mind you, there's nothing WRONG with Dunaway's performance, as a matter of fact, it's really good, but what's so good about it is how she plays every scene with fearless abandon, whether it's the wirehanger scene, the departure from MGM or chokeslamming Christina through a glass table, Dunaway gives 100% percent! And you should too! The first half is MUCH more frenetic then the 2nd half (aka young Christina vs Old) and the first part has all the best bits, but not to say the 2nd part is good too, it really starts to mellow out and (gasp) you start to feel SOME compassion to the old broad. Diana Scarwid is good too, although her playing what looks to be a 13 year old girl looks a bit too much.

This wasn't my first time at this rodeo (I'd seen this before) and I enjoyed it as much as I had the first time!