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Faye Dunaway's breathtaking and endlessly fascinating performance is the primary reason to check out Mommie Dearest, the 1981 camp classic, based on the book by Joan Crawford's eldest adopted daughter, Christina, concentrating on the allegedly dysfunctional relationship between film icon Joan Crawford and Christina. As outrageous and off-the-wall as this film appears, it is still a guilty pleasure of mine with great re-watch appeal.
I guess this film could be classified as a biopic, but it's hard for me to come at it from that direction, partially because the film is not really about Joan Crawford, it is a look at Crawford through the eye of her adopted daughter, a somewhat jaundiced and bigoted eye, if the truth be told. It's hard to know exactly if what is presented in this film is fact or fiction, because there are large portions of the book that aren't even addressed in this film.
In real life, Crawford adopted two other children who don't even exist in the film, so it's hard to take this film seriously as a biography of the great actress, but more as a one-sided, larger-than-life view of the actress through the eyes of her daughter, who definitely had serious issues with the woman, primarily the fact that, in Christina's eyes, Crawford seemed to care more about her career than her children. It is implied early in the film that Crawford's adoption of Christina was more of a publicity stunt to aid a flailing career than out of a genuine desire to be a mother, but I don't think anyone has a way of knowing if that's really true and I was bothered by the implication, but I digress.
The film is completely watchable thanks to an electrifying performance by Faye Dunaway as Joan Crawford. Dunaway is mesmerizing and clearly did her homework, obviously watching a lot of Crawford's work before she began filming...there is a scene where Crawford has just been let go from MGM and she gets up and walks slowly out of Louis B Mayer's office and I swear I got chills...the walk was amazing, just one of the many layers that Dunaway brought to the physicality of the character. There are some over-the-top moments, like the infamous "wire hanger" scene, the cleaning the bathroom scene and the chopping of the rose bushes where Dunaway makes Crawford appear slightly insane, but I don't blame Dunaway for that completely, partial blame has to go to director Frank Perry for not properly reigning in his actress.
Two actresses were utilized to play Christina Crawford as a child and as teen/adult Christina. If the truth be told, I much preferred young Mara Hobel's work as young Christina, as opposed to Diana Scarwid, who comes off rather wooden as the adult Christina. Mention should also be made of Rutanya Alda as Crawford's devoted housekeeper Carol Ann and Howard da Silva as Louis B Mayer. Steve Forrest was just miscast as Gregory Savitt, Crawford's on-again off again lover who, according to the film, brokered Christina's adoption through some slightly shady means, a character I'm pretty much convinced was fictional, but despite everything, the film is worth checking out for Faye Dunaway's endlessly fascinating performance as Joan Crawford.
Faye Dunaway's breathtaking and endlessly fascinating performance is the primary reason to check out Mommie Dearest, the 1981 camp classic, based on the book by Joan Crawford's eldest adopted daughter, Christina, concentrating on the allegedly dysfunctional relationship between film icon Joan Crawford and Christina. As outrageous and off-the-wall as this film appears, it is still a guilty pleasure of mine with great re-watch appeal.
I guess this film could be classified as a biopic, but it's hard for me to come at it from that direction, partially because the film is not really about Joan Crawford, it is a look at Crawford through the eye of her adopted daughter, a somewhat jaundiced and bigoted eye, if the truth be told. It's hard to know exactly if what is presented in this film is fact or fiction, because there are large portions of the book that aren't even addressed in this film.
In real life, Crawford adopted two other children who don't even exist in the film, so it's hard to take this film seriously as a biography of the great actress, but more as a one-sided, larger-than-life view of the actress through the eyes of her daughter, who definitely had serious issues with the woman, primarily the fact that, in Christina's eyes, Crawford seemed to care more about her career than her children. It is implied early in the film that Crawford's adoption of Christina was more of a publicity stunt to aid a flailing career than out of a genuine desire to be a mother, but I don't think anyone has a way of knowing if that's really true and I was bothered by the implication, but I digress.
The film is completely watchable thanks to an electrifying performance by Faye Dunaway as Joan Crawford. Dunaway is mesmerizing and clearly did her homework, obviously watching a lot of Crawford's work before she began filming...there is a scene where Crawford has just been let go from MGM and she gets up and walks slowly out of Louis B Mayer's office and I swear I got chills...the walk was amazing, just one of the many layers that Dunaway brought to the physicality of the character. There are some over-the-top moments, like the infamous "wire hanger" scene, the cleaning the bathroom scene and the chopping of the rose bushes where Dunaway makes Crawford appear slightly insane, but I don't blame Dunaway for that completely, partial blame has to go to director Frank Perry for not properly reigning in his actress.
Two actresses were utilized to play Christina Crawford as a child and as teen/adult Christina. If the truth be told, I much preferred young Mara Hobel's work as young Christina, as opposed to Diana Scarwid, who comes off rather wooden as the adult Christina. Mention should also be made of Rutanya Alda as Crawford's devoted housekeeper Carol Ann and Howard da Silva as Louis B Mayer. Steve Forrest was just miscast as Gregory Savitt, Crawford's on-again off again lover who, according to the film, brokered Christina's adoption through some slightly shady means, a character I'm pretty much convinced was fictional, but despite everything, the film is worth checking out for Faye Dunaway's endlessly fascinating performance as Joan Crawford.