Mommie Dearest (1981)

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.

Director:

Frank Perry

Writers:

Christina Crawford (book), Robert Getchell,

Stars:

Faye Dunaway, Diana Scarwid, Steve Forrest

8 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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)

Storyline

Based on the book about Joan Crawford, one of the great Hollywood actresses of our time, written by her adopted daughter Christina Crawford. Joan decides to adopt children of her own to fill a void in her life. Yet, her problems with alcohol, men, and the pressures of show business get in the way of her personal life, turning her into a mentally abusive wreck seen through the eyes of Christina and her brother Christopher, who unwillingly bore the burden of life that was unseen behind the closed doors of "The Most Beautiful House in Brentwood."

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Plot Keywords:

perfection | lawyer | adopted daughter | mansion | female sociopath | 

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Taglines:

One thing is certain: You'll never look at a wire hanger the same way again!

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 September 1981 (USA)

Also Known As:

Maman très chère

Filming Locations:

355 S Mapleton Dr, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

129 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The lobby cards issued for the film contain scenes from several sequences that were deleted from the final cut of the film, including: - Joan driving through the MGM lot in her car, apparently just before she visits L.B. Mayer & finds out she's fired. - Joan talking to young Christina on the beach. - Adult Christina talking to Joan while wearing the same dress she wears to the awards ceremony at the film's conclusion.

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Goofs

During the bedroom scene when Joan is fighting with Greg and he shakes her, she loses a clip-on earring. The ear ring appears and disappears on Joan between shots.

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Quotes

Christina Crawford: [pretending to be Joan] Oh yes, it was thrilling. I'm so grateful to you all... my WONderful fans, who made me a star. Oh yes. It was thrilling. I'm so grateful to you all. My WON-der-ful fans, who made ME a star... MOMMIE?

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Connections

Featured in AFI's 100 Years... 100 Heroes & Villains (2003)

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Soundtracks

"I'm Sitting On Top Of The World"
by Sam Lewis, Joe Young (as Young) & Ray Henderson (as Henderson)

User Reviews

Oy Faye!

This may very well be one of the most loathsome and sloppy screen treatments to ever have been derived from a literary memoir. I only noticed four distinct areas in which "Mommie Dearest" is a complete disaster: the screenplay, the acting, the direction and the editing. Other than that, this is a fine film. Director Frank Perry delivers what could be one of the sloppiest directing jobs ever released by a major studio. He simply sits back and lets Dunaway rip. He was either supremely untalented or he purposefully intended to sabotage her. The narrative is chopped up worse than a Thanksgiving turkey, with a bizarre and fragmented collection of scenes showcasing little but mass hysteria. Dunaway does not chew scenery. Dunaway starts neatly at each corner of the set in every scene and swallows it whole, costars and all. Oy Faye!