Crazy Mama (1975)

Jonathan Demme directs this joyous relentlessly kitschy celebration of 1950s America: opportunity, rock'n'roll, and the road. He follows three generations of women and the men they pick up,... See full summary »

Director:

Jonathan Demme

Writers:

Robert Thom (screenplay), Frances Doel (story)

Stars:

Cloris Leachman, Stuart Whitman, Ann Sothern

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Cloris Leachman	...	Melba
Stuart Whitman	...	Jim Bob
Ann Sothern	...	Sheba
Jim Backus	...	Mr. Albertson
Don Most	...	Shawn (as Donn Most)
Linda Purl	...	Cheryl
Bryan Englund	...	Snake
Merie Earle	...	Bertha
Sally Kirkland	...	Ella Mae
Clint Kimbrough	...	Daniel
Dick Miller	...	Wilbur Janeway
Carmen Argenziano	...	Supermarket Manager
Harry Northup	...	FBI Man
Ralph James	...	Sheriff - 1932
Dinah Englund	...	Melba - 1932

Storyline

Jonathan Demme directs this joyous relentlessly kitschy celebration of 1950s America: opportunity, rock'n'roll, and the road. He follows three generations of women and the men they pick up, for a crime spree from California to the old family homestead in Arkansas.

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Plot Keywords:

arkansas | 1950s | cult film | road movie | family relationships | 

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Taglines:

In 1957 Cheryl Drove Her Mom's Chevy on a Heavy Date: Got Knocked Up, Knocked Over a Bank, Smashed Four Police Cars, and Kidnapped Her Stepfather. It Was a Crazy Year!

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | Drama | Crime

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

June 1975 (USA)

Also Known As:

An American Dream

Filming Locations:

Lake Theatre, 310 W. Graham Ave., Lake Elsinore, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$300,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

New World Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

83 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Bill Paxton's film debut.

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Quotes

Bertha: I think I'm gonna start smokin' a cigar, you know, change my image. What's so good about being an outlaw when you look like an in-law?

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Connections

Referenced in The Whales of August (1987)

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Soundtracks

I've Had It
Written by Carl Bonura and Raymond Ceroni
Performed by The Bell Notes

User Reviews

Fun, fast 50s era gangster mama buttkicking flick

Entertaining 1950s era ganster mama movie emulates the best points of Corman's previous depression-era genre films. Demme does a solid job, succeeding particularly well in creating a feeling of casual cameraderie among the bandit women and the men they drag along with them as they go on a spree enroute to the family farm in Arkansas. Creates reasonably good characters who are often not used to their full potential, but a good time film (good 6 pack film) is the result. Leachman and Sothern make an effective pairing, and castaway Jim Backus makes a brief appearance as the first of many men the trio of Southern beauties will take advantage of along the way to their broken down dreamland.