Mommie Dearest (1981)

The abusive and traumatic adoptive upbringing of Christina Crawford at the hands of her mother, screen queen Joan Crawford, is depicted.

Director:

Frank Perry

Writers:

Christina Crawford (book), Frank Yablans (screenplay)

Stars:

Faye Dunaway, Diana Scarwid, Steve Forrest

9 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Faye Dunaway	...	Joan Crawford
Diana Scarwid	...	Christina Crawford (Adult)
Steve Forrest	...	Greg Savitt
Howard Da Silva	...	L.B. Mayer
Mara Hobel	...	Christina Crawford (Child)
Rutanya Alda	...	Carol Ann
Harry Goz	...	Al Steele
Michael Edwards	...	Ted Gelber
Jocelyn Brando	...	Barbara Bennett
Priscilla Pointer	...	Mrs. Chadwick
Joe Abdullah	...	Captain
Gary Allen	...	Jimmy (Photographer)
Selma Archerd	...	Connie
Adrian Aron	...	Wedding Guest
Xander Berkeley	...	Christopher Crawford (Adult)

Storyline

The relationship between Christina Crawford and her adoptive mother Joan Crawford is presented from Christina's view. Unable to bear children, Joan, in 1940, was denied children through regular adoption agencies due to her twice divorced status and being a single working person. Her lover at the time, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer lawyer Greg Savitt, was able to go through a brokerage to adopt a baby girl, who would be Christina, the first of Joan's four adoptive children. Joan believes that her own difficult upbringing has made her a stronger person, and decides that, while providing the comforts that a successful Hollywood actress can afford, she will not coddle Christina or her other children, she treating Christina more as a competitor than a daughter. Joan's treatment of Christina is often passive-aggressive, fueled both by the highs and lows of her career, the narcissism that goes along with being an actress, and alcohol abuse especially during the low times. However, Joan sees much of ...

---

Plot Keywords:

bad mother | abusive mother | wire hanger | abusive woman | narcissism | 

---

Taglines:

Faye Dunaway is Joan Crawford, a star...a legend...and a mother...The illusion of perfection.

---

Genres:

Biography | Drama

---

Certificate:

14A

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to Rutanya Alda, Irene Sharaff walked off the set in tears, because she was so "horrified by some of Faye's outfit decisions." When Sharaff left, an assistant mocked Faye Dunaway's constant screaming of, "Clear the set!"

---

Goofs

When Joan is in the driveway getting ready to jog next to the car CarolAnn is driving, the backs of her knees on her sweatpants are wet and in the next scene they are dry.

---

Quotes

Joan Crawford: [after an ugly fight] I didn't mean that, Greg. I didn't mean it.
Greg Savitt: Get up. There's no camera in here.
Joan Crawford: Greg, where ya goin'?
Greg Savitt: Where I belong. Out of here.
Joan Crawford: You belong here. I'm waitin' for ya.
Greg Savitt: Good night, Joan.
Joan Crawford: Please don't leave, because if you do, you'll never come back in again, no matter what you say, or ask, or do.
Greg Savitt: I'll always wish you well, Joan. And I'll only speak well of you.
Joan Crawford: Please don't go! Don't leave me here alone. Please.
Greg Savitt: If you're acting, you're wasting your time. If you're not, you're wasting...
[...]

---

Alternate Versions

Some scenes were altered for the TV and cable release of "Mommie Dearest". Aside from editing out the bad language, there is a notably different version of the scene where Joan hacks down her prize roses, where for some reason the musical background to this scene was completely removed, and the abrupt cut from L.B. Mayer's face to Joan kneeling dementedly in the rose garden with her garden shears is accompanied by a bone-chilling scream.

---

Connections

Referenced in Criminal Minds: The Edge of Winter (2014)

---

Soundtracks

June In January
Written by Ralph Rainger (as Rainger) & Leo Robin (as Robin)

User Reviews

Why would Faye deny this movie so? She's great.

Alright, this might not be too obscure of a movie but when it came out it wasn't well received and pretty much ignored causing it to have a huge cult following. The acting by Dunaway as Joan Crawford is so exaggerated that it seems unbelievable that it's a biographical tale. More than Crawford's story as an actress, this movie deals with the painful, abusive, and traumatic upbringing of her daughter Christina (she wrote the book that prompted the making of this movie). Some say Christina made a lot of it up to destroy her mother's reputation but others say it might be quite accurate. Either way, Dunaway's performance as the Screen Queen is uncanny. She embodies every quality of Crawford and watching the movie you forget that it's not really Joan but Faye in the role. Sure, this movie won Razzie Awards and the producers even tried to capitalize with its failure by billing it "The worst mother of them all." Dunaway even goes as far as telling interviewers beforehand that she will not talk about this movie. One can understand her seeing that she was campaigning for an Oscar nod and instead won the Razzie for worst actress but none of that matters because this movie is now seen as a great tragedy and you'll definitely get lost in the story wondering if everything is true. Oh, and the scenes with Faye Dunaway and Mara Hobel, who plays young Christina Crawford, are amazing. It's no wonder she won the Young Artist Award. Seriously, watch it. The "No more wire hangers" scene alone is enough to watch this great film.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 September 1981 (USA)

Also Known As:

Maman très chère

Filming Locations:

417 Amapola Lane, Bel Air, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$19,032,261

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$19,032,261

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

129 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1