Mommie Dearest (1981)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

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 | Adopted Daughter | Perfection | Lawyer | Mansion

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

Color:

Color (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:

The movie's line "No wire hangers!" was voted as the #89 of "The 100 Greatest Movie Lines" by Premiere in 2007.

Goofs:

Continuity: Carol-Ann seems to suddenly drop right out of the sky to oversee the pool race between Joan and Christina. You can briefly glimpse her while Joan and Gregg are having their previous discussion, over Gregg's shoulder when he says "Who calls, I run?", but in other shots she clearly isn't there.

Quotes:

Joan Crawford: SCRUB, Christina. SCRUB.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Inland Empire (2006)

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!