Mommie Dearest

[kafka]

dwanollah said:

Jensational and I need to have a Movie Date.

I wanna join you two! And, if anyone's interested, I'll even bring along the original Stepford Wives movie.

About the Faye Dunaway over-acting issue, the Wikipedia entry said Dunaway tried repeatedly to tone down her performance but she got huge, massive opposition from Christina Crawford.

Another thing I learnt from Wikipedia, Crawford became a Christian Scientist!! Did anyone know that? Apparently, the movie left that bit out.

On a fun note, you guys HAVE to check out this hysterical video montage called "ABBA vs. Joan Crawford" . Mamma Mia *and* mega slaps all in one...... I'm dying here.

[satellite]

"How many drinks is that? When you were a kid that made you look sexy. Now it just makes you look drunk." -Greg Savitt

I was thinking the other day that I have to find an opportunity to use that quote.

I'm also a big fan of "Tina!... Bring me the axe."

I finally saw Sunset Blvd. recently. Also a great campy film and a great movie.

[Peggy Lane]

Christian Science was totally the Scientology of old Hollywood.

Oh my god I love this movie so, so much. The best, BEST, is Joan playing Christina's role on Peyton Place and Diana Scarwig's look of horror when she sees her mother in her role. BTW, Diana Scarwig? Laughably bad in this movie, but really not a bad actress. What's that about?

[mrpancake]

Okay, this is going to sound stupid, but:

I've never seen the movie, and know nothing about Joan Crawford, really. Upon seeing this thread and having heard a lot about the movie, I saw some of the clips on YouTube. Why was Joan Crawford so crazy and mean? Is there any explanation at all?

[india7]

My thread!!!

"TIIIINNNAAAAAA!!!! BRING ME THE AXE!!!"

"I'm not mad at YOU! I'm mad at the DIRT!!!"

I second a Greecie film festival of utterly bad, campy fun movies! I'll bring my copy of The Women, also starring Joan!

mrpancake, no explanation. I think she was just typical Hollywood crazypants!

[iceblink]

Ooh, Stepford Wives. I love that movie so much. It confirms all my suspicions about suburbia, and also men.

[kafka]

mrpancake said:

Why was Joan Crawford so crazy and mean? Is there any explanation at all?

I don't think there really is any explanation. Crawford was an alcoholic but lots of alcoholic parents avoid acting like such a deranged loon. Besides, isn't the theory that alcohol only heightens or highlights what's already there? Who knows the reasons for the underlying issues in the first place.

Playing Devil's Advocate, however, I suppose the most sympathetic explanation one could theoretically come up with is that the book (upon which this movie was based) was naturally biased hyperbole by a girl with some issues; normal competitive resentment of her "mother"; and/or made up scandalous anecdotes about the hugely famous Crawford in order to jump start her own failing career.

There is the fact that Christina Crawford never mentioned any of this stuff for years, when her career was going well, and only brought it up once her career failed *AND* she was disinherited by her mother's estate. In the will, Crawford wrote something akin to CTC's comment about Nicole, something like "she knows what she did". And, again, that all happened before the book was written.

All that is playing Devil's Advocate. My personal theory: Crawford was that decade's version of Naomi Campbell. But damn, was she a rivetting, incredible actress.


ETA: Why can't I ever spell "alcoholic"? Grr. On a side note, I've watched that ABBA Bitchslap/Choking Fest about 4 times now. It makes me laugh hysterically each and every time. They've cut it in a way which actually makes Mommie Dearest *MORE* disturbing, more cruel, and more funny than the original film. How is that possible??

[tipsygrrl]

the movie apparently got re-released on DVD this summer in a special edition which includes a lengthy commentary by John Waters

I went directly to Amazon upon reading this, sure it was too good to be true. It's true! It's the greatest thing ever, and it's true!!! And soon it will be mine.

mr. pancake, I think she was an abused kid and the Hollywood star system is a warping thing...and some people say Christina exaggerated a little bit (but a lot of it was true, personality-wise).

Joan did do some nice things - she supported her friend, the former-MGM star William Haines, when he was blacklisted for being homosexual and helped him establish a successful business. Bios of him and of some other people make it seem like she was a good friend. But a bad, bad mommie.

[satellite]

Why was Joan Crawford so crazy and mean? Is there any explanation at all?

If the cleaning stuff is true, we've now recognized it to be OCD and germ phobia. Not that those make everyone into a "Mommie Dearest", but it was probably strange from a child's perspective. I'm not sure about her other issues.

[Deleted]

*AND* she was disinherited by her mother's estate.

Man, I would love to know why. I'm sure Christina would have loved to have known, too.

I recently bought the special edition of the DVD with John Waters doing commentary. It's not very funny or insightful, but the movie is still fabulous. I covet the sofa the set designers used in the living room.