Movie: Mommie Dearest

Release Date: September 18, 1981

Director: Frank Perry

Starring: Faye Dunaway, Diana Scarwid, Mara Hobel, Rutanya Alda, Steve Forrest.

Tag Lines: “To my darling Christina, with love…Mommie Dearest.”

“The meanest mother of them all…”

“Meet the biggest MOTHER of them all!”

“The greatest role of her life…was her life.”

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

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

Relevance: My mom swore like a sailor. However she never, ever said the “F” word. She despised the word and was uncomfortable every time she heard it. At work she had an “F” jar, similar to a swear jar, but more specific. Anytime a co-worker said the dreaded word, a quarter had to be dropped in. When I started acting in college and I got my first starring role, unfortunately for my mom, my character had to say the word. I warned her and had her read the script before she saw the show. I wanted her prepared. She handled me saying “motherfucking cocksucking” like a pro.

I first heard about my mom’s aversion to “fuck” sometime in 1982. We were at my maternal Grandparent’s house visiting with relatives that had come in for a visit. My Aunt, my mom’s sister, always visited from out of state in the summer. It was a time for family to reconnect and for me to play with my cousins. It was always a good time. One day during their stay, the conversation turned towards ‘Mommie Dearest.’ The movie was premiering on HBO and my mom was excited about watching it. My Uncle, who must have seen the film warned her, “Be prepared to hear your favorite word.”

Sometime that week, we watched ‘Mommie Dearest.’ At that time I knew very little about Joan Crawford and it wasn’t a movie I was very keen on watching. However, we only had one television and my mom was queen of the TV. We watched what she wanted to watch. And we did, with very little complaints. Now I can’t say that this was the first movie I saw that used the f-word, but it is the one that I remembered the most. “Don’t fuck with me fellas” said towards the end of the film got a grimace from my mom, but a smile and a chuckle from me.

I was very intrigued by the film. As a kid at the age of eleven, I was actually horrified by Ms. Crawford, as portrayed by Faye Dunaway. The movie was a drama, but to me it bordered on horror, and I kind of liked that. It completely kept my interest and for the most part entertained me as best a drama can entertain a pre-teen boy. One thing that that surfaced after we watched it was my sister and I jokingly calling my mom, ‘Mommie Dearest.’ She hated it. “Don’t call me that.” But I did, right up through adulthood. Again, let me say, it was said in jest. My mom was nothing like Joan Crawford or at least how she was portrayed in the movie.

The movie played a lot on HBO and for some reason, I watched it every time. I simply became obsessed with it. I was compelled by the character of Joan Crawford. As I got older, I educated myself about the film. I discovered it was not well received by critics and was only a moderate box office hit. It was seen more as a campy, over-the-top comedy than the serious drama it was intended to be. That made me even more intrigued. The movie stayed with me right through college and it was watched many times on a drunken Saturday night. It was eaten up by all of my theater friends and it was quoted and acted out constantly.

I eventually bought the film on DVD and watched it periodically. To me, it’s a classic. I get that it is a cult-like favorite, campy parody more than a “serious” film, but the memories of watching it as a child always make me smile. I learned so much about my mom, swear words, wire hangers and cleaning more than any other movie in my life. That deserves at least a tip of the hat.

Today’s Thoughts: “Christina. Christopher. Damn it.”

If you go on YouTube, you can fall down the proverbial rabbit hole and spend hours watching ‘Mommie Dearest’ videos. There are movie clips, mash-ups, parodies and my all time favorite “ABBA versus Mommie Dearest.” Oh, mamma mia it is addicting and fun. Today however, I sat down to watch the original 1981 drama starring Faye Dunaway.

Listen, I get why this is ridiculed and considered one of the worst films ever made. I don’t care, I still love it. Everything is so over-the-top, it does borderline on the ridiculous, but it’s so delicious in its campiness. One thing you have to say is that everyone was totally committed to the “camp.” From its direction to the costumes, make-up and hair to the much publicized acting, it is quite the production.

I can just hear the “gay gasps” across America when I say this, but I actually think Faye Dunaway does a decent job at a caricature of Ms. Crawford. Her style of acting for this role is very reminiscent of the over-the-top acting that was prevalent in the 1920’s and 1930’s. Basically, the kind of acting Ms. Crawford herself was performing. So was she really that bad in her portrayal? An argument that has been happening in gay bars since the 1980’s and will continue on for decades to come.

‘Mommie Dearest’ is a movie that must be seen. Only then can everyone make up their own minds about this melodramatic biographical film about a Hollywood legend. Love it or hate it, this is one of those movies where those two phrases are easily blurred into one. I say sit back, put on a face mask, drink some vodka and enjoy the ride. And remember, “No wire hangers, ever!”

Awards: National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress, Faye Dunaway (nomination), New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress, Faye Dunaway (nomination).

Ways to Watch: Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play, Vudu, iTunes, DVD Availability.