Greetings,
Yes, I know that Mother's Day was a week ago, and a much more appropriate day to do this. I had, in fact, intended to do this thing last Sunday, but reasons, as usual, interfered. Still, it seemed like a good way to get back into doing reviews here on the blog. Talking about something that is completely underrated, unappreciated and something in which no one can see the brilliance. Just like me! Anyway, Mommie Dearest.
Mommie Dearest is a 1981 film that tells the story of Joan Crawford by way of the 1978 book of the same name written by her adopted daughter, Christina Crawford. Now this is not exactly a biopic, as we don't follow Joan throughout her entire life, but rather it covers the alleged abuse that Christina and her brother, Christopher, suffered at the hands of their mother. That's right. This film, which has become a cult classic, is considered "camp" and was once re-marketed as a dark comedy, is all about child abuse. Hilarious! But more on that, and some specific scenes, later.
Seriously, this film gets a really bad rap, even getting the Razzie Award for Worst Film of the Decade. It was not! I certainly don't know why it gets all this hate, and I absolutely don't know why the lovely and talented Faye Dunaway, who portrays Joan Crawford, gets the brunt of it. In my humble opinion, I thought she was phenomenal. It actually might be her greatest acting job ever. But, of course, some people often refer to the performance as over the top, as though it's a bad or inaccurate thing. I mean, do they know anything about Joan Crawford? She was over the top. Oh, and what's with all the jokes they make about Ms. Dunaway's physical appearance in the film? THAT is how Joan Crawford looked. These criticisms are akin to someone saying that Jamie Foxx played Ray Charles too much like a blind guy.
Look, I could spend a long time raving about this performance, but I would remiss if I didn't mention everything else. This was a well-written, well-acted, and overall well-made movie. Everyone in the cast did a fine job, but I must speak specifically about Mara Hobel and Diana Scarwid who play child Christina and adult Christina, respectively. First, Mara Hobel did one of the best kid acting jobs I've ever seen, and I've seen some bad ones. She really held her own against a pro like Faye Dunaway, as did Diana Scarwid. On to her performance, while much of it was understated, certainly by comparison, when it came time to let the emotions go full speed ahead, she pulled it off quite nicely. Really, this story is about these two women and their relationship, and they conveyed that to the audience very well.
Oh, and speaking of the cast, we get a little "What's up?" from Xander Berkeley as adult Christopher at the end, and also an appearance by Belita Moreno. You may know her as George's mother on The George Lopez Show. If you've seen her on that show and if you've seen this movie, you'll get the irony of this.
But let me take a moment to get back to that elephant in the room. Anyone who has ever, well, been alive most likely has seen some kind of parody of the infamous "No wire hangers ever!" scene. I won't judge you for laughing; I may have done it myself. However, let's think about that. These jokes spring from a very unsettling scene of a child being beaten. What is wrong with us? And how about some other scenes in the film? The all out, mother-daughter brawl, complete with the smashing of a glass table or the crazy chopping down of the tree with an ax, which are often taken out of context and if you see what led to them, you can see them in the correct light. Still, how can anyone miss the quieter scenes of the movie, like the ones where Joan and Tina legitimately behave like two people who seem to care about each other or, perhaps, what I consider the greatest scene, where Joan laments losing her contract and the way she is being treated in Hollywood. Three words: Bravo, Faye Dunaway.
Speaking of which, let me say, once again, that I love Faye Dunaway in this movie. I've heard that, due to all the negativity surrounding it, she doesn't like to talk about Mommie Dearest. It's kind of a shame. Not that I think she'll ever see this, but if she does, I hope she knows that those of us who can recognize brilliance when we see it, recognize it in her and this performance.
Bottom line, if you haven't seen Mommie Dearest, please do so. And go in without the blinders or preconceived notions of what you've heard about it. It does not get the respect it deserves. Some people call it ridiculous; it's not. It's actually very good. Find out for yourself.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
