MOMMIE DEAREST

US, 1981, 129 minutes, Colour.
Faye Dunaway, Diana Scarwid, Steve Forrest, Howard da Silva, Mara Hobel, Rutanya Alda.
Directed by Frank Perry.

Mommie Dearest is something like a sensationalised psychological autopsy on Joan Crawford. A strong actress over so many decades, she made her way to the top especially in the '30s at M.G.M. A strong personality on screen as well as off, with several unfortunate marriages, she wanted children. Whether they were part of her publicity and image or whether she genuinely loved children, it is difficult to say. According to the biography of one of her adopted children, Christina, she was mentally unbalanced and a monstrous mother. It is well known that Joan Crawford left Christina and her brother Christopher out of her will. The book and the film seem to be Tina Crawford's attempt at having the last word.

The popular response to the life of movie stars and the ‘reality' behind the glamour always absorbs audience attention and this film no less than others. It was co-written by director Frank Perry who has made quite a number of very successful films over two decades: David and Lisa, Last Summer, Diary of a Mad Housewife, especially with his wife Eleanor Perry. The film has an exuberant performance by Faye Dunaway who more than resembles Joan Crawford. It is a no stops, no-holds-barred performance of grand soap opera. Dunaway chews up characters and scenery with great relish. She receives excellent support from Diana Scarwid as Christina as an adult, and especially Mara Hobel, who is Christina as a child. There is a Henry Mancini score and there is enough anchoring in reality to give the film something of an atmosphere of authenticity e.g. Joan Crawford's confrontation with Louis B. Mayer, her performance in Mildred Pierce and her winning an Oscar, her marrying the Pepsi Cola king Alfred Steele and her taking her daughter's place in a 1960s soap opera. The film is not a tribute to Joan Crawford - it is an insight in an exaggerated style into the unreality/reality of Hollywood.

1. The impact of the book after Joan Crawford's death? Audience curiosity? Admiration of Joan Crawford in her long career? The strong type of woman she portrayed on the screen? Her success, Oscar? Soap operas? The legend attendant on her publicity and career?

2. The impact of the film? Its reputation? Its quick movement into cult film with camp overtones? How much of an autopsy rather than biography? Faye Dunaway's resemblance to Joan Crawford? Her skill in making Crawford a character? The kind of role that Joan Crawford herself might have fought for?

3. How much truth is there in the film? The accuracy of the facts? The interpretation of the facts? Tina Crawford's memories of her childhood and her mother? How true for her? Objectively? Joan Crawford's view of herself and her relationship with her children? Antagonistic memory heightened? The audience aimed for in the film? The aim of the screenplay? how sensational, exploitive?

4. Faye Dunaway's reputation, screen presence, skill in impersonating Joan Crawford? How much acting, how much caricature, how much parody? Insight? The famous lines about rose gardens and coat hangers etc.? Faye Dunaway's imitation of Joan Crawford's acting style? The Hollywood style of the impersonation of Crawford and her lifestyle?

5. The film's presentation of Crawford as star, legend? Hollywood in the '30s, M.G.M., Louis B. Mayer and his ruling of M.G.M. and his manoeuvring her out of M.G.M.? Her marriages? Her lover? Her children? Her career at Warner Bros, preparing for Mildred Pierce and her Oscar? The ups and downs of her middle aged career? Marrying Alfred Steele and taking on Pepsi? Her growing family? Her wanting to win and despising weakness? Her drinking, pill-taking? Ruthlessness in career, home life, business? Her growing old? The seeming callousness of her will? The tough background of Hollywood, the American dream? Audience love-hate for Crawford?

6. Crawford as seen in the film: her initial rising, washing, being the celebrity of the studio, make-up, chauffeured? The contrast with herself at home - the house and her obsession with dirt and cleanliness? Her relationship with Greg ? the shower sequence? Her wanting a child and persuading him? Her visit to the bureaux and her being declared unfit? The illegal means for her adopting her child? Her initial treatment of the children e.g. Christina's birthday, the gifts and her having to give them away, the celebrations and parties? Her rule at M.G.M., the confrontation with Louis B. Mayer, the dinner and her being put down. his not escorting her to the car? Her fight for her career at Warner Bros., her act at the times of the Oscar and her receiving the reporters? Her ruthlessness in the board meeting with Pepsi? The background of her life with Alfred Steele and her extravagance in home decorating, office decorating? Her treatment of Tina throughout her school years ? moral severity, sending her to the convent? Tina's own career and the TV fiasco of her taking her place? The final award and Tina's accepting it? Her ageing? a pathetic figure?

7. The emphases of the screenplay of showing Crawford with her children? Tina as a baby and the mother love and the publicity? The birthday parties and the photos? The clashes with Tina. especially about the swimming. Tina imitating her mother and having her hair cut, the dresses and the coat hangers,, the dirty bathroom? Giving away presents? Tina making drinks for the 'uncles'? Tina and life not being fair and her mother's emphasis on struggling for achievement?

8. Tina at home and the tense melodramatic situations, especially the confrontation about the eating of the meat, the imitation in the mirror, the hangers and the floor, the contrast with the sweetness of the Christmas message. the tantrum in the rose garden. Tina at school, the encounter with the young lad and sex and standards, the visit to the convent, the effect of all this experience on Tina? Her appreciation of her mother, her growing dislike? Coping with the erratic behaviour?

9. The character of Tina? the screenplay's attitude towards her? Her home life. the parties. her defying her mother, suffering, the 'uncles' and the drinks. the Oscar evening? Her leaving home and not wanting to depend on her mother for money? Alfred Steele giving her money? Her acting, her own apartment? Her illness and her embarrassment at watching her mother in the soap opera? Her speech at accepting the award for her mother? Her friendship with Christopher? The funeral and the talk about the last word? The irony of her addressing her mother as Mommie Dearest?

10. The character of Carol Ann and her companionship, help and loyalty, concern for the children, the continued visits. the defence of Joan Crawford, her ageing with her?

11. Greg, the Hollywood lawyer, love for Joan, the affair, the getting of the child, working outside the law, being on Louis B. Mayer's side? The sensual scenes, the lyrical scenes at the beach, the melodramatics of the confrontation and his decision to leave?

12. Louis B. Mayer and his style, the smooth ousting of the M.G.M. reigning queen?

13. Alfred Steele as the American businessman, marriage, the introduction to Christina, giving her money, the house and Joan's extravagance, his death? Her ruthlessness at the subsequent board meeting?

14. Themes of stardom, ambition, audience recognition and adulation? Joan Crawford's consuming desire to be appreciated? Inner drive, loneliness? Why did she adopt the children? The effect on her on them?

15. How important is accuracy and truth for appreciation of this kind of film?