Mommie Dearest

By VARIETY STAFF

Paramount. Director Frank Perry; Producer Frank Yablans; Screenplay Frank Yablans, Frank Perry, Tracy Hotchner, Robert Getchell; Camera Paul Lohmann; Editor Peter E. Berger; Music Henry Mancini; Art Director Bill Malley
 
Faye Dunaway
Diana Scarwid
Steve Forrest
Howard da Silva
Jocelyn Brando
 

This is Faye Dunaway as Joan Crawford and the results are, well, screen history. Dunaway does not chew scenery. Dunaway starts neatly at each corner of the set in every scene and swallows it whole, costars and all.

Prior to her death, Crawford once commented that Dunaway was among the best of up-and-coming young actresses. Too bad Crawford isn't around to comment now. Too bad, Crawford isn't around to comment on the whole endeavor.

Much has been written and said pro-and-con about Crawford since daughter Christina wrote the book on which this film is based. Whatever the truth, director Frank Perry's portrait here is sorry indeed, 129 minutes with a very pathetic and unpleasant individual.

The story is familiar: self-centred, insecure and pressured movie queen adopts two babies for both love and personal aggrandizement. Growing up, the kids are battered between luxurious pampering and abuse, never finding real affection with mother, who finally dies and cuts them out of the will, reaching beyond the grave for final revenge.

As Christina, Diana Scarwid is okay, but unexceptional. Much better is little Mara Hobel as Christina the child, genuinely touching at times. Rutanya Alda is also fine as Crawford's long-suffering but loving assistant.

(Color) Available on VHS, DVD. Extract of a review from 1981. Running time: 129 MIN.