"No wire hangers--ever!" That this apparently banal phrase has now achieved something like immortality is a reflection of the unbridled extravagance of Faye Dunaway's performance in MOMMIE DEAREST--every line, every glance, every Crawford-esque tic and mannerism is greeted by howls of
gleeful recognition among camp cognoscenti. Joan Crawford (Dunaway, in a remarkable makeup job) comes off as a cartoon monster in this over-the-top biopic, which blithely mixes fact, legend, and--especially--elements of Crawford's unique screen persona. The film begins in 1939, when Crawford,
already a huge star but unhappy and childless, decides to adopt two children. It ends with he...
Released:
1981
Rated:
PG
Length:
129 mins