Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4643 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-03-01
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 123 minutes

DVD Description
This is the outrageous and controversial story of legendary movie star Joan Crawford (Faye Dunaway) and her struggle with the dual role of fading actress and tormented mother. Mommie Dearest is based on the memoirs of Crawford’s adopted daughter Christina and provides an insight into the private Crawford, trying to survive in the cutthroat movie industry and so desperate to be a mother she adopted children when she was single. Largely from Christina's viewpoint, we see Crawford's succession of lovers and husbands, career ups and (mainly) downs, fantastic egotism, and dependence on and abusiveness toward her children.

Special Features
Dolby digital 5.1 surround

Synopsis
Based on the tell-all book by her adopted daughter Christina, MOMMIE DEAREST is the now-legendary tale of Hollywood superstar Joan Crawford (Faye Dunaway) and the lengths that she went to in order to maintain her public image. After several screen successes, Crawford's plan to stay on top in Tinseltown includes adopting two children, Christina and Christopher, whom she plans on spoiling with love and gifts. As her career flags and her lack of success in her relationships with men chip away at her constitution, Crawford's treatment of her children becomes more and more brutal. MOMMIE DEAREST is a subjective vision of life behind the closed doors of the Crawford household--a view into the sordid personal life of a narcissistic and domineering mother. Though this domestic horror tale is so over-the-top it that it is often celebrated as high camp, Dunaway's performance remains nothing short of astounding.

Customer Reviews

Tina! you are always rumaging through my drawers...
Lets face it for those of you who have ever read anything about Joan Crawford then you will know that she was a very strict mother, she was under a lot of pressure to keep her carreer going and Cristina was a handful, from what I have read and I have read quite a lot about Crawford then I would say 60% of this film is true, though it was filmed and screenplayed for dramatic efect, if you have ever read the book Mommie Dearest it is nowere near as scathing as the film script was written, however if you bear this in mind then the film is very entertaining. The original actress to play the role was Ann Baxter who filmed for about a week before she decided she could not play Crawford in such a bad light and walked off the set. She was replaced with Faye Dunaway who did a great job on the film, though not exactly built like crawford in stature or features she does a good job. I like this film and you have to remember that if Joan was a saint it would not make such good viewing. So many funny lines in this its really worth a watch.

"Tina, fetch me the axe!"
Containing possibly some of the best lines in a motion picture ever, this film is worth watching for the towering, over-the-top and high camp portrayal of a true diva by another true diva! It is pure pantomime from start to finish and is perfect viewing with a group of friends - watch it before they arrive so you know all the best lines and shout them out. Don't watch it with the idea that this is a serious film about the life of Miss Joan Crawford, dive in and enjoy a truly guilty pleasure.

Christina Darling!!!
Hilariously over the top biopic. Faye Dunaway clearly relished the opportunity to completely go bonkers as Joan Crawford.
Features many unintentionally funny moments such as the infamous 'No wire coat hangers EVER!!!' scene'. Sort of suceeds as black comedy and fails miserably as psychodrama.