Mommie Dearest: No Wire Hangers, But Plenty of Entertainment

Feud may be over, but interest in Joan Crawford is greater than ever. This past week saw the release of the “Hollywood Royalty Edition” of Mommie Dearest. Based on the best-selling (and still scandalous) biography by Christina Crawford, this compelling and campy – who can forget the infamous “no wire hangers!” scene? – examines the challenges that Joan faced balancing motherhood and her career. Highlighted by a delightfully unhinged performance by Faye Dunaway as Crawford and a sympathetic turn by Diana Scarwid as an adult Christina, the movie examines the pitfalls of growing up in the shadow of a celebrity.

Although the accuracy of some of the claims made by the younger Crawford in her book and its resulting film adaptation have been both confirmed and debunked by various parties over the years, interest in Mommie Dearest has never waned. After all, true or not, you can’t keep a good Hollywood story down.