Filming "MOMMIE DEAREST" - As Recalled By Rutanya [['Carol Ann') Alda - 14 Mins.

**Methuselah2** · 09-17-2013, 12:45 AM

Many thanks to Marc Huestis for this YouTube posting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaOJICFaOT4

**no_place_like_motown** · 09-17-2013, 05:19 AM

I'm a JC fan from waaaaaaay back. I remember readiing that Faye Dunaway became obsessed with the film and Joan's character and based on what Rutanya said Faye really thought she was Joan, didn't she? Carrying on like Joan on the set. Hmmmm. She was good but there was only one Joan Crawford - never to be duplicated or replicated. That was halirious! Meth, you're on a roll with these threads....

**nabob** · 09-17-2013, 07:43 AM

Mommie Dearest was one of the best camp movies to come along. Sadly Faye Dunaway's career took a nose dive after this film. My favorite quote came from the Pepsi Cola board room scene:This ain't my first time at the rodeo, boys. Don't F#*x with me. Don't forget the wire hangars!

**Methuselah2** · 09-17-2013, 07:53 AM

I, too, Nplm, am a big fan of Crawford. She was a great actress whose legacy went on an unexpected detour. But her films are still here. I love Crawford in so many--perhaps HARRIET CRAIG [[1950) is my all-time favorite. Dunaway's career took an unexpected turn following MOMMIE DEAREST which is too bad. Sadder still is that she refuses to discuss the film. There's probably an awful lot she could say. I'm glad you enjoyed what Rutanya Alda decided to. Alda was clearly enjoying herself.

**Methuselah2** · 09-17-2013, 08:02 AM

Nabob - Here's a nice little bit of fun that I hope you enjoy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP9fezKVwR8

**no_place_like_motown** · 09-17-2013, 08:47 AM

Originally Posted by Methuselah2

I, too, Nplm, am a big fan of Crawford. She was a great actress whose legacy went on an unexpected detour. But her films are still here. I love Crawford in so many--perhaps HARRIET CRAIG [[1950) is my all-time favorite. Dunaway's career took an unexpected turn following MOMMIE DEAREST which is too bad. Sadder still is that she refuses to discuss the film. There's probably an awful lot she could say. I'm glad you enjoyed what Rutanya Alda decided to. Alda was clearly enjoying herself.

I have a lot of favs too, Meth. In my top 5 is "Sudden Fear" which Crawford was brilliant in and she should have won her second Academy Award for that film.

Dunaway's career did go down the tubes after this film. Makes you wonder...not one for being superstitious but I can bet that Joan [[on the other side) was not thrilled seeing someone play her in a film that didn't portray her in the best light...and Dunaway's career never recovered after that role. Funny that Dunaway won't even discuss the film. I know it sounds like a Twilight Zone episode [[the show's theme song is playing in my head LOL) but I've heard stranger things throughout my life...

**Jerry Oz** · 09-18-2013, 06:33 PM

"Mommie Dearest" was so lopsided, I could not take it seriously. Faye Dunaway was so over the top and her character was written in such a hateful light that I felt sorry for Joan Crawford, when I was obviously being asked to despise her. I refuse to watch it again because it is more comedy than docudrama. "Wire hangers?!" should have given me chills, not chuckles. And my favorite line was the afore-mentioned "Don't f*ck with me, fellas!" Comedy at it's finest [[and I am decidedly NOT a Joan Crawford fan).

**Kamasu_Jr** · 09-18-2013, 06:38 PM

Can't stand Joan Crawford. I'll watch Whatever Happened To Baby Jane just to see her get her ass kicked by Bette Davis, who was the actress Joan really wanted to be. Joan was so phoney onscreen and off. Though she was good in Mildred Pearce and Straight Jacket, two films with similar twists. Vivica A. Foxx reminds me of Joan Crawford and Faye Dunaway. PHONEY BALOGNA! Mommie Dearest is comical, but unintentionally so. I was a kid when I saw it. We laughed out loud at the Christmas scene when Joan is complimented for having such well -behaved, angelic children. Of course they were well-behaved angels, ol' Joan beat the hell out of them.

**Jerry Oz** · 09-18-2013, 07:02 PM

Am I the only one who thinks Faye Dunaway channeled the best of Carol Burnett's Norma Desmond and Scarlett O'Hara impersonations for "Mommie Dearest"? No wonder her career tanked. I thought that I was the only one who couldn't take her seriously anymore.

**no_place_like_motown** · 09-19-2013, 05:11 AM

Originally Posted by Methuselah2

Nabob - Here's a nice little bit of fun that I hope you enjoy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP9fezKVwR8

Just had a chance to catch this, Meth. That was funny as hell! LOL

**Methuselah2** · 09-19-2013, 07:07 AM

It's a hoot alright. Glad you got to see it, Nplm.

**nosey** · 09-19-2013, 10:14 AM

Same here Meth that video was funny. Watched that movie with my kids and I saw some things in my parenting style that really made me uncomfortable and I changed: their rooms didn't have to be neat all the time and I let them put posters of rappers & such up. In other words I stopped being so anal and really strict. I didn't want my kids to dislike me and they don't and we're really close.

**Methuselah2** · 09-19-2013, 11:10 AM

Nosey - They say "Parenting is the one job that nobody's ever over-qualified for." Sounds like you did it just right. Your kids are very lucky.

**Jerry Oz** · 09-19-2013, 05:10 PM

Or in the words of Will Smith: "There you kids all across the land, take it from me: Parents just don't understand." At least, until the do. Good job, Nosey. Kids need to trust their parents and that's what your actions allowed yours' to do.

smark21 · 09-19-2013, 09:03 PM

I think Dunaway based her performance of Joan Crawford by watching Joan in some of her more outrageous roles, such as an axe murderess in Strait Jacket, a controlling housewife in Harriet Craig, a manipulative and coldly bitchy Queen Bee, and an egomaniacal, lonely diva in Torch Song. And the Pepsi Board scene is pretty much like one of Joan’s scenes facing down a powerful man such as Flamingo Road or Damned Don’t Cry.

One of the biggest shortcomings of the movie is that Joan two younger adoptive children weren’t mentioned at all and they barely show up in Christina’s book. When the book came out the younger daughters said Joan didn’t abuse them and they have stuck to this over the decades. Also Christina was rather disingenuous in the book about why she was disinherited. She pretended to have no idea, but in truth she was already working on the book while Joan was still alive and that’s what prompted Joan to change the will. I’ve no doubt Joan was abusive toward Christina and Christopher, but it’s also been verified that Christina was a spoiled girl who wanted the same stardom Joan had and deeply resented not achieving the same success Joan achieved as an actress. Christina just didn’t have her adoptive mother’s talent, drive and charisma. When the book came out, Myrna Loy denounced Christina and remember how unpleasant it was to work with Christina in the 60s in Chicago for a production of Barefoot in the Park and was of the opinion that Joan should have beaten Christina up more often. IN recent years, Christina, in attempts to get attention, has alleged that Joan murdered her last husband, Pepsi President Alfred Steele, and earlier this year Christina did an off Broadway show which was a q and a with audience members. The show bombed and received horrible reviews. Very sad that a woman over 70 still identifies herself as an abused child and is still trying to cash in on it.

**nosey** · 09-20-2013, 10:21 AM

Smark, I don't know that much about acting but does the actor play the role according to their interpretation of the character or does the actor play the character the way the director wants it?

**Jerry Oz** · 09-20-2013, 12:29 PM

I think it depends on who wears the pants in the eyes of the producer. Directors can be replaced if a big-named actor decides that he/she cannot work with him. Conversely, if a major director doesn't like what an actor is providing, he can leverage the producer to get rid of him or her. I'm sure that in the case of "Mommie Dearest", we can blame both [[or massive quantities of drugs) for her portrayal.

**Methuselah2** · 09-20-2013, 12:41 PM

Here's PAULINE KAEL's review from The New Yorker, 10-12-1981:

http://dunawaymommie.blogspot.com/20...-kael.html?m=1

**Kamasu_Jr** · 09-20-2013, 01:04 PM

I found it kind of cosmic or karmac- is that a word?- that Christina was diagnosed with cancer after that book was published, ol' Joan had pull in Heaven or Hell. Of course, she beat it, but it just showed you that you get back what you put out.

**Methuselah2** · 09-21-2013, 12:01 AM

Faye Dunaway talks--just a bit--about the film, its aftermath, & Joan Crawford:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2Mu3dLoU1Q

Thanks to Yosraz15 for the YouTube posting.

**Methuselah2** · 09-21-2013, 12:14 AM

And an interesting interview with Dunaway from 1987:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXoYEwYZyY8

Thanks again to Yosraz15 for this clip.

**no_place_like_motown** · 09-21-2013, 08:08 AM

Meth, Antenna TV is showing "Harriet Craig" as I write. You instantly came to mind!

I'm enjoying watching the film again. HC is a manipulative, controlling, conniving, lying vixen. I loved Joan in these type of roles! HC reminds me of another one of her greats, "Queen Bee." Back to the film...the commerical is over!

smark21 · 09-21-2013, 01:13 PM

Originally Posted by nosey

Smark, I don't know that much about acting but does the actor play the role according to their interpretation of the character or does the actor play the character the way the director wants it?

Nosey, it all depends. Some directors are actor directors and will invest great time in guiding their performances. Some actor directors will collaborate closely with the actor and the two of them together will shape the performance. In classic Hollywood, George Cukor and Elia Kazan would be considered good examples of this sort of director. Others will demand that the actor follow their instructions to the letter and not invest any of their own talent or creativity in performing the part. Otto Preminger certainly had that reputation with certain actors. Then there are directors who don’t pay much attention to the actor, other than as an element to deploy in the shot composition and will leave the actor to their own devices in portraying the role, so long as they hit their marks. Alfred Hitchcock and Douglas Sirk often took this approach. And of course, some directors may direct some actors one way [[give them a lot of latitude) while closely controlling the performances of others in the cast, depending on the actor.

**Methuselah2** · 09-21-2013, 01:22 PM

Originally Posted by no_place_like_motown

Meth, Antenna TV is showing "Harriet Craig" as I write. You instantly came to mind!

I'm enjoying watching the film again. HC is a manipulative, controlling, conniving, lying vixen. I loved Joan in these type of roles! HC reminds me of another one of her greats, "Queen Bee." Back to the film...the commerical is over!

Thanks Nplm. HARRIET CRAIG, QUEEN BEE, SUDDEN FEAR--I could watch 'em all day non-stop. Even without bathroom breaks--unless Miss Crawford said so.

smark21 · 09-21-2013, 01:24 PM

Late last year TCM offered a Joan Crawford in the 50s DVD set which includes Harriet Craig, Queen Bee, Autumn Leaves and Story of Esther Costello. Great set for Crawford fans.