This interview is great, Scott Michaels mentions it in his profile for Joan Crawford over on findadeath.com. It's so weird hearing her talk about things that I've known for years from the movie and realizing how... real they are.

Faye deserves an Oscar for Mommie Dearest? Well, she certainly stood out...I know she felt that movie ruined her career but she was lucky to have a career as long as she did.

I watched all 4 parts... fascianting interview. Nobody on daytime today can interview like Phil. He takes virtually anything and makes it interesting. Of course, with THIS episode it was easy. Christina did seem a bit distant, but that doesn't surprise me. SFK, I didn't know that Faye felt Mommie Dearest ruined her career... how so? This book was "Warts and all", and although she wrote about many horrors, people who criticize the book completely overlook the good things she said. I think Christina was trying to show the complexityof her mother. And of course... there IS the revenge aspect. which I LOVE. the concept of her being left out of the will, then writing a book and the movie to trash her mother's legacy, all the while cashing in, is just too delicious for words.

I'm obsessed with that Donahue theme music...

Some people have a hard time separating “the star” from the real person. I think Joan Crawford was a very captivating performer and had tons of on-screen charisma. She certainly had an interesting life, but I don’t really put her private life in mind when watching her films.

I didn't know that Faye felt Mommie Dearest ruined her career... how so?

Maybe because it was intended as a serious drama piece, but the final product turned out as an over-the-top camp fest?

I think the problem with a lot of the old movie stars, at least the women, is they seemed to blend their personalities together on and off the screen, or they based their lives on their movie images. I feel like Bette Davis and Crawford both did this.

These days, most film actors have no personality onscreen, and seem to have little personality offscreen, unless they're doing something insane (like Mel Gibson).

I didn't know that Faye felt Mommie Dearest ruined her career... how so?

I think she said it typecast her. I'm not sure now.

Edited January 11, 201213 yr by CarlD2

Maybe because it was intended as a serious drama piece, but the final product turned out as an over-the-top camp fest?

Yeah, that was basically it. The film instantly became a camp classic and I don't think Faye was willing to embrace that as she took her work seriously. I'm sure she didn't like the feeling that the joke was on her. Interestingly, when asked about the best and brightest of the new generation of actresses, Joan singled out Faye. Curiously, when Johnny Carson asked Bette Davis about the most difficult actors to work with, Bette singled out... you guessed it: Faye. As for typecasting, I think that factored in as well, though her "bad girl/bitch" image could go back to Bonnie and Clyde and maybe even Network. She certainly strengthened the campy bitch mold with Supergirl.

I think this pair of audio clips is a pretty fascinating compare and contrast:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cp57-hMU-n0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNDsLhz3cGg

Damn... SFK, you notice that she called this man at 6:15 AM?

LOL, yes! Up and at 'em, just like:

I watched all 4 parts... fascianting interview. Nobody on daytime today can interview like Phil. He takes virtually anything and makes it interesting. Of course, with THIS episode it was easy. Christina did seem a bit distant, but that doesn't surprise me. SFK, I didn't know that Faye felt Mommie Dearest ruined her career... how so? This book was "Warts and all", and although she wrote about many horrors, people who criticize the book completely overlook the good things she said. I think Christina was trying to show the complexityof her mother. And of course... there IS the revenge aspect. which I LOVE. the concept of her being left out of the will, then writing a book and the movie to trash her mother's legacy, all the while cashing in, is just too delicious for words.

Faye was considered something of a joke after Mommie Dearest. I disagree with Carl, I think she is capable of being an outstanding actress, but she really should have never got tied into what should have been a tv movie.

I dunno, I find many of the recent "revelations" about Mommie Dearest being largely made up very compelling, and I'm usually one who is prone to belief the victirm in any situation. There's just too much to back it up.

I think the problem with a lot of the old movie stars, at least the women, is they seemed to blend their personalities together on and off the screen, or they based their lives on their movie images. I feel like Bette Davis and Crawford both did this.

This was also a symptom of the Studio System and how controlled their images were, what kinds of films they were allowed to do, etc.

Sean Young has always reminded me of JC and I can really see it in that montage.

Faye Dunaway hates to talk about "Mommie Dearest" and for good reason. It is one film. She has made many classic films (Chinatown, Network, Bonnie & Clyde) that are considered to be some of the greatest American films of all time but for so many she is remembered as an over the top Joan Crawford with eyebrows so sharp that they could've cut butter. I think Faye thought while filming she was giving a great dramatic performance. She certainly was giving it her all but when she saw the final result wished her director had reined her in.

Her career post "Mommie Dearest" has been abysmal. I believe she just got booted out of her rent subsidized NYC apartment and her recent films have been totally unremarkable. While "Mommie Dearest" may have something to do with this, her diva behavior and antics on various sets probably hurt her career more than anything. On "Chinatown" she supposedly threw a cup of her own urine at Polanski.

I was just listening to that Secret Storm audio again, and while I believe Joan may have had a few swigs of vodka right before they started shooting, she definitely doesn't sound drunk. While I more or less believe Christina, I think she likes to embellish a lot.

To see Joan Crawford actually drunk, you can watch this:

"Ya gotta check for $5000... from the Man-HAT-tan."

"Oh, you were told about her?! ... Christina Crawford, my daw-tah."

Edited January 15, 201213 yr by Pine Charles