The Making & Aftermath: “Mommie Dearest” 1981

 

Faye Dunaway in her infamous performance as Joan Crawford in "Mommie Dearest."

 

 “Only God may ever know what passed between them. And in many ways, I think the relationship was the inevitable tragedy that comes from a child of want, which is what Crawford was, and a child of plenty, which is what the little blonde girl was.”—Faye Dunaway, on Joan & Christina Crawford, Inside the Actors Studio.

Contrary to film fans, whether pro-Joan or pro-Christina, Joan Crawford was neither saint nor sinner. Joan, like many great stars, possessed even greater contradictions. To say Crawford was ambitious, disciplined, and hard-working is a massive understatement. Yet, the film icon possessed self-defeating behavior that that eroded her reputation, even before Christina’s tell-all. Since Mommie Dearest, Christina has made a cottage industry out of cashing in on trashing her mother’s name. Is it any wonder that friends, family, fellow colleagues, and fans have so many differing opinions about Joan Crawford?

"Why must everything be a competition?" Constant mother & daughter
dress-alike photo ops might have fostered that adversarial feeling.

A favorite Tennessee Williams line of mine is “the truth is at the bottom of a bottomless well.” Arguing about who's telling the truth—Joan's defenders or Christina—may be entertaining, but it is ultimately pointless. I think that Christina's tales about Joan became ever more elevated over the decades, much like Tippi Hedren's accusations against Alfred Hitchcock, and for the same reason: to fan the media flames and to keep cashing in.

One of the few behind the scenes shots on "Mommie Dearest," as Faye Dunaway's favorite catch-phrase apparently was, "Clear the set!" With director Frank Perry.

Despite selling the tell-all Mommie Dearest to Paramount for a cool half million, Christina Crawford found out quickly how little control she would have in making the movie version. For anyone who isn’t one of her fans!!!, you can blame Mommie Dearest the book on Christina, but you can’t pin the movie’s script on daughter dearest, as she had little say. Later, Christina aptly described Mommie Dearest as a Joan Crawford movie. Mommie Dearest actually plays like a latter day Crawford movie, somewhere between Queen Bee and Straitjacket!

Don't remember this scene from "Mommie Dearest?" That's because this sympathetic scene between Joan & Christina was cut, which upset star Faye Dunaway.

Some critics and Crawford fans felt that Christina concocted Mommie Dearest as a mashup from those final Joan Crawford vehicles. I think the opposite is true. Hollywood often mimicked the lives of their most flamboyant stars' lives for movie material. Especially those MGM divas: Judy, Lana, Liz, and of course, Joan. Right from the start, MGM mirrored Joan Crawford's hard luck life story as a huge part of her film persona. So why wouldn't later movies, as Joan's behavior became more melodramatic and fraught, also become film fodder? Crawford’s roles at this time correspond with aspects of Joan’s professional and personal life in the ‘50s: Clean/control freak Harriet Craig; tough as nails star of Torch Song; the domestic dominatrix Queen Bee, half-crocked cougar in Female on the Beach, and the lonely lady boss of The Best of Everything.

Famed Joan Crawford photographer George Hurrell helped Faye Dunaway recreate some publicity stills for "Mommie Dearest." Faye had a striking resemblance to '30s Crawford. But Dunaway's fine-boned features were buried under '40s Crawford makeup for much of the film. 

"Mommie Dearest" star Faye Dunaway with photographer George Hurrell.

When you read stories about the turbulent production of Mommie Dearest, it seemed the emphasis then was on prestige drama, not camp theatrics. When a movie starts with a problematic script and shortened deadlines, then other elements spin out of control, it usually spells trouble. For example, Faye Dunaway mucked around with wigs from one-time Crawford hairdresser Peggy Shannon and costumes from Irene Sharaff. The designer was a seven-time Oscar winner who came out of retirement to do this film, with immediate regrets. Irene had worked with some major divas with quirks of their own: Judy, Liz, and Barbra. Sharaff said that she had never worked with anyone as unprofessional as Faye Dunaway.

Seems Joan Crawford wasn't the only one with substance "issues." There's been much speculation about Faye Dunaway's "problem" on "Mommie Dearest," for starters.

Over the years, nearly everything I’ve read reports that Faye ran roughshod over everyone in the making of Mommie Dearest. While Crawford had her issues, Joan was smart enough to treat the people who matter, the crew, director, the behind the scenes talent, etc. with the respect that they’re entitled to! At a gathering for 1976’s The Disappearance of Aimee, Bette Davis nodded across the room at her co-star, Faye Dunaway, and told a couple of guests, “Compared to that one, Crawford was an angel.”

This art work for "Mommie Dearest" is nearly as campy as the movie!

As a film bio, Mommie Dearest is basically useless. The ’81 film fits somewhere in the middle of Hollywood's attitude toward film facts. From The Jolson Story to Harlow, movie bios then were totally fictionalized. Even the more modern era movie bios, like Gable and Lombard and W.C. Fields and Me, were more visually accurate but still historically hogwash. And during the Mommie Dearest era, TV presented a rash of clichéd, sanitized bios of icons such as Grace Kelly, Jackie Kennedy, and Rita Hayworth, to name just a few. Even modern celebrity bios, like The Aviator or Feud, take questionable liberties.

For Mommie Dearest’s era, that there were even a few scenes with some truth was surprising: the “Christmas at the Crawfords” radio show is spot on; the opening scene with Joan Crawford’s day in a life as a movie star rings true; 60-plus Joan "filling in" for 20-something Christina on The Secret Storm makes the most sense.  Also, the “tear down that bitch of a bearing wall” scene, as Joan lectures Tina on self-reliance and later berates Alfred Steele for his criticism of her spending, seems fairly factual.

Faye as Joan subbing on "The Secret Storm" for her daughter in "Mommie Dearest."

The real Joan Crawford acting up a real "Storm!"

The infamous set pieces—the wire hanger/bathroom cleanser night raid, the rose garden meltdown, and the home from Chadwick smack down—are among those open for debate. I don’t doubt that regular physical punishment wasn’t a part of Crawford’s way of life with children, but who truly knows about the more baroque incidents? But you’d never know there was a happy childhood memory ever from watching Mommie Dearest. Still, I have no trouble believing Joan Crawford as a petty tyrant who rewarded and punished regarding gifts, clothes, thank you cards, and manners, which have been commented on by those who knew Joan. For those who say that’s the way life was, I realize it was a different era. But I can’t recall any kid who had to “earn” their birthday and Christmas presents or was expected to write hundreds of thank you cards, either.

Seriously? What early teen doesn't love to do this?

Despite Dunaway's occasional self-sabotage with the Crawford hair, makeup, and clothes, she blends her own voice with Joan's grand, MGM English and taut facial expressions, and ramrod straight posture. I saw Faye Dunaway when she toured in Master Class, playing another diva, Maria Callas. Again not ideally cast, yet Faye's incredible physical grace, posture, and demeanor were astounding. Steven Spielberg, who worked with Crawford at the end of her career, said while Joan was only 5'3", onscreen she looked six feet tall. Dunaway, who is 5'7", also looked larger than life as an actress. 

Aside from great legs & cheekbones, like Joan Crawford, Faye Dunaway is a STAR.

In Dunaway's more in-depth interviews, it's obvious she has great empathy and admiration for Crawford. Faye seems quite sincere and moved by Joan's struggle, accomplishments, and problems. For contrast, when Jessica Lange was interviewed for her Feud performance as Joan, Jessica said more than once that she initially “knew absolutely nothing about Joan.” To which I call bullshit. Lange was a struggling young actress when Mommie Dearest came out, and also a classic movie fan—yet she knew nada about Crawford? Feud tried to offer empathy for Crawford's excesses, true enough. But it also played into the Mommie Dearest myth, and gave spin to some further questionable gossip.

Betty Barker.

Jessica Lange looks more like Joan Crawford's secretary,
Betty Barker, than the star herself!

At the time, Pauline Kael was one of a handful of critics who gave Faye raves, describing her performance as operatic. Ironically, when the acerbic Kael was lured out to Hollywood by Paramount for a year, she suggested a young actress named Sigourney Weaver for Joan Crawford. With her elegant voice and strong features, Weaver would have been an ideal choice. And I felt the same about Weaver playing the older Joan, decades later, in Feud, instead of Ryan Murphy's pet muse, Jessica Lange.

 

Faye's caricature as Joan syncs up well with Crawford's later looks.

Faye's tendency for caricature plays in her favor for Joan's middle and later years as the Pepsi Queen. She's got Joan's ‘60s look down perfectly when she visits Tina as a struggling actress. Dunaway is no dead ringer for Joan Crawford, but she does have Joan's great cheek bones and legs. Faye finesses Joan far better than Jessica Lange’s blowsy sad sack that was allegedly Joan Crawford in Feud. 

Joan Crawford, '60s style.

Faye got Joan's later look down pat...

Faye has aptly commented that she always relied on a strong director and Frank Perry wasn't the man for the job. Dunaway's reputation on sets could be quite fraught, but remember that she worked with great actors’ directors like Sidney Lumet in Network and Sydney Pollack in Three Days of the Condor, with no fuss. Mommie Dearest started with serious intentions, but when it went off the rails, in true Hollywood style, the power players involved blamed each other. The film result was a greatest hits version of Crawford's alleged misdeeds as a mother. As for Faye, she took the brunt, as the star often does... remember Elizabeth Taylor's drubbing as Cleopatra? 

The closest Rutanya Alda got to a requested photo with Faye Dunaway. Alda is long-suffering Carol Ann, a composite of several Crawford staff, in "Mommie Dearest."

The acting in Mommie Dearest is as uneven as everything else in this film: Rutanya Alda does her best as long-suffering Carol Ann, and she has written about her frazzling work experience with Faye, who wasn't exactly a team player. Mara Hobel as little Christina is a worthy acting adversary for Dunaway. Yet, Diana Scarwid as adult Christina sounds so whiny and twangy, that you wonder how far Joan travelled to adopt her—and why she even brought her back! Jocelyn Brando has a nifty cameo as "Barbara Bennett from Redbook!" She and the scene are very sly as the puff piece writer who gets plenty of bonus material from Joan at home.

Mara Hobel as cool customer Christina.

Diana Scarwid as whiny adult Christina.

Otherwise, the movie’s short-hand for Hollywood types turns into caricatures: Howard de Silva as Metro’s L.B. Mayer looks and acts like Ed Wynn; Steve Forrest looks great, but is a cardboard cutout as "Uncle Greg," a bore compared to the real-life rascal Greg Bautzer.

"Uncle" Greg! Steven Forrest as fictionalized version of Greg Bautzer, showbiz lawyer.
Forrest was also the brother of Dana Andrews, Joan's "Daisy Kenyon" co-star.

What's to be taken from Mommie Dearest 40 years later? Not the totally true story of Joan and Christina Crawford, that’s for sure.

Those who were close to Joan and claim that Crawford was never out of control include Betty Barker, the younger daughters, and some of her most loyal friends. That absolute denial raises red flags to me. There’s a long string of names I could list, of respectable and reliable show biz folk who have seen Joan in action, in regards to bad behavior. But there are just as many who can recall actions from Crawford that demonstrated her deep and genuine need to be liked and loved.

The last word? Hardly. Books, movies, and fans will argue about Joan VS Christina
like they do about Marilyn Monroes's death, until end the end of time.

Many books have been written about Crawford, but they are just clip-and-paste jobs, with some “new” gossip to goose sales. There has yet to be an authoritative, comprehensive, and balanced Joan Crawford biography. This is a shame, since so many of her friends and colleagues have passed on. In her day, Joan certainly issued the “official” Crawford story for five decades. And Christina has certainly had her say for the last five! Though the sympathy sword has cut both ways, from Christina’s back to Joan’s side, now it’s time for the whole truth—somewhere in the middle, most likely.

Faye Dunaway once described Joan as “the great American movie star.”  I will go even further. In her time, Joan Crawford was the great American success story, played out on movie screens and in print, for 50 years. Hers is a story worth telling, in its entirety.

When will there be the great Joan Crawford biography or documentary?

I have empathy for Joan Crawford and Faye Dunaway, who both had difficulty later in their lives and careers.  Less acting offers and more gossip were ills that plagued them both. Though Joan’s reputation was torpedoed by both the book and film Mommie Dearest, interest in Joan Crawford films never waned. Faye Dunaway’s stature was seriously damaged by portraying Mommie Dearest, and with her continual career kerfuffle, her current star power seems low-wattage. Someday, perhaps Faye will be judged like Joan, just for her best film work.

Whether you loved or hated Faye Dunaway as Joan Crawford, nobody can say
she just skated by on star quality as "Mommie Dearest."

My take on Joan’s journey to play Mildred Pierce: https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2020/03/how-joan-crawford-became-mildred-pierce.html

My comparison of the 1962 memoirs of Joan Crawford & Bette Davis: https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2017/02/bette-davis-and-joan-crawfords-1962.html

My take on the great teaming of Joan Crawford & Bette Davis, in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?: https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2016/10/bette-and-joans-acting-duel-whatever.html

I’ve written posts about Joan Crawford 17 times & counting!  Check out my blog: https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/

 

FYI: I put all the movie overflow on my public FB  movie page. 

Check it out & join!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/178488909366865/

 

Even Christina's book has more happier moments with Joan Crawford than the movie
"Mommie Dearest!"

 

'Torch Song' 1953

'Torch Song' is when Joan Crawford crossed the line from mature to caricature.

FYI: I put all the movie overflow on my public FB  movie page. 

Check it out & join!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/178488909366865/

Before there was Cher or Madonna, Joan Crawford was the original Queen of Reinvention. By 1953, Crawford had survived “silents” turning into “talkies,” getting labeled box office poison in ‘37, leaving MGM in ’43 after nearly two decades, and now, ending her contract with WB in ‘52. And that was just her professional life! Crawford’s first film as a freelancer was Sudden Fear, which became a sleeper hit, and nabbed her third Oscar nomination.

Joan poses for a glamour shot.

Next up was Torch Song, the closest Joan Crawford ever got to make like Margo Channing in All About Eve. Joan played Jenny Stewart, the Broadway musical legend who walks all over anybody within range of her ankle strap heels.

Whether you believe Joan was born in 1903 or her official birth date in ‘08, at 45 or 50—or anywhere in between—she was still in great shape. A forerunner to the buff stars of today, Crawford was trim, taut, and her legs looked like they could crack coconuts.

MGM’s promotion heralded yet another “new Joan Crawford!” However, like many great film stars, Joan Crawford was a study of fascinating contradictions. Though famous for reinventing herself, Crawford had fallen into the star trap, stuck in past styles and personas, all in an effort to remain “ageless.” Shoulder pads, ankle strap shoes, magic marker eyebrows, and grand acting in overwrought vehicles got Crawford gradually labeled passé. Joan occasionally toned down her style or tried something new, but Crawford’s comfort zone toward overstatement would eventually overrule. Like many studio system stars, few had genuine good taste, and Crawford came off best when she heeded her stylists’ or designers’ advice.

Joan agreed to candid shots by Sanford Roth on the set.

MGM’s publicity machine and the press got all mushy about Joan’s return “home.” Joan, at least publicly, did the same. However, MGM in 1953 was very different from the magnificent Metro studio Crawford had left a decade before. Studio head “Papa” Louis B. Mayer was gone. Few of Crawford’s contemporaries were still there, and many of the next generation stars, who came after Joan, were now slowly on their way out.

Joan’s return engagement, Torch Song, was in reality, a B+ picture. Musical dramas were all the rage in the first half of the ‘50s. With a Song in My Heart and three that were made at MGM: Interrupted Melody, Love Me or Leave Me, and I’ll Cry Tomorrow. They all had bigger budgets, better stories, and the best box office returns, whereas Torch Song was filmed in a mere 24 days. Bette Davis had recently played a theatrical star in All About Eve, for Crawford’s old MGM producer Joseph Mankiewicz, in just over three weeks, too. The difference? Bette was part of an ensemble in Eve, whereas Joan was the whole show in Torch Song.

When Joan Crawford was young and eager to learn, her best work was often in ensemble pieces with actors and directors she admired—Grand Hotel, Dancing Lady, The Shining Hour, The Women, and A Woman’s Face. After her Mildred Pierce comeback at Warner’s, Crawford went from Humoresque, Daisy Kenyon, and Possessed to movies that veered into vanity vehicles.

From Joan Crawford to 'Eternity': 'Autumn Leaves' in '56.

Sadly, Joan turned down a chance to star in From Here to Eternity during this time, in the part Deborah Kerr ultimately played. Rumor has it Joan rejected Eternity over wardrobe issues. Though Joan was at least a dozen years older than Kerr, she was fairly close to Burt Lancaster’s age. Crawford might have made a touching Karin Holmes, tough on the outside, vulnerable deep down—right up her acting alley. Though Fred Zinneman started at MGM, he was a modern filmmaker, and not the man to cajole Crawford into dropping her act, and get her to genuinely act. Still, Joan did get a chance to roll around the surf with a leading man a few years later, a young Cliff Robertson, in Autumn Leaves. What a pity that Joan’s tunnel vision caused her to reject a juicy role from the year’s biggest best-seller.

Joan gets gorgeous for 'Torch Song.' My advice for Crawford would have been ditch that carrot-colored wig, at right.

Though Joan put on her best game face for Torch Song, I don’t think that Crawford had cosmetic surgery on her face and bosom for this minor film, as rumored. I think Joan just pulled back the skin tapes, slapped that orange wig over them, put a pair of her fabled falsies in a bullet bra, and soldiered on. What resulted was typical of Joan Crawford’s latter day work: fans and friendly press marveled over her ageless glamour, great figure, and larger than life persona; non-fans and more discerning showbiz writers wondered how much longer Crawford’s cinematic self-belief could carry her.

A portrait of Joan...and Michael Wilding.

Torch Song’s story is as slim as the star’s sleek figure: Broadway legend Jenny Stewart is in the throes of mounting a new show; her way of working is to throw tantrums and insist everything be done her way. The diva wears everyone down as she changes choreography, dialogue, costumes, and co-workers… enter blind pianist Tye Graham, who refuses to kowtow to Crawford’s go-for-the-jugular Jenny.

Critics of Christina Crawford’s Mommie Dearest claim that Joan’s adopted daughter recycled aspects of Crawford’s latter day bitch roles for her tell-all tome. I think the exact opposite is true. Hollywood studios were notorious for blurring their stars’ personal lives and onscreen roles. Especially MGM divas like Joan, Judy, Lana, and Liz, who often played roles—usually in late career—that echoed their own lives.

Christina Crawford gives her mother a foot massage in this 'candid' shot, after one of Joan's dance numbers in 'Torch Song.'

Joan Crawford’s on-screen "star" is so tough and autocratic, and obviously based on the latter day JC herself. I find it fascinating Crawford agreed to come back to her home studio, after a decade away, for this unflattering portrait of Joan. For such a formula Joan Crawford picture, there's so much subtext going on that the surface story is superfluous. 

Joan Crawford with loyal fans. In 'Torch Song,' they are played by teens!

Torch Song is a prime example of the superstar as self-parody. Joan used her personal life to publicize her career, and specifically, to bolster this film: Crawford’s tough climb to the top, perfectionist ways, tantrum throwing temper, boyfriends as accessories, freeloading family, fawning fan love, and overall lonely way of life. There’s a telling scene toward the end of Torch Song: The pissed off pianist predicts that if Jenny doesn’t change her witchy ways, she’ll end up alone, a boozy self-parody of her former superstar self.

Chuck Walters, a reliable MGM studio hand, was chosen to guide Crawford through her turn as a Broadway singing and dancing diva. In Crawford’s memoir Portrait of Joan, she commented on the challenge of “all the singing and dancing” in Torch Song, after all those years. Joan started out as a Charleston queen, sang and danced a little in a few of her 1930s films, and was humored by Mayer in an attempt at a singing career—but the fact is Crawford hadn’t done either since the late ‘30s. While Crawford was graceful and had great energy in her youth, Joan wasn’t a professional dancer. And though the songs warbled by Joan during her Metro years were serviceable, after hearing her rejected vocals for Torch Song, I suspect she got a lot of help from the recording studio gurus. On one YouTube clip, with Crawford’s raw vocals dubbed back in, Joan begins pleasantly, but is unable to sustain singing more than a line or two. By the end of the series of takes, Crawford’s confidence is as wobbly as her vocals.

Crawford in Technicolor for the first time... not quite.

India Adams was brought in. The singer had already dubbed the track Two Faced Woman for Cyd Charisse in The Band Wagon, never used, and it was recycled in Torch Song. So, Adams dubbed the remainder of Crawford’s musical cuts. Unfortunately, though throaty Adams’ voice was as dramatic as Crawford’s studied “MGM English,” their voices don’t even sound remotely alike. The disembodied vocals boom out of Joan’s mouth to comic effect, much like silent star Lina Lamont in Singin’ in the Rain.

Marjorie Rambeau manages to steal the three scenes she's in 'Torch Song!'

Torch Song gave Joan a great supporting cast: Michael Wilding as Tye Graham, the blind pianist and Joan’s sparring partner; Harry Morgan as the seen-it-all producer; Marjorie Rambeau as Joan’s working-class mother; Gig Young as her boozy boy toy; and Maidie Norman as Crawford’s gal Friday (who later played Joan’s housekeeper Elvira in Baby Jane). Aside from Wilding’s philosophizing pianist, the rest of the characters just disappear, after a scene or two with Joan. Wilding, though his faraway gaze and lofty sentiments reminded me of mystical Tyrone Power in The Razor’s Edge, he’s soothing in contrast to Crawford’s relentless carping. However, Marjorie Rambeau is the real scene stealer here. With only three scenes, Rambeau somehow snagged a best supporting actress Oscar nomination. Majorie has some great moments as Joan’s lower class mama, as when she laments the lack of hops in beer and salt on pretzels! Nancy Gates, as Joan’s “kid sister,” is right up there with Mimi Rogers as Barbra Streisand’s baby sis in The Mirror Has Had Two Face Lifts. Gates was 27 at the time, as the younger sibling in need of cash from her big sister, for piano lessons—with Joan at least 45 here.

Joan is a 'Torch-Faced Woman' in this infamous number.

Surprisingly, there’s only one full musical number in Torch Song, and it’s become infamous. “Two-Faced Woman” showcases Joan as she swans around a sea of singers and dancers, not doing much real dancing, and lip-synching to Adams’ near-operatic vocals. Decked out in a mink stole and aqua blue spangles and fluff, Joan tops the tacky look off with a black face and wig. In That’s Entertainment 3, Debbie Reynolds’ narration discreetly describes Crawford’s makeup as “tropical.” In Joan’s memoirs, Crawford called the makeup “high yellow.” Movie fans have called it high camp. 

Lena Horne in her 'Light Egyptian' makeup as a MGM star.

Some film folk claim it’s the same makeup created for fellow Metro star Lena Horne. Horne never appeared in such a dark hue on film, whereas Joan looked like she fell asleep while eating a bag of Hershey bars. If the number was deleted, as some say it should be, there would be NO song and dance numbers in this musical, save for Joan’s sashaying in the film’s opening, and one song sung by Joan while leaning against a wall. Just as insulting as the blackface are the many digs Joan’s Jenny takes toward the pianist’s blindness, as if it’s a character defect. The low point comes when Jenny glares at his dog and snarks that Tye needs a nice seeing-eye girl.

When Tye Stewart heatedly argues over Jenny’s single-minded drive for stardom, he refers to her youthful self as a Gypsy Madonna. Later, that phrase comes up in a heart to heart with Mom, and she digs up Joan/Jenny’s first scrapbook of clips. Lo and behold, before Tye went off to war and lost his eyesight in battle, he saw Jenny when she was first making it big in showbiz, and wrote a love letter of a review. Yes, that’s World War Two we’re talking about! Time is subjective in a Joan Crawford movie.

Well, not until Bette Davis treated Joan like a soccer ball in 'Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?'

Crawford’s Jenny Stewart is an unrelenting shrew to just about everyone in her orbit. Yet in the final scene, when the pianist finally naps, Crawford condescendingly asks if this is finally a crack in his façade. The implication is that her prior behavior was just an act, to break through his aloofness. This makes zero sense, since it’s been established that Jenny Stewart is a bitch on wheels from the film’s first frame. Hey, this is Joan’s revisionist world, and we’re just watching. This and all the other twisted inconsistencies add up to make Torch Song the biggest camp fest this side of a Boy Scouts Jamboree.

It's lonely at the top...especially when you wear canary yellow adult "One-sies" while lounging in the bedroom!

Crawford certainly enjoyed playing this type of role, which she repeated in Queen Bee and The Best of Everything. Nearly 15 years later, when Valley of the Dolls, another show biz soap opera, was casting, Joan reportedly expressed interest in playing another battleaxe, Helen Lawson. I’m sure Joan would have been great and not the least bit deterred that the young dolls were all 20-something, because Joan would have insisted on establishing that Helen was only 47, like Straitjacket!

Carol Burnett and Harvey Korman in her spoof,  'Torchy Song.' 

Carol Burnett parodied this Crawford vehicle, hers dubbed Torchy Song. Joan previously had called Carol and praised her other take-off on Crawford, re-titled Mildred Fierce. This time, Joan was hurt by what she considered a mean-spirited spin on Torch Song. Today’s satire of pop culture is pretty merciless compared to the ‘70s, but even in its time, The Carol Burnett Show and its send ups were good natured. Burnett, a one-time usherette, was a huge movie fan, and often invited old time Hollywood stars on her show, like Lana Turner, Rita Hayworth, and even Gloria Swanson, who Carol often spoofed in the silent star’s Sunset Boulevard role. I’m surprised that Crawford never guest-starred on Carol’s show, as she appeared on many variety shows, including The Tim Conway Show. As for Joan’s hurt feelings, I think it was a case of Crawford’s moods being like a weather vane, much like that notorious two-faced woman!

Here's my take on the anti-Mildred Pierce, the notorious Mommie Dearest starring Faye Dunaway: https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2021/09/the-making-aftermath-mommie-dearest-1981.html

Torch Song is a train wreck of a film, but it is great fun for Joan Crawford fans, to watch the determined diva give her considerable all. Mainstream movie fans may want to stick with Mildred Pierce!

"Superstar!"