

With Love, Mommie Dearest
The Making of an Unintentional Camp Classic
Author: A. Ashley Hoff, Bruce Vilanch
Narrator: Kim Niemi
Unabridged: 10 hr 28 min
Format: Digital Audiobook Download
Publisher: Tantor Media
Published: 05/07/2024
Categories: Nonfiction, Performing Arts, Film, Art
Synopsis
Christina Crawford's book was an immediate bestseller, addressing the infrequently discussed topic of child abuse.
When Paramount Pictures released the film, starring Faye Dunaway as Crawford, it was critically panned, and remains one of the most legendary critical bombs in film history. The lavish, big-screen adaptation drew unexpected laughter in the scenes depicting life in the Crawford household. Rarely have such good intentions been met with such ridicule.
Despite this, the movie was a commercial success and remains, four decades later, immensely popular. With Love, Mommie Dearest details the writing and selling of Christina's book and the aftermath of its publication, as well as the filming of the motion picture, whose backstage drama almost surpassed what was viewed onscreen in the film.
Based on new interviews with people connected to the book and the film, Hollywood historian A. Ashley Hoff explores the phenomenon, the camp, and the very real social issues addressed by the book and film.