I never did see that movie until a number of years ago on DVD. She was scary as hell! Her poor kids. ‘Mommy Dearest’ indeed! :(
She often is listed on publicated worst personalities to work for/with. Very difficult. But she’s not the only one.
But people in the know say it was terrible character assassination of Joan based on a book by someone with an axe to grind. Robert Osborne of TCM was particularly critical of it based on his personal knowledge of Crawford. I don’t know enough to know, but I do know I don’t trust Hollywood.
Dunaway actually hated playing Joan Crawford. She feared of being typecasted. But she totally nailed it. That movies gave me the creeps growing up in the 80s.
Mommy Dearests are not entirely unknown. Many drama queens have children. I know from personal experience.
But the lovely Dunaway losing her marbles is sad and tragic. She really ought to live in a “home” with 24-hour adult supervision.
I did, before the movie was made and it's even scarier; but also supposedly contains lots of lies.
I inscribe monuments for a living. A while back a daughter ordered “Mommy Dearest” as har mothers epitaph. Creeped me out cutting it for some reason.