Totally agree. Diana Scarwid is a really terrible actor - especially in this film. Shockingly bad. Some critics have thought she was deliberately cast to make the audience not empathise with Christina who was seen as an opportunist for attacking her mother in the book. Could be true. This little girl runs rings around her, she is fantastic.
Joan DID cut off Christina's hair when Christina commented on how beautiful it was. She also cut up Christina's favorite dress and made her wear it for a week, instructing her to tell people if they asked why she was wearing a shredded dress "I don't like pretty things." Joan Crawford was nuts.
@@addisonridermusic The hair cutting incident was talked about in an article in a woman's magazine about Joan Crawford. I remember it said that Christian was not particularly pretty, except for her long blonde hair. One day she said to Joan "Mommie, don't you think I have beautiful hair?" and Joan told her "I will not have a daughter who is vain" and so she got a pair of shears and lopped off her daughter's hair. The dress shredding incident is described in detail in Christina's memoir "Mommie Dearest."
When you're an adult, you have the ability to make a choice. A child is not necessarily doomed for failure for life because a child is not a child for life. A child is a child for a short time. When you're an adult, you're not a child anymore. And your bad behavior and issues are inexcusable. I was abused as a child as well. That doesn't mean that I have to be miserable and depressed or hurt others... It's all a choice. I am no longer a child anymore. I got over my hurt and didn't choose to play the pity party victim role for the rest of my life. All people have problems, not just me... Life goes on.
@@Face_Reality _A person forcing themselves to be tough and excuse their pain; like you're doing, doesn't really make things any better! Pain should be exercised and acknowledged while still moving foward in life...._
It remembered me about my eight years old friend.. one day her mother cut all her beautiful, red and very long hair because my friend asked to her mother if she looked pretty with long hair. Her mother said that she had to think about being intelligent and not pretty so she cut all the hair off and made a video in which my friend was desperately crying and showed it to the others moms like it was normal. When that day I saw my friend with all her hair gone I asked her how she felt and she looked me in the eyes with a very sad face but a very strong voice and she said ” I’m ok, it will be easier take care of my hair now”. I will remember that day forever. Nobody deserve these. Especially a kid..
Wow. I'm surprised the other mom's didn't get upset. Well hopefully someone did. I know some people may not understand but I'm a boy and wanted my hair long. My parents made me cut it off when I was about 6. I can't explain the trauma really. I felt betrayed and degraded. I was angry at my parents and the lady cutting my hair. Furious actually. They say one of the first things the Colonials did to the Native American men to break them was to cut off their long hair. I wouldn't say my experience was as terrible as this scene, but parents really should consider the feelings of the child in these situations.
@@RodneyDodson Hey I'm a guy too and here's my story. When I was little in the 90s there was a trend where boys would trim both of their sideways a lot shorter than the hair on top so it can be styled whatever you want. It looked so cool and I really wanted to try that hairstyle at least once in my pathetic childhood but every time when we went to get a haircut, she would wink at the barber after I told him exactly how I wanted it to be done. Of course he knew what it meant and listened to her. He would cut my hair really short like she wanted. I was disappointed every single time. Even now from time to time when I look back, I would get really mad at my mother.
According to biographer Bob Thomas, an incident similar to this did happen. People used to compliment Christina on her hair, and one day, she asked Joan, "Mommie Dearest, don't you think I have beautiful hair?" "I won't have a daughter who is vain," Joan replied, and sheared Christina's hair with a pair of scissors. An actress who spent hours and money on her face, body and clothes cuts off her young daughter's hair because she's afraid the child might have some vanity? Talk about issues!
Muirmaiden she couldn’t have someone looking better than her joan had narc tendencies which her kids had to look ugly but only how joan wanted them too to look...
This never actually happened. What really happened was Joan Cut up Christina's favorite dress and made her wear it to school for a week. And it was over something with wallpaper
This was because Joan was a malignant narcissist. She couldn’t have her own daughter looking better than her, and receiving more attention. Joan definitely showed every sign of NPD.
Greg Guralnik she peeled some wallpaper off the wall, and Joan shredded her favorite dress and made her wear it for a week straight to teach er a lesson. And if anyone asked her about the dress, she was to say, I don't like pretty things.
@Ellen Garrido lol I know this. I was pointing out to comment below mine saying “it’s fake” and I’m stating it’s obviously a movie. I know this movie is based of Joan lol but thanks I guess??
Bipolar disorder is able to be hidden to some degree, and if the mom is one of those calculating monsters who waits till no one is around to witness the incident. Who will believe a small child or teen.
The hardest part for me was Christina desperately begging "Mommie, please!" It just broke my heart. People like Joan Crawford should not be allowed anywhere near children, let alone have legal guardianship of them.
It's pretty upsetting for an abusive parent to cut chunks of their girl's long hair. But it's not Ok to cut a little girl's hair extremely short, cause it's a form of child abuse.
PatriciaBee as is child abuse altogether. Great acting from these two to disturb us. So much so I’m trying to find behind the scenes looks and bloopers to help remind me they’re acting in this movie 😂 don’t know if it’s based on a true story but yikes if it is
Have you seen the whole movie? If you haven't seen it. You should watch it. I remember seeing this movie when I was a kid. For some reason this have been on my mind lately.
This woman should not be a mother. I'm upset that no one took this daughter's testimony seriously. Or rather, the director was the only one who did, by making a movie on the her book. I guess that's the illusion of the limelight. Once someone's in it, the public wants to keep that perfect illusion for eternity.
Don't take this as fact Christina is known to be a complete bullshitter with the story changing multiple times...if she was so upset being 'Christine Crawford' then how come she kept the name Crawford? $$$
That's probably why she couldn't produce kids of her own. Imagine Joan kids were biological from her, one to all four probably would of end up like her but worse. And imagine one to all four would of turned on her worse than what Christina did. And Joan used her kids for publicity.
As Joan is having a fit/tantrum and cutting her daughter’s hair she’s looking directly into the mirror at herself. But she’s taking her pain out on her daughter the one who is mirroring her mother’s behavior. This is symbolic for how narcissistic parents view their kids as extensions of themselves. And while the abuse is occurring the meltdown is really with Joan dealing with her own personal issues. I love how they shot this whole thing in the mirror, this movie was beautifully done
I definitely think this scene is proof that Faye was going for a more nuanced portrayal than she's generally given credit for. Her sudden revulsion at what she's done aseems to allude to how abuse is very often a cycle that can't easily be broken
My mom always chopped off my hair when i was a kid. She said coz its easier to take care of it. But it’s embarrassing for a little girl to have boy cut hair. I always cried when she did that. My hair never grew longer than shoulder length as a child. My dad prefer me to have longer hair, but when he saw me with shorter hair, he refuse to speak to me. A lot of things happened back then. Truthfully speaking, i hate my childhood i had wished i was dead.
Your life is worth living, don't allow heartless monsters convince you otherwise. My bio dad sexually abused me as a child and now I live a happy life, I refuse to allow that monster to take away my happiness. He's miserable and will die that way, ALONE.
You're strong because you survived that mistreatment. You're a much better person than your parents, and the world needs more of you and less of them. So stay strong and be happy and proud that you're a good person who knows right from wrong.
Narcissistic people tend to project their own shortcomings onto those around them... so when she says “why are you always looking at yourself, trying to get people to look at you”, I see it as her really asking herself that. But she as a narcissist doesn’t have the capacity to take responsibility for her flaws, so she projects them onto her child.
No, she is seeing competition in her daughter. She can't stand the fact that there is another beautiful girl, so young and pretty, with a talent. It's envy and nothing less or more.
Listen Twerp: Another thing narcissists like is to talk about narcissism. So. Think on that. And. Let's burn some... tree? Before I gotta go. WHere do I go? Doris reva:
The acting is so good that my heart broke for the little girl. She was just playing. I used to play with my Mama's jewelry and makeup but she didn't cut off my hair. I just want to give that little girl a big hug and show her the kind of love she should be getting.
the setting lotion got stuck in her hair. it couldnt be brushed. it should have been washed out not chopped off! however in the next scene Christina's hair grew back already??
Ok that was going too far she was just playing. Every little girl goes in her mom makeup I did . My mom never CHOPPED OFF MY HAIR . THAT LADY NEEDED JESUS
+Brian Andrew Well there are a lot of stupid people in this world so I'd say that's the most likely reason. What those stupid people don't realize is that this stuff actually happened and the abuse shown in the film was an unfortunate reality for the actual children. It's intended to be uncomfortable and frightening, and is, which is why it's a brilliant film.
kaneinight Or maybe it's because Faye Dunaway is overacting so much the only way to enjoy it is to find it funny. Also the abuse is exaggerated beyond anything that did ever happen. Think before you call people "stupid".
DV16 I ave watched clips and never found one scene to be funny.... I found it to be traumatically haunting. The abuse and psychosis of this vile woman made me truly empathetic for that poor child.
The fact that people think this behavior is “exaggerated” or “over the top” have clearly never experienced this kind of abuse. I’ve firsthand witnessed this type of abuse and let me tell you, it changes you forever and it may be so incomprehensible to some-but it is very real. I don’t know if Christina was truly abused or not but to say this is funny because it’s “over the top” is beyond ignorant. This actually happens to people.
I lived with a stepmother who acted like this and while she didn’t hack off my hair during one of her tantrums, she did deliberately break my hairbrush because I brushed my hair after she told me not to, dragged me upstairs and beat the $hit out of me after provoking me all evening while I was trying to study, and even threw my sister’s music stand at her head. Fortunately, she missed when she threw the music stand. Also fortunately, she and my dad divorced after he had custody of us for a year. But it’s mostly because of her that I can easily believe that Christina went through worse.
This level of pain was my childhood with my mother. I didn't know what narcissism was till 25. I always blamed myself and tried to change myself. People don't know how bad it gets till they go through it or watch this. Words aren't enough to describe it. If I say I was abused it's hard to imagine, but a scene like this conveys it. I love my mom, but she was cruel and out of control. I was the scapegoat, but I no longer talk to her. The problem isn't just her, but now the family system that upholds the fake persona that every mom is loving and must love their child. Even now, my family, especially her siblings (my aunts and uncles) protect her. May we understand that most issues come from not being loved well. Almost 40 and still wish I had a mother in my life; sense of close family.
At 1:09 that noise she makes as she throws that brush is hysterical. Very few actresses could even come close to the sort of epic performance Faye Dunaway gives in this film. Almost all of the actresses who are really popular now like Jennifer Aniston or Scarlett Johansson could maybe do 10% of what Dunaway does in this film.
While Faye Dunaway is a good actress, I can’t help but feel that most of this film comes off as camp. Which is unfortunate as it is documenting the real psychological and physical abuse that a real person claims to have gone through
@@billydeeuk I think the screenplay didn't allow for more of a dimensional character. I think Faye nailed it, but at the time back in 81, the critics were hating on it until Faye actually ended up criticizing it too.
@@billydeeuk I have seen many comments from people who suffered child abuse and they all agree that the film is an accurate portrait, despite how fanciful it may seem to the rest.
@@Ratchet2431 I didn’t say it was fanciful. I said it was camp. Dunaway is chewing the scenery in every scene she is in - she comes across as a gross caricature, rather than a real person. “No wire hangers EVER!” has become a joke, rather than (by Christina’s own account), one of the scariest and most violent examples of abuse she received at the hands of Joan
@@billydeeuk What are you talking about? Christina has said Joan never beat her with a wire hanger. It was made up for the film. If anything is unintentionally funny in the movie, it's that Joan has this perfectly upper class accent but still behaves like white trash. it's an incongruous image to some.
Mara Hobel was amazing as young Christina. Such a talented actress. It always fascinates me how child actors can act and remember their lines at the same time. 😊
I give Faye SOOO much credit to playing this role. I could never do this, even if it is show business, I would start crying so much. This movie is TOO real 😭😖
@@mariapereira3221 Oh, right, Joan just HAPPENED to have TWO terrible children who deserved to be left out of her will. Don't make me laugh. We know that Joan was the monster who ruined their lives.
This is 100% what BPD looks like in a parent. They'll start to cry and break down as they're abusing you. It's absolutely horrifying as a child to experience.
No it is not... I have BPD and I would never abuse my son... Abuse is a choice mental illness is not. Educate yourself before you spread falsehoods and stigma like thar
@@chopsuey63163 not all BPD looks alike. There’s a wide spectrum. Here Joan Crawford is exhibiting characteristics of the witch BPD persona. There is also the waif, the hermit, and the queen. It’s well known she had BPD. I’m guessing she was usually the queen. But the personas can shift as circumstances change.
So...A 6 year old girl was being a 6 year old girl,so Joan had to destroy her hair AND brush her air extremely hard.This makes me want to punch my monitor.
I could imagine God telling Joan Crawford that the movie 'Mommie Dearest' was the main point why she couldn't produce any children, because she did had 7 miscarriages if I'm not mistaken. And I imagine that if Joan were to have natural kids, at least one probably would have turned out worse than her to the point that they would have turned on her.
If you notice in this scene when she cuts Christina's hair she cuts it very short then as scene goes on its long in the areas she cuts then it goes back short again and later on back to long ..... MAJOR MOVIE GOOF!!!!!!
CH67guy1 yes she is..i cant imagine how very exhausting and emotional playing a character like mrs. Crawford must have been..i bet she cried alot..especially during the acting with the younger children..
@@whirlingwords6525 you say that because you don't have a clue what it's like to have an abusive mother like that. Joan was still yelling there. My momster would scream yell worse than this. This is tame compared to how bad it can get.
I had long hair to my waist from the time I was 4 until I was 13. My mother ripped and tore at it on a daily basis with a brush so hard I had to hang onto the bathroom counter to keep her from yanking me off my feet. Not to mention it hurt like hell. She threatened every day to cut it off if I didn't keep it tangle-free at all times. I was washing, conditioning, combing, blow-drying and brushing the horrible offensive tangles out myself when I was 7. Her threats never stopped though, even if I'd committed some totally unrelated offense. Finally right before the end of 8th grade, I got fed up, stole $60 from her purse, walked to a neighborhood salon, and asked for a cute (at the time) 90s chin-length cut. Yeah, I know they're not supposed to give kids cuts without parent permission. She asked "How old are you?" I lied and said "18" She said "Have a seat in the chair." I was already tall enough to pass for older. The hairdresser gave me a braid of it to keep, and I gave it to my mom. She had a Joan-Crawford-level meltdown, but all these years later I still don't regret it. Worth it. Any parent who does what JC does in this scene needs to be thrown in the slammer. But noooooo of course that'll never happen. People get picked up and thrown in jail for being too poor to drive legally, yet child-abusing monsters like this walk free. Thanks, F-ed up justice system.
This movie taught a very important lesson: Always love your mom, I do admit, I fight with my mom, but then she made me watch this and then I just hugged her, because there could’ve been worse moms, like Joan.
When I was a kid, my dad's 2nd wife told my sister and I that we had lice and cut our long hair above our ears. She was very abusive. My grandma told us afterwards that we didn't have lice at all and cutting our hair wouldn't have taken them out. She continued to abuse us, locking us overnight in the garage, berating and belittling us, making up lies to my dad so he would take her side, making sure we didn't get anything all the way up until my dad and her got divorced.
She always managed (to hear Christina tell it) to make herself look great, so no one ever suspected anything. By the time anyone might have suspected, Tina was over 18 and cps couldn’t have done anything
Narcissists are jealous of their children. Joan was jealous when Christina started to get noticed & not her! She was a very deeply disturbed person & that's why she was denied the ability to legally adopt any children. She basically " bought" all of her children.
Never understood why people feel the acting in this movie is over the top. People with NPD really do act exactly like this. I’ve had the unfortunate experience of living with more than one through out my life. They really are horrible and over the top types of people like this. Faye did a beyond perfect job of depicting this behavior to the point that it’s creepy or ironically funny for others. I suppose those that find the acting bad have never actually experienced someone this monstrous.
This is the same abuse I faced from my mother. This is triggering to watch because I’m getting flashbacks. My mom never cut my hair but I still have memories of my mom grabbing me by the hair and punching me in the face and stomach as well as hitting me with any object she can find.
i remember watching this years ago, at work, on the weekend..... i was truly appalled at the treatment of the little girl by the mother. truly, one of the great acting performances in a movie out there.
Peppermint Snowdrift I saw this movie when I was 4. It was on TV. Remember watching it with my mom and 3 sisters. I definitely never forgot it then watched it like 18 yrs later when I was in College.
doesn't anyone realize how genius Faye Dunway's acting is in this scene - and that she basically does it in all the scenes where Joan is abusing Christina? I've read the book Mommie dearest and even Christina gives a few hints that Joan also was abused by her own mother - but I'm not sure whether Faye Dunaway actually knew this. But in all the abuse scenes, she seems to suggest there is something that sets off Joan's rage, but when the actual abuse happens, Joan is actually crying every time, as if she feels everything she inflicts on Christina herself. I know Dunaway got a lot of flak for her acting, but she probably had the right instinct here. Interestingly, Christina Mentions at the beginning of her book that she was not originally to be called Christina, but Joan - Joan Crawford Jr.
This scene is so well shot (angle wise, not continuity lol) and the acting is so well done right before Joan snaps. Her pacing in the mirror, the glimpse of hatred in Christina's eyes, the tension is so thick with it. I'm nerding out only because right before it gets to be too wild, it is such a powerful moment.
It’s really a day and night difference viewing experience depending on who you watch this movie with. It’s considered a camp comedy classic for Faye’s over the top acting and I’ve seen people howl with laughter at this and other scenes where Joan snaps. But then I’ve seen people who suffered abuse by their parents get up and leave the room sobbing when moments like this came on.
Faye Dunaway is brilliant. So is Mara. Irrespective of whether or not the film accurately reflected the book to a "T" - the performances are riveting. And real. Ask people.
That is really good acting especially the little girl that looks about like 8 years old and this almost made me cry a little bit and i am a child actress
I am not one for cuteness, but little Christina here was a very pretty, cute girl. She (Mara Hobel) did an excellent job portraying the young Christina. She deserved an award for that, in my opinion.
I remember they were showing this on mother's day. My mom was watching it while I was in the next room. I heard this exact part from the next room and it made m wince in pain. Jesus, seeing it in full color is even more terrifying!! Poor little Christina.
I've done bad things and I've even hurt people before. But this................ is something else. I know its a film and all but it never ceases to amaze me how some animals can treat kids.
That kid is a great actor.
I feel bad for the kid. I bet that role haunted her for years.
Max Canon yeh
She was on a few episodes of roseanne !
Max Canon
Joan Crawford
Is Played By
Faye Dunaway
Who Also Played
Mrs. Dubrow
In The Movie
Dunston Checks In
Totally agree. Diana Scarwid is a really terrible actor - especially in this film. Shockingly bad. Some critics have thought she was deliberately cast to make the audience not empathise with Christina who was seen as an opportunist for attacking her mother in the book. Could be true. This little girl runs rings around her, she is fantastic.
Joan DID cut off Christina's hair when Christina commented on how beautiful it was. She also cut up Christina's favorite dress and made her wear it for a week, instructing her
to tell people if they asked why she was wearing a shredded dress "I don't like pretty things." Joan Crawford was nuts.
OOF. Where’d you get that info from? I’d love to read into it if you remember the source!
@@addisonridermusic The hair cutting incident was talked about in an article in a woman's magazine about Joan Crawford. I remember it said that Christian was not particularly pretty, except for her long blonde hair. One day she said to Joan "Mommie, don't you think I have beautiful hair?" and Joan told her "I will not have a daughter who is vain" and so she got a pair of shears and lopped off her daughter's hair. The dress shredding incident is described in detail in Christina's memoir "Mommie Dearest."
@@addisonridermusic it’s in the book
I call B.S. I don't buy it.
@@billwoodruff9100 it’s not bullshit
This can psychologically mess up a child for life..
You mean playing this role or what actually happened to the real child?
When you're an adult, you have the ability to make a choice. A child is not necessarily doomed for failure for life because a child is not a child for life. A child is a child for a short time. When you're an adult, you're not a child anymore. And your bad behavior and issues are inexcusable. I was abused as a child as well. That doesn't mean that I have to be miserable and depressed or hurt others... It's all a choice. I am no longer a child anymore. I got over my hurt and didn't choose to play the pity party victim role for the rest of my life. All people have problems, not just me... Life goes on.
Yes it can
True
@@Face_Reality _A person forcing themselves to be tough and excuse their pain; like you're doing, doesn't really make things any better! Pain should be exercised and acknowledged while still moving foward in life...._
It remembered me about my eight years old friend.. one day her mother cut all her beautiful, red and very long hair because my friend asked to her mother if she looked pretty with long hair. Her mother said that she had to think about being intelligent and not pretty so she cut all the hair off and made a video in which my friend was desperately crying and showed it to the others moms like it was normal. When that day I saw my friend with all her hair gone I asked her how she felt and she looked me in the eyes with a very sad face but a very strong voice and she said ” I’m ok, it will be easier take care of my hair now”. I will remember that day forever. Nobody deserve these. Especially a kid..
Her mother made her say those words. Unforgivable
Wow. I'm surprised the other mom's didn't get upset. Well hopefully someone did. I know some people may not understand but I'm a boy and wanted my hair long. My parents made me cut it off when I was about 6. I can't explain the trauma really. I felt betrayed and degraded. I was angry at my parents and the lady cutting my hair. Furious actually. They say one of the first things the Colonials did to the Native American men to break them was to cut off their long hair. I wouldn't say my experience was as terrible as this scene, but parents really should consider the feelings of the child in these situations.
@@RodneyDodson Hey I'm a guy too and here's my story. When I was little in the 90s there was a trend where boys would trim both of their sideways a lot shorter than the hair on top so it can be styled whatever you want. It looked so cool and I really wanted to try that hairstyle at least once in my pathetic childhood but every time when we went to get a haircut, she would wink at the barber after I told him exactly how I wanted it to be done. Of course he knew what it meant and listened to her. He would cut my hair really short like she wanted. I was disappointed every single time. Even now from time to time when I look back, I would get really mad at my mother.
What a disgusting, wicked mother.
I’m so sorry that happened to your friend.
I hope she is ok, God bless ✝️♥️😁
Yesr**
According to biographer Bob Thomas, an incident similar to this did happen. People used to compliment Christina on her hair, and one day, she asked Joan, "Mommie Dearest, don't you think I have beautiful hair?" "I won't have a daughter who is vain," Joan replied, and sheared Christina's hair with a pair of scissors. An actress who spent hours and money on her face, body and clothes cuts off her young daughter's hair because she's afraid the child might have some vanity? Talk about issues!
Muirmaiden she couldn’t have someone looking better than her joan had narc tendencies which her kids had to look ugly but only how joan wanted them too to look...
This never actually happened. What really happened was Joan Cut up Christina's favorite dress and made her wear it to school for a week. And it was over something with wallpaper
This was because Joan was a malignant narcissist. She couldn’t have her own daughter looking better than her, and receiving more attention. Joan definitely showed every sign of NPD.
Yes it did happen Joan was abusive and jealous of Christina
Greg Guralnik she peeled some wallpaper off the wall, and Joan shredded her favorite dress and made her wear it for a week straight to teach er a lesson. And if anyone asked her about the dress, she was to say, I don't like pretty things.
She just can't accept the fact that she is aging and her daughter is discovering her own beauty in her mirror.
Damn. That’s deep thinking.
@blue star it’s....... it’s a movie.
Vainful creature.
@Ellen Garrido lol I know this. I was pointing out to comment below mine saying “it’s fake” and I’m stating it’s obviously a movie. I know this movie is based of Joan lol but thanks I guess??
@@jackiemehoff8239 But if you read Christina's book (and I did) she claims this really happened.
The child is more mature and better behaved than the adult
Annie Bauer happens far too much
Ikr
Bipolar disorder is able to be hidden to some degree, and if the mom is one of those calculating monsters who waits till no one is around to witness the incident. Who will believe a small child or teen.
Pretty damn sad ain’t it. lol
@@meganroberts8721 I would.
Does it seem like Joan is screaming more at herself in the mirror than at Christina?
Shad0wSpill Mainly because Joan is the Pot calling the Kettle black
Of course, that's what all abuse is about.
Shad0wSpill And apparently Joan did not like it when she saw herself in the mirror during this whole tantrum
Yas
That's very observant. I wonder how many people thought of this.
The hardest part for me was Christina desperately begging "Mommie, please!" It just broke my heart. People like Joan Crawford should not be allowed anywhere near children, let alone have legal guardianship of them.
She was acting?? She wouldn’t really do that??
That’s the neat part: adoption agencies wouldn’t let her.
@@avaaadaegeee this movie is about joan crawford, the woman who actually did this
@@delenas
And Amber Turd will do this to that baby she bought!
@@Showboat_Six okay
this was quite disturbing ....
It enraged me. I was nearly cussing the tv..
It's pretty upsetting for an abusive parent to cut chunks of their girl's long hair. But it's not Ok to cut a little girl's hair extremely short, cause it's a form of child abuse.
PatriciaBee as is child abuse altogether. Great acting from these two to disturb us. So much so I’m trying to find behind the scenes looks and bloopers to help remind me they’re acting in this movie 😂 don’t know if it’s based on a true story but yikes if it is
@@tim-obeartheclawmachineguy9616 That scene was pretty upsetting, isn't it?
Have you seen the whole movie? If you haven't seen it. You should watch it. I remember seeing this movie when I was a kid. For some reason this have been on my mind lately.
This movie is so terrifying, I always cry while watching because it's a fact that there's real kids going through this kind of abuse...
This and the wired hangers scenes broke me. Like, I cried while just experiencing this horrifying treatment that Christina had to go through.
I know its sad to think about... no child should have to go through abuse, neglect, etc. 😢
The terrifying thing is imagining Hollywood doing you like this after you're in the ground
@@mariapereira3221 nahh it’s defending an abuser cuz you don’t want to accept the fact that they are one.
Calm down drama queen. It’s therapy for those of us who went through similar abuse.
This woman should not be a mother. I'm upset that no one took this daughter's testimony seriously. Or rather, the director was the only one who did, by making a movie on the her book. I guess that's the illusion of the limelight. Once someone's in it, the public wants to keep that perfect illusion for eternity.
+Morrgan B In the end, it was unintentionally funny, the movie that is with the hammy acting, in all seriousness, child abuse is wrong.
Don't take this as fact Christina is known to be a complete bullshitter with the story changing multiple times...if she was so upset being 'Christine Crawford' then how come she kept the name Crawford? $$$
Morrgan B wish I was a girl I'd smack dog shit outta u
That's probably why she couldn't produce kids of her own. Imagine Joan kids were biological from her, one to all four probably would of end up like her but worse. And imagine one to all four would of turned on her worse than what Christina did. And Joan used her kids for publicity.
Jamie Lloyd c
As Joan is having a fit/tantrum and cutting her daughter’s hair she’s looking directly into the mirror at herself. But she’s taking her pain out on her daughter the one who is mirroring her mother’s behavior. This is symbolic for how narcissistic parents view their kids as extensions of themselves. And while the abuse is occurring the meltdown is really with Joan dealing with her own personal issues. I love how they shot this whole thing in the mirror, this movie was beautifully done
I definitely think this scene is proof that Faye was going for a more nuanced portrayal than she's generally given credit for. Her sudden revulsion at what she's done aseems to allude to how abuse is very often a cycle that can't easily be broken
Jeez, the way she was chopping her hair, I thought she was going to cut her ears off!
Like mr blonde
Yeah
or stab her with the scissors
My mom always chopped off my hair when i was a kid. She said coz its easier to take care of it. But it’s embarrassing for a little girl to have boy cut hair. I always cried when she did that. My hair never grew longer than shoulder length as a child. My dad prefer me to have longer hair, but when he saw me with shorter hair, he refuse to speak to me. A lot of things happened back then. Truthfully speaking, i hate my childhood i had wished i was dead.
I love you and I'm glad you're alive so you can help other abused people.
Your life is worth living, don't allow heartless monsters convince you otherwise. My bio dad sexually abused me as a child and now I live a happy life, I refuse to allow that monster to take away my happiness. He's miserable and will die that way, ALONE.
I am so sorry you went through that some people are disgusting
You're strong because you survived that mistreatment. You're a much better person than your parents, and the world needs more of you and less of them. So stay strong and be happy and proud that you're a good person who knows right from wrong.
Narcissistic people tend to project their own shortcomings onto those around them... so when she says “why are you always looking at yourself, trying to get people to look at you”, I see it as her really asking herself that. But she as a narcissist doesn’t have the capacity to take responsibility for her flaws, so she projects them onto her child.
No, she is seeing competition in her daughter. She can't stand the fact that there is another beautiful girl, so young and pretty, with a talent. It's envy and nothing less or more.
Listen Twerp: Another thing narcissists like is to talk about narcissism. So. Think on that. And. Let's burn some... tree? Before I gotta go. WHere do I go? Doris reva:
That actually makes sense
I’m am open to correction but isn’t their some delusion to narcissism?
@@Reviewer2016 100% there is, it’s the grandiosity in how they see themselves that’s the biggest delusion usually
@@frankielee04 thanks
The acting is so good that my heart broke for the little girl. She was just playing. I used to play with my Mama's jewelry and makeup but she didn't cut off my hair. I just want to give that little girl a big hug and show her the kind of love she should be getting.
the setting lotion got stuck in her hair. it couldnt be brushed. it should have been washed out not chopped off! however in the next scene Christina's hair grew back already??
Yeah i mean she was being genuinely abused on set but that's cool w/me tbh
The best acting, shows how deranged an abuser really is.
Exactly.
I felt Faye acted this part well.
She is a bad mom, luckily it’s acting. That child is a great actor. To bad this happens in the real world too.
Ava Streeter this is based on a true story
@@SergeESC that doesn't mean that the actress play a mean mum is mean irl
Ok that was going too far she was just playing. Every little girl goes in her mom makeup I did . My mom never CHOPPED OFF MY HAIR . THAT LADY NEEDED JESUS
Jarraya stop making comments in my name
amen, this bitch makes Maleficent look like Carol Brady
Samantha Jones lol! That's one thing I never did because I hated the makeup 💄 my mother used. Damn greasy ass fashion fair lol!
BIGWORM 510 And Mel Gibson.
Samantha Jones she needed antipsychotics...
this movie makes me sad/scared. dont know why its so classic/funny to some.
+Brian Andrew Well there are a lot of stupid people in this world so I'd say that's the most likely reason. What those stupid people don't realize is that this stuff actually happened and the abuse shown in the film was an unfortunate reality for the actual children. It's intended to be uncomfortable and frightening, and is, which is why it's a brilliant film.
I beg to differ. the film is a disaster as a work of art. its over the top which is why the horror is comical.
kaneinight Or maybe it's because Faye Dunaway is overacting so much the only way to enjoy it is to find it funny. Also the abuse is exaggerated beyond anything that did ever happen. Think before you call people "stupid".
Exactly. This movie is so horrible in quality, it's funny.
DV16 I ave watched clips and never found one scene to be funny.... I found it to be traumatically haunting. The abuse and psychosis of this vile woman made me truly empathetic for that poor child.
The fact that people think this behavior is “exaggerated” or “over the top” have clearly never experienced this kind of abuse. I’ve firsthand witnessed this type of abuse and let me tell you, it changes you forever and it may be so incomprehensible to some-but it is very real. I don’t know if Christina was truly abused or not but to say this is funny because it’s “over the top” is beyond ignorant. This actually happens to people.
💯 exactlyyy
Happened with me.😥
I lived with a stepmother who acted like this and while she didn’t hack off my hair during one of her tantrums, she did deliberately break my hairbrush because I brushed my hair after she told me not to, dragged me upstairs and beat the $hit out of me after provoking me all evening while I was trying to study, and even threw my sister’s music stand at her head. Fortunately, she missed when she threw the music stand. Also fortunately, she and my dad divorced after he had custody of us for a year. But it’s mostly because of her that I can easily believe that Christina went through worse.
This level of pain was my childhood with my mother. I didn't know what narcissism was till 25. I always blamed myself and tried to change myself. People don't know how bad it gets till they go through it or watch this. Words aren't enough to describe it. If I say I was abused it's hard to imagine, but a scene like this conveys it. I love my mom, but she was cruel and out of control. I was the scapegoat, but I no longer talk to her. The problem isn't just her, but now the family system that upholds the fake persona that every mom is loving and must love their child. Even now, my family, especially her siblings (my aunts and uncles) protect her. May we understand that most issues come from not being loved well. Almost 40 and still wish I had a mother in my life; sense of close family.
Haha these are the best comments
Yeah ok wonder woman
One of the most difficult scenes that I’ve ever watched. The acting here is incredible.
She is LITTERLY sweating. She gave this role everything ahe had
stop it with the litterly
Literally*
She was just exercising in the movie you dingus
And still over acted🤣
Christina" "Mommy, I look awful"!
Joan: "i know you look awful"!!!
IM DEAD LOL
lmaoooo
Terrence Smith uh, and joan hasnt?
Christiana lied through her teeth and has changed her story on more than one occasion.
Ad Vick so, you honestly believe Joan was never a bad mother? Okay.
Terrence Smith yeah
Joan Is A Complete Sadist To Her Own Daughter.
Over my dead body I'd let a total psychopath cut my freaking hair by force.
Step daughter
@@Face_Reality Christina was not Joan's stepdaughter. Joan adopted Christina, meaning that she is legally her mother.
Christina must feel glad she didnt actually come out of that vile creatures womb
At 1:09 that noise she makes as she throws that brush is hysterical. Very few actresses could even come close to the sort of epic performance Faye Dunaway gives in this film. Almost all of the actresses who are really popular now like Jennifer Aniston or Scarlett Johansson could maybe do 10% of what Dunaway does in this film.
While Faye Dunaway is a good actress, I can’t help but feel that most of this film comes off as camp. Which is unfortunate as it is documenting the real psychological and physical abuse that a real person claims to have gone through
@@billydeeuk I think the screenplay didn't allow for more of a dimensional character. I think Faye nailed it, but at the time back in 81, the critics were hating on it until Faye actually ended up criticizing it too.
@@billydeeuk I have seen many comments from people who suffered child abuse and they all agree that the film is an accurate portrait, despite how fanciful it may seem to the rest.
@@Ratchet2431 I didn’t say it was fanciful. I said it was camp. Dunaway is chewing the scenery in every scene she is in - she comes across as a gross caricature, rather than a real person. “No wire hangers EVER!” has become a joke, rather than (by Christina’s own account), one of the scariest and most violent examples of abuse she received at the hands of Joan
@@billydeeuk What are you talking about? Christina has said Joan never beat her with a wire hanger. It was made up for the film. If anything is unintentionally funny in the movie, it's that Joan has this perfectly upper class accent but still behaves like white trash. it's an incongruous image to some.
Mara Hobel was amazing as young Christina. Such a talented actress. It always fascinates me how child actors can act and remember their lines at the same time. 😊
Yeah it' scrazy how when you literally abuse a child they very convincingly act abused! Hollywood is the BEST.
Real or not, this made me cry
Bela Wella this is 1981 film Mommie Dearest.
Braden Lester This was in reference to Christina Crawford’s experiences in her book
Even the guy in charge of continuity is scared shitless.
Sean Pultz cinema snob?
so that is what happened!! LOL!! the worst editing in the history of......well.....editing.
Sean Pultz lmaooooooooooooooooooo 🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@JacobWilsonVOOMG, I remember that reference from the Snob episode! ^_^ I need to watch the review again sometime.
As payback Christina should put hair remover in Joan's shampoo!
jimmyhd1969 they didn’t have that in the 50’s
Nah but arsenic would work fine.
And those eyebrows, too
Nair!
Marcus walker this was the 40s
The child actress was so good...She made me cry.
Yeah can't imagine why she had absolutely zero success as she's an amazing rare talented jewel
@@mariapereira3221 Mara Hobel continued to act on screen and on stage, and now teaches acting classes to children.
I give Faye SOOO much credit to playing this role. I could never do this, even if it is show business, I would start crying so much. This movie is TOO real 😭😖
Yeah imagine taking on a total smear role based on a super doubtable narrative. I hope Faye suffers daily
@@mariapereira3221 Oh, right, Joan just HAPPENED to have TWO terrible children who deserved to be left out of her will. Don't make me laugh. We know that Joan was the monster who ruined their lives.
This is 100% what BPD looks like in a parent. They'll start to cry and break down as they're abusing you. It's absolutely horrifying as a child to experience.
It's a little more than that
Malignant Narcissist Rage
Why i believe They should be put down Instead of coddled, 1000% Pathetic
No it is not... I have BPD and I would never abuse my son... Abuse is a choice mental illness is not. Educate yourself before you spread falsehoods and stigma like thar
@@chopsuey63163 not all BPD looks alike. There’s a wide spectrum. Here Joan Crawford is exhibiting characteristics of the witch BPD persona. There is also the waif, the hermit, and the queen. It’s well known she had BPD. I’m guessing she was usually the queen. But the personas can shift as circumstances change.
So...A 6 year old girl was being a 6 year old girl,so Joan had to destroy her hair AND brush her air extremely hard.This makes me want to punch my monitor.
Some people should NEVER be parents....
I could imagine God telling Joan Crawford that the movie 'Mommie Dearest' was the main point why she couldn't produce any children, because she did had 7 miscarriages if I'm not mistaken. And I imagine that if Joan were to have natural kids, at least one probably would have turned out worse than her to the point that they would have turned on her.
This scene is very traumatic. My dad did the same thing to me in one of his narcissistic rages.
She deserved best actress for this role. her performance was one of the best I've ever seen on film
She deserved prison time
This unbelievably this woman doesn't deserve being a mom she's Abusive
"Why ya always lookin' at yaself in the MIRROOOOOOR?!?!"
If you notice in this scene when she cuts Christina's hair she cuts it very short then as scene goes on its long in the areas she cuts then it goes back short again and later on back to long ..... MAJOR MOVIE GOOF!!!!!!
James Traylor JR the continuity guy was also scared shitless
The scissors make me so nervous EVERY DAMN TIME CHRISTINAAAA
It's really upsetting to cut chunks of the little girl's hair.
yep, i really wish the scene did not have real scissors . i hold my breath.
"You're always trying to find a way to make people look at you while you're always looking at yourself in the mirror." Geez...talk about PROJECTION!
Joan know she could have just wash the setting lotion out of Christina hair!! WOWW 😭🙏🏾
I got to say, Faye Dunaway and the child actress did a pretty good job with this scene.
I had a similar experience at a Supercuts in Pittsburgh, PA.
+Noah Robert Graves LMAO! I just died.
Now, this is a good comment. A+
W
What’s happened to Faye Dunnaway? She should be running for Congress.
LMAO
Faye Dunaway is a great actor!
CH67guy1 yes she is..i cant imagine how very exhausting and emotional playing a character like mrs. Crawford must have been..i bet she cried alot..especially during the acting with the younger children..
Not in this she isn't. So over the top. Too much.
@@whirlingwords6525 you say that because you don't have a clue what it's like to have an abusive mother like that.
Joan was still yelling there. My momster would scream yell worse than this. This is tame compared to how bad it can get.
This Is Torture & Humuliation
I had long hair to my waist from the time I was 4 until I was 13. My mother ripped and tore at it on a daily basis with a brush so hard I had to hang onto the bathroom counter to keep her from yanking me off my feet. Not to mention it hurt like hell. She threatened every day to cut it off if I didn't keep it tangle-free at all times. I was washing, conditioning, combing, blow-drying and brushing the horrible offensive tangles out myself when I was 7. Her threats never stopped though, even if I'd committed some totally unrelated offense. Finally right before the end of 8th grade, I got fed up, stole $60 from her purse, walked to a neighborhood salon, and asked for a cute (at the time) 90s chin-length cut. Yeah, I know they're not supposed to give kids cuts without parent permission. She asked "How old are you?" I lied and said "18" She said "Have a seat in the chair." I was already tall enough to pass for older. The hairdresser gave me a braid of it to keep, and I gave it to my mom. She had a Joan-Crawford-level meltdown, but all these years later I still don't regret it. Worth it. Any parent who does what JC does in this scene needs to be thrown in the slammer. But noooooo of course that'll never happen. People get picked up and thrown in jail for being too poor to drive legally, yet child-abusing monsters like this walk free. Thanks, F-ed up justice system.
This movie taught a very important lesson: Always love your mom, I do admit, I fight with my mom, but then she made me watch this and then I just hugged her, because there could’ve been worse moms, like Joan.
When I was a kid, my dad's 2nd wife told my sister and I that we had lice and cut our long hair above our ears. She was very abusive. My grandma told us afterwards that we didn't have lice at all and cutting our hair wouldn't have taken them out. She continued to abuse us, locking us overnight in the garage, berating and belittling us, making up lies to my dad so he would take her side, making sure we didn't get anything all the way up until my dad and her got divorced.
Child Protective Services would definitely be warranted in removing the kids from her abusive home. Talk about a deranged monster.
People back then should have been more intelligent and smarter than to leave any children with a monster like that.
She always managed (to hear Christina tell it) to make herself look great, so no one ever suspected anything. By the time anyone might have suspected, Tina was over 18 and cps couldn’t have done anything
CPS is trash. They hardly do anything unless the child(ren) are in almost life or d3ath.
I 100000000% believe she was full of this rage.
Ok, this scene took a sharp left turn into Crazy Town!
And up the ramp to PSYCHOVILLE!
Narcissistic parents in a nutshell
Narcissists are jealous of their children. Joan was jealous when Christina started to get noticed & not her! She was a very deeply disturbed person & that's why she was denied the ability to legally adopt any children. She basically " bought" all of her children.
I thought she was going to stab the girl with those scissors ✂️ !
But then you'd realize that Christina is still alive in real life.
People can say what they want about this movie but it is an insanely hard movie to watch, especially if you’ve been on Christina’s end.
"You sit still now. This oughta teach you!"
😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣
I’ve seen this movie so many times, and I never get tired of it! John Waters’ commentary on the DVD is hilarious!
I am so sad any child has been through this
Never understood why people feel the acting in this movie is over the top. People with NPD really do act exactly like this. I’ve had the unfortunate experience of living with more than one through out my life. They really are horrible and over the top types of people like this. Faye did a beyond perfect job of depicting this behavior to the point that it’s creepy or ironically funny for others. I suppose those that find the acting bad have never actually experienced someone this monstrous.
You're the monster
@@mariapereira3221 uhhh no, NPD’s are monsters.
That poor child
She reminds me so much of my dad when we were kids
So sorry you went through that! 💜
It reminds me of my momster, so I hear you.
The movie describes narcissistic abuse so accurately that it's so difficult for me to believe that Christina lied. You can't make things like this up.
This scene makes me cry, Joan Crawford just did not understand children.
This is the same abuse I faced from my mother. This is triggering to watch because I’m getting flashbacks. My mom never cut my hair but I still have memories of my mom grabbing me by the hair and punching me in the face and stomach as well as hitting me with any object she can find.
OMG, I'm sorry you had to go through that! She's *NOT* a true mother. Just an egg donor.
How are you doing now? And what is she doing now?
Yes, some of us had momsters that made Joan Crawford look tame in comparison. Most of these people who laugh at this movie don't understand that.
i remember watching this years ago, at work, on the weekend..... i was truly appalled at the treatment of the little girl by the mother.
truly, one of the great acting performances in a movie out there.
lmao
Her eyes bulge out at 1:08 before she let's out a frustrated cry and proceeds with plan #2.
I used to reenact this scene with my dolls...my mom stoped buying me dolls because they eventually ended up bald lol
Your parents let you see this movie???
Obviously
@Peppermint Snowdrift idk I was pretty little
Peppermint Snowdrift
I saw this movie when I was 4. It was on TV. Remember watching it with my mom and 3 sisters. I definitely never forgot it then watched it like 18 yrs later when I was in College.
doesn't anyone realize how genius Faye Dunway's acting is in this scene - and that she basically does it in all the scenes where Joan is abusing Christina? I've read the book Mommie dearest and even Christina gives a few hints that Joan also was abused by her own mother - but I'm not sure whether Faye Dunaway actually knew this. But in all the abuse scenes, she seems to suggest there is something that sets off Joan's rage, but when the actual abuse happens, Joan is actually crying every time, as if she feels everything she inflicts on Christina herself. I know Dunaway got a lot of flak for her acting, but she probably had the right instinct here.
Interestingly, Christina Mentions at the beginning of her book that she was not originally to be called Christina, but Joan - Joan Crawford Jr.
If I remember correctly, she hints about her mother earlier in the movie when she talks about adopting.
This scene is so well shot (angle wise, not continuity lol) and the acting is so well done right before Joan snaps. Her pacing in the mirror, the glimpse of hatred in Christina's eyes, the tension is so thick with it. I'm nerding out only because right before it gets to be too wild, it is such a powerful moment.
I feel so bad she has to go to school like that my nightmare
It’s really a day and night difference viewing experience depending on who you watch this movie with. It’s considered a camp comedy classic for Faye’s over the top acting and I’ve seen people howl with laughter at this and other scenes where Joan snaps. But then I’ve seen people who suffered abuse by their parents get up and leave the room sobbing when moments like this came on.
Faye Dunaway is brilliant. So is Mara. Irrespective of whether or not the film accurately reflected the book to a "T" - the performances are riveting. And real. Ask people.
I haven't seen the film in its entirety...I've seen these clips, and I'm terrified cuz the performances are so visceral from both parties.
FUN FACT: Mara Hobel’s natural hair color with mouse brown, and they bleached her hair blonde in order to play little Christina Crawford.
Mothers can really eff you up. I know mine did.
my mom treated me like this for 18 years. When I turned 18 she left the house and I havent spoken to her since.
"You spoiled it just like I spoiled YOU!!!!" lol 😂 wtf
It must have been very hard on Faye Dunaway to do this Mara Hobel. It must've have emotionally draining for her.
Oh she literally took the girl out for ice cream and apologized the whole time
That is really good acting especially the little girl that looks about like 8 years old and this almost made me cry a little bit and i am a child actress
This is how my mother treated me as a child. I don't wish it on anyone.
I am not one for cuteness, but little Christina here was a very pretty, cute girl. She (Mara Hobel) did an excellent job portraying the young Christina. She deserved an award for that, in my opinion.
and it was literally joan's choice to spoil her daughter. a child doesn't CHOOSE to be spoiled.
Now that's what I call a Covid 19 self-isolation haircut.
I remember my mother cutting my hair like this once and this scene always makes me grab onto my hair to protect it
She was just a little girl trying to play and imitate her mom. The fact that Joan took it as some sort of personal attack....just sad and sick.
“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO THIS DAMN hairrr!?”
Joan should have never gotten to adopt kids she had too much anger from her own childhood
Anyone wanna know why some kids grow up to be totally screwed up people??
I remember they were showing this on mother's day. My mom was watching it while I was in the next room. I heard this exact part from the next room and it made m wince in pain. Jesus, seeing it in full color is even more terrifying!! Poor little Christina.
I've done bad things and I've even hurt people before.
But this................ is something else. I know its a film and all but it never ceases to amaze me how some animals can treat kids.
I watched this movie last night. She was jealous if her. I think she had NPD.
1:45 Mommie, please!
1:53 Mommie, please!
That just breaks my heart!
It’s sick that parents punished their daughters by cutting their hair.
This is heartbreaking. And now I know where my mom learned her “parenting” skills.
Poor Abused Kids. ):
She made Christina look like Beyonce at the Grammys!
lol omg
+Michael Alvarez hahahahahaha!!!!
What do you mean
Where was CPS when you needed them? The poor child! :(
Back then, child abuse wasn't as taken seriously, and was very easily hidden back then.
@@RYMAN1321 I think it still is
@@shywolf3968 Maybe, but it’s not as hush-hush today.