Oh, girls, Diana Scarwid in "Mommie Dearest" is just too much. Playing an overaged pubescent schoolgirl in attire that is embarrassing to an adult actress, Scarwid and Faye Dunaway, when they both go at each other during the fight scene is camp at its highest.
Everyone remembers the famous line "No wire hangers!" But the fight scene tops it all.
It starts with Faye saying "Why...can't...you...give...me...the...respect....that...I... am....entitled to?" Why...can't...you....treat....me....as ...I... would....be...treated...by...any...stranger...on.... the...STREET??????????????"
Diana/Christina's answer is priceless..."Because...I... am..... not...one...of...your...FANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Then they tussle on the floor, with Faye trying to choke Diana, whose dress goes up, exposing those overaged panties!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, girls, I am telling you, it is just too much!!!!!!!!!! How much embarrassment can an actress endure, at the cost of so-called art???????????????
The scene culminates with overweight Jocelyn Brando (Marlon's sister, so it is not surprising he ended up just like her.) as Carol Ann trying to stop Faye as Joan. I bet it was for real.
And Scarwid's cries for "Moooooooooommmmmmmmmmmy!" are priceless. You almost have to laugh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Has camp vanished from our culture? Films with scenes like this are just not made anymore.
What a pity!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2 comments:
One of my favorite lines is while they are at lunch and Christina is testing Joan on the red meat and taking of vitamins. Joan turns to her assistant and says,
"Why must EVERYTHING be a competition with her." Or the other, one I get a lot- "I should have known, you'd know where to find the boys AND THE booze."
One of my favorite movies. A good friend and I recite lines like this all the time on each other in situations.
Mistress Maddie, So good to hear from you. Yes, the movie is a hoot. I also love the 'boys and booze' line. At one screening I attended the front row chairs were broken from patrons smashing them with wire hangers!
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