Mommie Dearest: Life with Joan

Mommie Dearest: Life with Joan (2006)

*** (out of 4)

The second of three featurettes found on the Special Edition of MOMMIE DEAREST. Producer/screenwriter Frank Yablans as well as actresses Diana Scarwid and Rutanya Alda are interviewed about the actual production of the film and they all share a few secrets. Yablans starts off talking about his original opening sequence that they didn't film for some reason and then he moves onto what he said was the only issue with Faye Dunaway and that was on the first day of filming when she didn't come out of her trailer because she wanted everything just right. From here he says the two got along fine and then he begins to talk about a few certain scenes. One is the rose garden sequence and he says he deserves part of the blame for this because he never told the director to have Dunaway come down a little on the performance. Another scene discussed is the infamous wire hanger sequence where Yablans tells his thoughts on it and we also get some behind-the-scene photographs. Fans of MOMMIE DEAREST are certainly going to enjoy hearing these stories but it's clear that all three people involved are very happy with the film. The actresses talk about their impressions of Dunaway and both seem very amazed at what she was able to do even with both of them being smacked by her in the film.