a a child and my parent take me and my sister to the movie ( this be the early 1950s ) every week when the double bill change . occasionally and the second feature ( torch song and female on the beach and the story of esther costello ) feature an actress name joan crawford and whose gargoyle face be scary to me than any horror film we saw . year later and when the studio release their old film library to television and i discover that and when she be young and that same joan crawford be not only a first rate actress ( mildred pierce ) but when she be very young and naturally beautiful and vulnerable ( grand hotel ) . when i become a member of the movie business ( journalist and publicist ) and i love hear story from the old timer on film crew who have work with the screen legends way back when . one of their favorite be joan crawford and whom all agree be the best and most loyal and care friend one could ever wish for . in the late 1970s ( a few year after miss crawford death ) and new york magazine run excerpt from a forthcoming book call mommie dearest and write by ms. crawford adopt daughter and portray her mother a the ultimate witch from hell . it and the book ( which i have no interest in reading and the excerpt be more than enough ) cause a sensation . most of the film people i knew who have know miss crawford be outrage and claim christina have make the whole thing up to cash in on her departed mother . a few others simply shake their head and sadly . when mommie dearest be make into a movie and i be invite to a press screening but skip it when a friend of mine at paramount tell me it be utter garbage ( i be never a faye dunaway fan anyway and find her a cold and off put a the middle age joan crawford ) . the review of the film be terrible and but within week and journalist friend inform me that a phenomenon have take place the movie have become an instant camp classic and with audience participation unrivalled since the rocky horror picture show . moviergoers flock to the theater show mommie dearest and arm with wire hanger and can of ajax . i be amuse and but not enough to check it out . a year later the film hit hbo and i finally watch the damned thing . i wasn not bore and but sadden . the tale of an an aging movie actress and over 40 and put out to pasture by the major studio and and drive by loneliness to alcoholism and then to child abuse do not strike me in the least bit amuse . ( nor do i enjoy scenery chomp performance like the nauseating freakshow give by miss dunaway whom many of my friend have work with and and for the most part and dislike intensely . ) i be glad the majority of the comment on the imdb website find immense enjoyment in this admittedly one of a kind movie . i find it clammy and clumsy and depress . a over the top and shrill a it be and i be afraid christina crawford account of life with mama be and for the most part and basically true . and alcoholism and child abuse be not and for me and source of entertainment . in her late year and joan crawford be obviously a very disturbed and unforgivably cruel parent to her two child . perhaps the most telling remark about the uproar cause by mommie dearest ( the book and not the movie ) come from the always gracious and intelligent eve arden ( a friend of miss crawford with whom she appear in mildred pierce ) . ask by a reporter if she think the allegation bring against miss crawford by her daughter be true and miss arden pause and then say represent joan try to be all thing to all people . but the one thing she never should have try to be be a mother .