Whenshediedin1977,JoanCrawfordwasrememberedasaniconofHollywood’sGoldenAge--untilpublicationthefollowingyearofherdaughter’smemoir,MommieDearest.ChristinaCrawford’sbookwasanimmediatebestseller,addressingtheinfrequentlydiscussedtopicofchildabuse.WhenParamountPicturesreleasedthefilm,starringFayeDunawayasCrawford,itwascriticallypanned,andremainsoneofthemostlegendarycriticalbombsinfilmhistory.Thelavish,big-screenadaptationdrewunexpectedlaughterinthescenesdepictinglifeintheCrawfordhousehold.Rarelyhavesuchgoodintentionsbeenmetwithsuchridicule.Despitethis,themoviewasacommercialsuccessandremains,fourdecadeslater,immenselypopular.WithLove,MommieDearestdetailsthewritingandsellingofChristina’sbookandtheaftermathofitspublication,aswellasthefilmingofthemotionpicture,whosebackstagedramaalmostsurpassedwhatwasviewedonscreeninthefilm.Basedonnewinterviewswithpeopleconnectedtothebookandthefilm,HollywoodhistorianA.AshleyHoffexploresthephenomenon,thecamp,andtheveryrealsocialissuesaddressedbythebookandfilm.
