Mommie Dearest (Controversy)

Why is this book so controversial?

I recently purchased and read this book, because my grandmother recommended it to me. I didn’t really have a prior knowledge about Joan Crawford, besides the fact that she’s a Hollywood icon. The book alleges that Joan abused her adopted daughter Christina, through cruel treatment and punishments. The moment that really struck me the most, was when Joan took over Christina’s role in the soap opera, while she was being treated in the hospital.

I finished the book and really liked it, and was excited to see what other people had to say about it. Just to find out that most people denounce it as a work of fiction. Most of the people defending Joan have this argument that “they themselves never saw any abuse”, but that doesn’t mean they were around 24/7. Once behind closed doors, anything can happen without the public’s knowledge.

I think the book definitely shattered the public’s idealized image of her. While sparking a debate about Hollywood’s family dynamics, celebrity worship, and the pressure for women in Hollywood to maintain a perfect facade. For me, it felt like a courageous act of speaking out against abuse in a time when such topics were rarely discussed.