The Mommie Dearest Diary: Carol Ann Tells All

I ordered this book honestly not knowing what to expect. I knew little of Rutanya Alda beyond a few of her supporting roles in film and on TV and initially didn't make the connection that she had also essayed the role of the long-suffering, rapidly aging assistant in Mommie Dearest, Carol Ann.Even as a child, MD came off to me as a hysterical, over-the-top ordeal that wasn't to be taken too seriously. While Faye Dunaway's unhinged madwoman is unquestionably fascinating to watch, as I got older and witnessed the REAL Joan Crawford, I realized Dunaway had lost key elements in her characterization. It was like the only JC films she watched in preparation for the role were Strait-Jacket and maybe Queen Bee. The portrait that emerges is one of a wild-eyed banshee; this one dimensional monster. Even her makeup looked off.What went wrong? How and why did this clearly A-List, prestige project become this runaway campfest?Alda, quite remarkably, kept a near-daily journal of the events that transpired between New Years Day and April of 1981. She explains why, and the reason was most certainly not for the sake of posterity. But here it is, a relentless document of diva chaos, Hollywood excess, bruised egos and brutal indifference...told in a very direct, clear and honest voice that makes it very plain she was not writing for the masses.Yet the book is so much more that just a chronicle of Mommie Dearest; Alda's pre-MD background is quite fascinating, as she honed her craft and developed working relationships and/or friendships with such luminaries as Elia Kazan (her accounts of the warm friendship she shared with Kazan's wife-recently departed when MD began filming- are very touching), Brian de Palma and Sam Peckinpah. The pre-MD section is slim yet engrossing, as it also discusses her marriage to actor Richard Bright (best known for his role in The Godfather trilogy) and an unhappy revelation not long before she begins making MD.It's important to note Bright figures prominently in the actual journal, and you find yourself getting caught up not just in the day-to-day lunacy of filming Mommie Dearest, but the controlled madness that was Alda's life at that time as well.The number of famous names (or faces) that pop up during the filming is nothing short of jaw-dropping. From instantly recognizable ones like "Bobby de Niro" to familiar characters like Ralph Waite, Ed Begley, Howard Rollins and Paul Jenkins (a big thorn in Alda's side) there's a constant list of unsuspecting characters who pop up, some with an interesting little anecdote (or a sad one, such as the bizarre evening Alda and Bright spend with Peckinpah). Yet none of this seems out of place or outlandish. Just an exciting time to know people in the business.But back to Alda's recollections of MD- her notes, thoughts and observations about the various conflicts and developments could have been one-dimensional (Faye was nuts and everyone hated her), but because of her keen sense of observation she records the growing sense of disorder and frustration as Dunaway gave the wardrobe, makeup and hair personnel (ALL professionals and accomplished in their fields) total hell, becoming demanding and unreasonable, clearing the set, intimidating director Frank Perry, etc. and because Alda was "in the trenches", so to speak, she was there to observe it all, to hear the grumblings and frustrations...not to mention her moments with Diana Scarwid, who was also the victim of Faye's grandstanding. She paints vivid portraits in a few short words about other several parties involved- the amiable Steve Forrest, the pushy Alice Nunn, Dunaway's leech husband Terry O'Neill, director Perry, producer Frank Yablans, and so on.Alda was a victim as well, as her diary mercilessly records day after day where Faye doesn't bother to stick around for Carol Ann's shots, forcing her to deliver her lines or reaction shots to stand-ins or, on one occasion, a Polaroid of Faye, as well as Dunaway having her removed from key scenes. But Dunaway is hardly the only guilty party, as the indifferent attitude of the crew manifests itself time and time again, as many of her shots were done as inconvenient afterthoughts, not to mention numerous scenes ultimately cut out.Through it all, in struggling to maintain her focus and a sense of structure during a chaotic shoot, which coincided with a tumultuous time in her own life, Rutanya Alda projects a stoic dignity and resolve not unlike the long-suffering Carol Ann. In a bizarre way art imitated life, or vice versa.I'm currently convalescing, and this was the PERFECT read for it. At times funny, clever, perceptive, heartbreaking and ultimately pretty revelatory, The Mommie Dearest Diary is not just a valuable chronicle of the creation of an iconic film, it's also a fascinating peek into the life of an actress who emerges as a triumphant survivor who has more than paid her dues and done her job....Carol Ann would be proud, had she existed (she was the amalgamation of multiple people).

For anyone reading this diary and thinking that they are going to be enjoying amazing tidbits of the film shoot of a somewhat notorious movie, I am sorry to report that this "diary" is just that: A diary. Rutanya spends inordinate amounts of time telling us about what she ate, about her cat Kukums, about her husband's drug issues, about not getting her close-up, about going to see movies and plays, about how pretty everyone said she was, and about the fact that her cat had to have its anal glands squeezed. I am not making that up.How it is that she thought we were going to find all that interesting, I don't know.She spends a lot of time saying how she had to be neutral and be unattractive so as to not upset Faye. She seemed to achieve that, but she also seemed to resent Faye for a large number of reasons. Yes, I can see that it would be extremely upsetting for Faye insisting that her boyfriend, photographer Terry O'Neill, be made an executive producer or she'd walk. I can see that the costume designer, Oscar winner Irene Sharaff, would be furious at having Faye mess with her designs (that would have upset me as well). And Rutanya does cover these tidbits and others, but just basically as observations. One day Irene is on the set, the next she is gone. To me that is a story in itself, but the repercussions of Irene leaving are never addressed. An Oscar-winning costume designer walking off a film? That is a major, major story. Not in this book.Also, say what you will, Faye was the star of MOMMIE DEAREST. To me, personally, she was brilliant. Over-the-top? Yes, but... so what? She was clearly the star of the movie. Rutanya must have thought she was doing some kind of regional theater and that everyone was going to do "their part" -- sorry, Faye was the star. And if they wanted what she was going to give them, they were going to have to kowtow a little bit, or maybe even a lot.Rutanya shares a story about Streisand in HELLO DOLLY. Apparently Streisand had a scene with Walter Matthau and didn't like how he was saying his lines and she stopped the production to tell Gene Kelly. I will admit, that was unprofessional. On the other hand... sorry, Streisand is a major star and she is not going to kowtow to anyone. That's why she gets the big bucks. Rutanya, on the other hand, was only connected to the film by way of being a stand-in for Barbra, and she took Barbra’s actions so personally that she dumped all of Barbra's albums in the trash. Good for you Rutanya; are you happier now because you did that?I am sure it is disconcerting for anyone to work with a major star and find out that they may not be pleasant and that they may have a lot of insecurities. Based on this book, Faye was petrified that there would be anyone prettier than her, or perhaps more talented than her.Faye, though, unlike Rutanya, is mesmerizing. When Faye is on the screen, no one really cares about Rutanya, despite how many times she felt compelled to tell us how pretty everyone on earth seemed to think she was and going on and on about her close-ups or her lines.So, I'm sorry, even though I read this whole book, thinking it was going to be this juicy, scandalous, eye-opening expose of a troubled shoot, I had to wade through endless sentences about what Rutanya had for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and her cat's scratching issues. I didn't really care and I could hardly call this book that entertaining. It seemed everyone was quite unhappy on set and it was all because of Faye -- but Faye may remember things differently and I wish she'd write her own version. And Faye was the star, and without her, they wouldn’t have had this movie nor would Rutanya be able to make a few extra bucks by selling this “diary” with a ludicrous cover on it (yup, I fell for it; I’m a chump).All that said, Rutanaya, who is not a writer of any note (her prose is very pedestrian) DOES have a story to tell -- about her childhood. It was the best part of this diary. It was shocking and horrific and how she survived it, I do not know. If she would stop trying to capitalize on MOMMIE DEAREST and get a ghost writer and write a detailed exposé of her life in hell before she became an actress, I bet she could get that sold as a screenplay, because that part of this book was actually fascinating. But as soon as she became an actress, there simply wasn't anything that compelling about what she shared. Doctor visits, vet visits, facials, never learning how to handle her drug-addled husband, letting him steal her blind... there's a lot of sadness in this book, and Rutanya knows she brought a lot of it on herself.I hope she'll think about what I said (doubtful) about having someone write about her childhood and turning it into a book or a screenplay. It was the best part of this diary, and the only part that was truly interesting.

The very first film I ever saw that had anything to do with Joan Crawford was 'Mommie Dearest' - I remember thinking at the time that it seemed a bit broad and over the top. It did, however turn me on to the real Joan Crawford and her films. 'Mommie Dearest' held a campy appeal, something infinitely quotable no matter how dubious the source material. I bought Christina Crawford's book shortly after - a poorly written memoir full of historical inaccuracies, even if it did achieve a wider good due it's bringing child abuse into the mainstream.The character of Carol Ann in the film never seemed like a big part - she was part of the dressing, and I remember thinking nothing special of the actress who portrayed her. Quite the opposite, I remember thinking what an easy role, playing opposite someone so over the top.On that note, I feel like I have to point out that the way this book has been marketed is somewhat misleading. Anyone expecting juicy backstage stories and gossip will be sorely disappointed, as Ms Alda's recounting of working with Faye Dunaway on this film amounts to little more than 'Hollywood A-Lister somewhat difficult to work with'.The book, for the most part, seems to be more a lamentation that Alda didn't get the recognition she believes she deserved for the film, and in the wider sense, her career. I've not seen her in anything else, although she name drops several directors she's worked with. I found it hard to care about her travails making this film, mostly because she was only playing a bit part, who didn't even exist in real life - she was just a composite of the myriad maids/housekeepers the real Crawford had.Ultimately, the books biggest problem is that it's just pretty boring. It's fairly short, and the majority of it is taken up with Ms Alda's various liasons and drug problems - like I said previously, you won't get many anecdotes or first hand experience of Dunaway, just a middlingly written memoir of someone you probably never gave a second thought to if you saw 'Mommie Dearest', and for the price I paid (£13) far too expensive.

Awful, page after page of the author mentioning every time she gets a compliment, or every time someone tells her she’s pretty. She seems more concerned with stroking her enormous ego with tales of her various love affairs and men’s obsession with her than actually documenting the films production.

Ms Alda reveals what it was like to work with Faye Dunaway on Mommie Dearest. She writes with great charm, clarity and humour, while being candid about her own struggles in her private life. It’s a unique view into a world most of us never see.

Bought this for my mother and she could barely put it down! She had it read in no time!

Fantastic read - very funny and great to hear about the movie from an insiders perspective. Would highly recommend