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Mommie Dearest: Personality Disorders

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Humans are very susceptible to qualities inside themselves. For example, a personality disorder is defined as “patterns of inflexible traits that disrupt social life or work and may distress the affected individual” (Rathus, 2010, p. 525). These traits may be highlighted in a person’s life and are a part of their personality. In addition, personality disorders effect your thoughts and behaviors. The academy award winning film Mommie Dearest, directed by Frank Perry, accurately portrays how the aspects of obsessive-compulsive disorder and histrionic personality disorders can affect someone’s everyday life. Famous actress Joan Crawford (Faye Dunaway) adopts a new daughter and names her Christina (Mara Hobel, Diana Scarwid). After a few scenes …show more content…

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized by “inflexibility and fixation on rules, procedures, and orderliness” (Rathus, 2010, pg. 526). OCD is portrayed when Carol-Ann has said that the floor is all clean, but then Joan slides the plant over and there is dirt still in a ring on the floor. She exclaims to Carol Ann that she is “mad at the dirt” and proceeds to clean the whole floor all by herself. Another scene that OCD is portrayed in is when Joan finds a wire hanger hanging in Christina’s closet amidst the wooden hangers. Joan throws a fit, yells, and beats Tina with the wire hanger. She screams, “No wire hangers, ever!” Histrionic personality disorder is also seen in the movie. People with this disorder are defined as “overly emotional and dramatic and in need of constant attention… may be outwardly successful in work and social situations, their personal relationships are often troubled” (Rathus, 2010, p. 526). An example of this disorder in the movie is the fact that Joan has had two divorces, but is still very successful in her acting career. In a second scene, Joan replaces Tina in her soap opera part while she is getting better. Joan needed the attention of the role that Christina was given. Overall, the movie Mommie Dearest portrays that personality disorders can affect your life very seriously. OCD and histrionic personality disorders affected even a famous actress. Joan should not have treated her

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