Main Cast: Cloris Leachman, Stuart Whitman, Ann Sothern, Tisha Sterling, Jim Backus
Release Year: 1975
Country: US
Run Time: 82 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
Cloris Leachman stars as Melba, a woman with whom violence is a way of life, in Jonathan Demme's high-pitched "B"-movie Crazy Mama. The film spans three decades in the violent life of Melba, beginning in Jerusalem, Arkansas in 1932, when law enforcers kill her father (Clint Kimbrough), turning her mother Sheba (Ann Sothern) into a bitter widow. Mother and daughter take off to Long Beach, California, and the time jumps to 1958, when the two are thrown out of their beauty salon for non-payment of back rent. Melba now has an attractive (and pregnant) teenage daughter Cheryl (Linda Purl). The three generations take to the road, stealing cars and creating general mayhem across the United States, robbing a motorcycle racetrack box office and a bank. But in 1959, Melba and Cheryl are picked up again, running a Miami Beach snack bar, their lives wasted in free-living terror. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
Review
Jonathan Demme's second film is one of his best pre-Hollywood efforts. Working from a colorful script by veteran B-movie scribe Robert Thom, Demme manages to create a personalized variant on the crime-spree genre by placing a strong accent on character and replacing the usual B-movie antiheroes with a likable trio of women whose familial bonds add an unexpected element of warmth to the story. Crazy Mama also benefits from energetic and inspired performances by its leads: The usually more urbane Leachman sinks her teeth into her Southern-rebel role with vigor; Ann Sothern brings plenty of deadpan wit to her matriarch role; and Linda Purl makes a vivid impression as the daughter who is determined not to let men make choices for her. There is also plenty of sharp supporting work, especially Merie Earle's scene-stealing turn as the spunky old-timer who joins the crime clan in Las Vegas. Demme keeps the story rolling at a fast clip, delivering plenty of the action required for a Roger Corman production but also taking the time to work in some unexpectedly touching moments -- the best arrives when the criminal "family" salutes their fallen comrades by "shouting them into heaven." All in all, Crazy Mama is a forgotten gem worthy of rediscovery by B-movie fans and well worth the time for anyone interested in Jonathan Demme's early work. ~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide
Don Most - Shawn; Linda Purl - Cheryl; Merie Earle - Bertha; Sally Kirkland - Ella Mae; Clint Kimbrough - Daniel; Vince Barnett - Homer; John Aprea - Marvin; Carmen Argenziano - Supermarket Manager; Charles Beach Dickerson - Desk Clerk; Bryan Englund - Snake; Dinah Englund - Melba, 1932; Ralph James - Sheriff, 1932; Bill McLean - Bank Manager; Dick Miller - Wilbur Janeway; Harry Northrup - FBI Man; Bill Paxton - John; Barbara Walters - Lady Teller; Saul Krugman - Col. Snodgrass; Warren Miller - Justice of the Peace; Robert Reece - Mover; Mickey Fox - Mrs. Morgan; Hal Marshall - Bartender
Credit
Peter Jamison - Art Director, Jac McAnelly - Costume Designer, Jonathan Demme - Director, Evelyn Purcell - Second Unit Director, Allan Holzman - Editor, Barbara Pokras - Editor, Lewis Teague - Editor, Marshall Leib - Musical Direction/Supervision, Bruce Logan - Cinematographer, Julie Corman - Producer, Roger Corman - Producer, Linda Spheeris - Set Designer, James M. Halty - Stunts, Alan R. Gibbs - Stunts Coordinator, Frances Doel - Screen Story, Robert Thom - Screenwriter
