Programmed November 2021

American Psychosis: Five Films by Frank Perry

Renowned for his empathetic studies of characters afflicted by mental illness and bourgeois malaise, Frank Perry found critical acclaim with the groundbreaking independent drama David and Lisa , the Burt Lancaster–starring suburban fantasia The Swimmer , and the New York yuppie tragicomedy Diary of a Mad Housewife , all written by his then-wife and collaborator Eleanor Perry. While his early films were celebrated for their sensitivity and nuance, Perry has perhaps become best known for the cult classic that made wire hangers infamous: his searing and controversial Joan Crawford biopic Mommie Dearest , built around a ferocious, often frightening performance by Faye Dunaway.

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