The Documentary, My Mom Jayne

[seadoug]

I know there is a separate thread on what people are watching on streaming services, but I felt this needed one of its own. We just watched the documentary My Mom Jayne, produced by her daughter Mariska Hargitay. Hargitay struggles, at 60, to find out more about her mother (since she was only 3 when she died), and to find out why she always felt like an "outsider" in the family and more detached from her mother.

She combs through memorabilia about Jayne Mansfield, interviews her older siblings and shares some surprising information that she hid for 30 years. She admits she hated her mom's "persona" voice but learns she always wanted to be a serious actress but was "boxed in" because Hollywood insisted she play a sex symbol. Jayne actually had an IQ of 160 and was an accomplished violinist but no one seemed to care.

The film is well-made, funny at times and very tragic and touching at times. I think anyone who watches it will be moved, possibly to tears. Definitely worthwhile!

 

[astralcat]

That looks like an interesting document I would like to watch. I will look up where and how to view it in Canada.

 

[Muskrat]

I am sure i will love this…

 

[JBR]

She combs through memorabilia about Jayne Mansfield, interviews her older siblings and shares some surprising information that she hid for 30 years. She admits she hated her mom's "persona" voice but learns she always wanted to be a serious actress but was "boxed in" because Hollywood insisted she play a sex symbol. Jayne actually had an IQ of 160 and was an accomplished violinist but no one seemed to care.

There's something I don't understand. Okay, if Jayne was genuinely a very high-IQ person, and an accomplished musician, why would she feel compelled to try to be a movie star? A movie star of any sort. Are there other examples of people who were forced by their circumstances to become involved with acting and decided to remain involved with it?

True, we've all heard of kids propelled by a "stage door mother", but we also know that there are countless examples of people who became successful in a field other than that which parents, friends, or peers hoped they'd be successful in. Maybe I'm being obtuse, but what about independent thinking & choice?

 

[Jules]

That looks like an interesting document I would like to watch. I will look up where and how to view it in Canada.

If you have Crave, you can see it there.

 

[Marcy Sheiner]

This doc is a mind blower. If you love Mariska as I do it'll have you weeping.

Law & Order SVU is one of the best shows on tv. Mariska is playing the longest running character in the history of the medium.

 

[Marcy Sheiner]

There's something I don't understand. Okay, if Jayne was genuinely a very high-IQ person, and an accomplished musician, why would she feel compelled to try to be a movie star? A movie star of any sort. Are there other examples of people who were forced by their circumstances to become involved with acting and decided to remain involved with it?

True, we've all heard of kids propelled by a "stage door mother", but we also know that there are countless examples of people who became successful in a field other than that which parents, friends, or peers hoped they'd be successful in. Maybe I'm being obtuse, but what about independent thinking & choice?

Watch the doc and you might just understand.

 

[hearlady]

I know there is a separate thread on what people are watching on streaming services, but I felt this needed one of its own. We just watched the documentary My Mom Jayne, produced by her daughter Mariska Hargitay. Hargitay struggles, at 60, to find out more about her mother (since she was only 3 when she died), and to find out why she always felt like an "outsider" in the family and more detached from her mother.

She combs through memorabilia about Jayne Mansfield, interviews her older siblings and shares some surprising information that she hid for 30 years. She admits she hated her mom's "persona" voice but learns she always wanted to be a serious actress but was "boxed in" because Hollywood insisted she play a sex symbol. Jayne actually had an IQ of 160 and was an accomplished violinist but no one seemed to care.

The film is well-made, funny at times and very tragic and touching at times. I think anyone who watches it will be moved, possibly to tears. Definitely worthwhile!

I definitely want to see this.

 

[hearlady]

There's something I don't understand. Okay, if Jayne was genuinely a very high-IQ person, and an accomplished musician, why would she feel compelled to try to be a movie star? A movie star of any sort. Are there other examples of people who were forced by their circumstances to become involved with acting and decided to remain involved with it?

True, we've all heard of kids propelled by a "stage door mother", but we also know that there are countless examples of people who became successful in a field other than that which parents, friends, or peers hoped they'd be successful in. Maybe I'm being obtuse, but what about independent thinking & choice?

A victim of Hollywood.

 

[Babs2u]

I know there is a separate thread on what people are watching on streaming services, but I felt this needed one of its own. We just watched the documentary My Mom Jayne, produced by her daughter Mariska Hargitay. Hargitay struggles, at 60, to find out more about her mother (since she was only 3 when she died), and to find out why she always felt like an "outsider" in the family and more detached from her mother.

She combs through memorabilia about Jayne Mansfield, interviews her older siblings and shares some surprising information that she hid for 30 years. She admits she hated her mom's "persona" voice but learns she always wanted to be a serious actress but was "boxed in" because Hollywood insisted she play a sex symbol. Jayne actually had an IQ of 160 and was an accomplished violinist but no one seemed to care.

The film is well-made, funny at times and very tragic and touching at times. I think anyone who watches it will be moved, possibly to tears. Definitely worthwhile!

I saw Jayne on Broadway in 1955 in Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter with Walter Matthau and Orson Bean. I was 18. Matinee performances were cheap and accessible.

 

[officerripley]

I really liked it too; very well done.

 

[ChiroDoc]

I loved the Jayne Mansfield era. Everyone knew she was a "B" version of Marilyn Monroe, but we liked her anyway.

The documentary is very well done. I suspect it's a two hanky experience for the lady viewers.

 

[seadoug]

What was especially interesting is that she had a very aggressive PR agent, who is interviewed at 100 y/o, who made sure she was always in the spotlight. Unfortunately it may have been for the wrong reasons.