Mommy Dead and Dearest

Mommy Dead and Dearest
Based onMurder of Dee Dee Blanchard
Directed byErin Lee Carr
ComposerIan Hultquist
Country of originUnited States
Production
ProducerAndrew Rossi
CinematographyBryan Sarkinen
Running time82 minutes
Original release
NetworkHBO
ReleaseMay 16, 2017 (2017-05-16)

Mommy Dead and Dearest is a 2017 American documentary film directed by Erin Lee Carr about the murder of Dee Dee Blanchard. Her daughter, Gypsy Rose Blanchard, and daughter's boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn pleaded guilty and were convicted, respectively. The documentary debuted on HBO on May 16, 2017.[1]

The documentary explores the murder and its aftermath, but also focuses on the years of abuse that Gypsy suffered at the hands of her mother, who convinced many that Gypsy suffered from a variety of illnesses. The documentary also revealed the extent of the lies Dee Dee told about Gypsy's health. For example, she had long claimed that her daughter could not walk and had an unnecessary feeding tube fitted to the girl.[2]

Godejohn was sentenced to life in prison for first-degree murder and armed criminal action.[3]

Gypsy Rose Blanchard received a lesser sentence of 10 years and was paroled before serving all her time.[2]

Synopsis

The film focuses on the murder of Dee Dee Blanchard, for which Gypsy-Rose Blanchard and Nicholas Godejohn were both suspects. It takes place in Springfield, Missouri, their hometown, in June 2015. Detailed evidence about the case is told through interviews, court footage, family records, and medical records. [4]

Gypsy, in her early 20's, was previously seen using a wheelchair, a feeding tube, a breathing machine, and her head was shaved bald. Investigators soon discovered her medical problems had been fictitious, while Dee Dee continued making claims about her health. Dee Dee's behavior is believed to have stemmed from Munchausen Syndrome by proxy, evidently forcing her care and illness on her daughter. [4][5]

Nicholas Godejohn, whom Gypsy-Rose met online, is also a suspect in this murder. The online conversation between the two led investigators to believe the act was not spontaneous, but a planned murder.[4]

Cast

  • Rod Blanchard, Gypsy-Rose Blanchard's biological father[6]
  • Kristy Blanchard, married to Rod Blanchard; stepmother of Gypsy-Rose Blanchard[6]
  • Jim Arnott, Greene County Sheriff; first elected in 2008, re-elected for a second term in 2012, and for a third term in 2016[6][7]
  • Dr. Marc Feldman, "leading expert on the condition [(Munchausen by proxy)] and prominent on-camera presence in Mommy Dead and Dearest"[8]
  • Bernard Flatersten, pediatric neurologist[9]
  • Gypsy-Rose Blanchard, the daughter convicted of murdering her mother in 2015[10]
  • Nicholas Godejohn, ex-boyfriend of Gypsy-Rose, convicted of killing Dee Dee Blanchard[11]
  • Emma Pitre, Gypsy-Rose's grandmother, mother of Dee Dee Blanchard[12]
  • Clauddinea "Dee Dee" Blanchard, mother and victim of Gypsy-Rose[6]

Background and history

For many years before the murder, Gypsy and Dee Dee lived alone in a small house located in Springfield, Missouri. Dee Dee, Gypsy's mother, didn't have a job, but served as a full-time caretaker for her daughter. A former friend of Dee Dee's told BuzzFeed News article writer, Michelle Dean, that the neighbors liked them; once you met them, they were impossible to forget. [10]

Gypsy was about 5 feet tall, but confined to a wheelchair. She was skinny, with crumbling teeth and a feeding tube. Sometimes she would carry around an oxygen tank with her. Ever since Gypsy had Leukemia as a baby, Dee Dee has proved false illnesses to medical professionals such as chromosomal defects, epilepsy, sleep apnea, muscular dystrophy, eye problems and brain damage.[10]

Kim Blanchard, a close relative and neighbor, was one of the first individuals to react to what Gypsy had posted on Facebook, describing the Death of Dee Dee. While both Gypsy and Dee Dee have been unreachable before due to medical visits, this time seemed suspicious. Kim's husband, David, climbed through the window to investigate the Blanchard house while the police awaited a search warrant, which came through at 10:45 PM on June 14, 2025. Police found Dee Dee dead in the bedroom with no sign of Gypsy.[10]

Reception

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 100% based on 14 reviews. Neil Genzlinger from The New York Times, a top critic, said "[t]he strangeness of this killing speaks for itself, and the director, Erin Lee Carr, largely just lets it do so."[13] Another top critic from The Hollywood Reporter, Sheri Linden, mentions "[d]igging beneath the headlines of the high profile matricide, which turned out to involve one of the most horrific examples of Munchausen syndrome by proxy ever documented, Carr's film poses as many provocative questions as it answers."[13]

Aja Romano, from Vox, rated the film a 3.5/5 with a critical response noting "[t]he film's interweaving of past and present creates a visually unsettling tapestry of disbelief."[13] Another critical response said by Brian Lowry, from CNN, says the film is "[a] twisted and twisty documentary that's as unsettling as it is absorbing."[13]

Awards and nominations

In 2017, Mommy Dead and Dearest was nominated for two awards at that SXSW Film Festival (one for the Grand Jury Award and the other Chicken and Egg Award, but lost to The Work and I Am Another You).[14][15]

References

  1. ^ Roshanian, Arya (2016-10-27). "TV News Roundup: Bianca Del Rio to Star in LOGO Comedy Specials". Variety. Retrieved 2017-01-04.
  2. ^ a b Barcella, Laura (2017-05-15). "'Mommy Dead and Dearest' Doc on Gypsy Blanchard: What We Learned". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2019-03-13.
  3. ^ McDonell-Parry, Amelia; McDonell-Parry, Amelia (2018-11-14). "'Mommy Dead and Dearest Murder Trial Begins for Gypsy Rose Blanchard's Ex". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2019-03-13.
  4. ^ a b c Genzlinger, Neil (2017-05-14). "Review: The Bizarre Case of 'Mommy Dead and Dearest'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-05-06.
  5. ^ "The Story of Gypsy-Rose Blanchard and Her Mother". Biography. 2025-01-02. Retrieved 2025-05-06.
  6. ^ a b c d "All About Gypsy Rose Blanchard's Relationship with Her Stepmother Kristy Blanchard". People.com. Retrieved 2025-05-07.
  7. ^ "Sheriff Arnott". greenecountymo.gov. Retrieved 2025-05-07.
  8. ^ Herzog, Kenny (2017-05-15). "What Mommy Dead and Dearest Gets Right About Munchausen Syndrome". Vulture. Retrieved 2025-05-07.
  9. ^ "Bernard Flatersten - Filmography, Age, Biography, Credits & More". Mabumbe. Retrieved 2025-05-07.
  10. ^ a b c d Dean, Michelle (2016-08-19). "Dee Dee Wanted Her Daughter To Be Sick, Gypsy Wanted Her Mom Murdered". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved 2025-05-07.
  11. ^ "Where Is Gypsy Rose Blanchard's Ex-Boyfriend Nicholas Godejohn Now? All About His Prison Sentence". People.com. Retrieved 2025-05-07.
  12. ^ "The Real Story of Gypsy Rose's Grandma Is Just As Wild As What You've Seen On 'The Act'". Women's Health. 2019-04-20. Retrieved 2025-05-07.
  13. ^ a b c d "Mommy Dead and Dearest - Movie Reviews | Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2025-05-07.
  14. ^ SXSW 2017 Award Winners: Most Beautiful Island Wins Grand Jury Prize|IndieWire
  15. ^ Here Are the Winners of the 2017 SXSW Film Festival Awards – No Film School
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