My Mom Jayne

Matt Roush says...

A remarkable and moving documentary directed by and featuring Law & Order: SVU icon Mariska Hargitay is a deeply personal journey into her family’s past — notably the tarnished memory of her sex-symbol movie-star mother, Jayne Mansfield, who died in a horrible car accident in 1967 when Mariska was just 3. (She and two brothers were in the back seat during this traumatic tragedy.) Struggling with feelings of shame over the sex-kitten persona her mother displayed during her brief career as a would-be Marilyn Monroe, Mariska gains newfound respect and insight by conducting frank interviews with her siblings, her dishy press secretary and others who saw the other side of Jayne. Far from a dumb blonde, Mansfield was a gifted musician with a gift for languages, serious if unfilled acting ambitions and a deep love for her family. In this fascinating odyssey of reconciliation with her heritage, Mariska reveals a secret she kept for 30 years involving her own parentage.

What's Worth Watching (Jun 27)