Mommie Dearest (1981)

What's so heart-wrenching about this freakout is that it's based on alleged real abuses suffered by actress Joan Crawford's adopted daughter, Christina. Known for being an alcoholic perfectionist, renowned actress Joan Crawford was a tough person to have as a mother, apparently. Based on Christina's tell-all book of the same name, this scene in Mommie Dearest (1981) depicts a time when her mother beat her with a wire coat hanger, which Joan (played by Faye Dunaway) found was holding Christina's expensive dress. The scene is not easy to watch, although it still manages to burn itself into the memories of those who've seen it, making it memorable for unfortunate reasons.