Famous Sayings: #78 — ‘A Face Only a Mother Could Love’

September 8, 2017

That girl has a face only a mother could love.

The phrase “a face only a mother could love” might have originated from a 1976 independent film. The screenshot was taken from the scene where that line was uttered. (Pictured: Ernest Williams II as “Jesse Adams.”)

I know, I know. This isn’t a nice saying, but the search for its origin was well worth it. In the process, I was able to learn something new (as always) and I had an excuse to look a film I had never heard of before.

Before talking about the origin, let’s fist define what the saying means.