A potent mixture of melodrama and film noir, and one of the finest "women's films" of all time--featuring a standout performance by Joan Crawford. The story begins as the police interrogate Mildred Pierce, a wealthy restaurateur, after finding her second husband shot to death. In flashback, we see Mildred's life: her obsession with Veda, her selfish oldest daughter; her troubled first marriage, which ended in divorce; the tragic death of her younger child. Left with only Veda, Mildred determined to become successful in order to give her the best of everything -- and she succeeded brilliantly. But the harder Mildred worked, the more the patrician Veda despised her. Now the moment of truth has come: will Mildred once again sacrifice herself to protect her child... from being convicted of murder? Adapted from the novel by James M. Cain. Academy Award Nominations: 6, including Best Picture, Best (Adapted) Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress--Eve Arden and Ann Blyth. Academy Awards: Best Actress--Joan CrawFord.
MILDRED PIERCE was added to the Library of Congress National Film Registry in 1996.
Additional cast: Jo Ann Marlowe (Kay Pierce), Manart Kippen (Dr. Gale).
DVD Features:
Keep Case
Full Frame - 1.33
Audio:
Mono 1.0 English
Additional Release Material:
Documentary: Joan Crawford
Music Director
Leo F. Forbstein: Music Director\Warners
Writer
Ranald MacDougall: Screenwriter/Director/Prod.
Production Designer
Anton Grot: DeMille-era art director
Review 1:
"...[Crawford] played the doting Mildred to a tremulous tee, bagging an Oscar..."
Source: Total Film
p.100 05/01/2001
Review 2:
"...CASABLANCA'S Michael Curtiz, still the studio's top director at the time, is in peak form..."
Source: USA Today
p.15D 02/07/2003
Review 3:
4 stars out of 5 -- "We're in flashback from murder most foul; Joan nudges the compelling nightmare forward."
Source: Uncut
p.132 03/01/2006