Mildred Pierce (1945)

My Review

Joan Crawford plays “Mildred Pierce,” the owner of a chain of restaurants around Southern California whose husband has been murdered. She is the police’s prime suspect, but Mildred has a feeling her daughter committed the dastardly deed. The heavy drama and building suspense proceeds from there, well directed by Michael Curtiz (“Casablanca” 1942) which makes for an engrossing and fast-moving two hour running time. The screenplay was penned by Ranald MacDougall. adapted from the 1941 novel of the same name by James M. Cain.

The cast includes Joan Crawford, Jack Carson, Zachary Scott, Eve Arden, Ann Blyth, Bruce Bennett, Lee Patrick, Moroni Olsen, Butterfly McQueen, Jo Ann Marlowe, Veda Ann Borg, and Charles Trowbridge. “Mildred Pierce” was a massive box office sensation for producer Jerry Wald and Warner Bros. Pictures. It was nominated for six Academy Awards, winning one for Best Actress (Crawford). Non-winners include Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress (Arden, Blyth), Best Screenplay, and Best Cinematography/Black-and-White (Ernest Haller).