Mildred Pierce (1945)
91%RT Audience Score: 90%
Awards & Nominations: Won 1 Oscar
3 wins & 6 nominations total
Tied together by a powerhouse performance from Joan Crawford, Mildred Pierce blends noir and social drama to soapily intoxicating effect.
Mildred Pierce” is a classic Hollywood melodrama that still packs a punch today. Joan Crawford gives a standout performance as the determined mother who will stop at nothing to provide for her family, even if it means getting caught up in murder accusations and tangled love affairs. The film is a perfect example of the genre, with tense social and sexual anxieties and a gripping plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Plus, who can resist those iconic shoulder pads? “Mildred Pierce” is a must-see for any classic film fan looking for a little bit of everything – drama, romance, and a touch of noir.
Production Company(ies)
Pakula-Mulligan Brentwood Productions,
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
26652 Latigo Shore Drive, Malibu, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Approved
Year of Release
1945
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Color:Color
Black and White -
Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:1.37 : 1
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Runtime:1h 49m
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Language(s):English, French
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Sep 24, 1945 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 14, 2005
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Joan Crawford, Ann Blyth, Jack Carson, Zachary Scott, Eve Arden, Bruce Bennett, directed by Michael Curtiz, written by James M Cain, Ranald MacDougall, William Faulkner, Catherine Turney, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Ed Potton, David Jenkins, Manny Farber, Don Druker, Variety Staff, Nick Schager, Dennis Harvey, Loren King, Mattie Lucas, Rosalie Kicks, Sean Mulvihill, MFB Critics, producer Jerry Wald, MPAA rating, Warner Bros Pictures, Mildred Pierce Beragon, Wally Fay, Veda Pierce Forrester, Monte Beragon, Ida Corwin, Bert Pierce, film noir, social drama, soap opera, police investigation, murder mystery, complicated mother-daughter relationship, independent woman, successful businesswoman, financial struggles, social status, patriarchal view, class struggles, upper class decay, strong female lead, multilayered characters, compelling leading character, psychological astute work, splendid cinematography, mise-en-scène, structure, melodrama, noir, black-and-white photography, sweeping theme, uplifting pieces, iconic performance, unsympathetic character, strong additive, fabulous starring role, strong story characters
Worldwide gross: $10,128
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $198,606
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,934
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 21,658
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Jack Carson – Wally Fay
Ann Blyth – Veda Pierce Forrester
Zachary Scott – Monte Beragon
Eve Arden – Ida Corwin
Bruce Bennett – Bert Pierce
Director(s)
Michael Curtiz
Writer(s)
James M. Cain, Ranald MacDougall, William Faulkner, Catherine Turney
Producer(s)
Jerry Wald
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Won 1 Oscar
3 wins & 6 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (44) | Top Critics (13) | Fresh (38) | Rotten (6)
Crawford is always mesmerizing, steely and teary as she is manipulated, accused of murder and circled by men who are stolid…crass…or emollient.
August 17, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
Ed Potton
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
This great film is a more subtle, nuanced beast than expected.
August 13, 2018 | Rating: 5/5
David Jenkins
Little White Lies
TOP CRITIC
The production, mainly because of Michael Curtiz’s direction, is unimaginative and badly hoked-up.
August 31, 2012
Manny Farber
The New Republic
TOP CRITIC
The archetypal Joan Crawford movie.
October 17, 2007
Don Druker
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
A class feature, showmanly produced by Jerry Wald and tellingly directed by Michael Curtiz.
October 17, 2007
Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
A hearty genre pic fraught with tense social/sexual anxieties.
August 7, 2006 | Rating: B+
Nick Schager
Lessons of Darkness
TOP CRITIC
…this B&W classic retains its own strengths as deluxe vintage melodrama.
October 19, 2020
Dennis Harvey
48 Hills
Sacrificial motherhood meets film noir to result in one of the most memorable screen mothers in “Mildred Pierce.”
May 7, 2020
Loren King
Newport This Week (RI)
Remains one of Hollywood’s great melodramas, a rich and psychologically astute work whose power still resonates today.
June 4, 2019 | Rating: 4/4
Mattie Lucas
From the Front Row
Joan Crawford shines in the role of Mildred; a hard-working, pie making, shoulder pad wearing and determined mother.
February 6, 2019 | Rating: 4/4
Rosalie Kicks
MovieJawn
Mildred Pierce is a film that defies typical genre classification for its era.
November 1, 2018 | Rating: 5/5
Sean Mulvihill
FanboyNation.com
Joan Crawford presents a consistent and sustained characterisation of the harassed Mrs. Pierce fighting against relentless spiritual degradation.
January 8, 2018
MFB Critics
Monthly Film Bulletin…
Plot
When Mildred Pierce’s out-of-work husband leaves her for another woman, Mildred decides to raise her two daughters on her own. Despite Mildred’s financial successes in the restaurant business, her oldest daughter, Veda, resents her mother for degrading their social status. In the midst of a police investigation after the death of her second husband, Mildred must evaluate her own freedom and her complicated relationship with her daughter.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Joan Crawford’s performance in Mildred Pierce is described as “mesmerizing, steely and teary” by one critic.
Michael-Curtiz.jpg
