A noir melodrama adapted from James M Cain’s novel, Mildred Pierce finds the titular waitress-turned-restaurateur (Joan Crawford) coming into conflict with her beloved but brattish daughter over a feckless playboy.
The film is at once a critique of patriarchy and greed, and a celebration of female friendship and determination (cue the inimitable Eve Arden as Mildred’s pal).
Mildred Pierce (1945)
Joan Crawford is the upwardly mobile waitress/restaurant owner in Michael Curtiz’s adaptation of James M. Cain’s novel.
- 1945 USA
- Directed by
- Michael Curtiz
- Produced by
- Jerry Wald
- Written by
- Ranald Macdougall
- Featuring
- Joan Crawford, Jack Carson, Zachary Scott
- Running time
- 110 minutes
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