Do you want to see ‘Mildred Pierce’?

Mildred Pierce (1945)

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Average Rating: 7.6/10
Reviews Counted: 32
Fresh: 27 | Rotten: 5

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Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 4
Fresh: 3 | Rotten: 1

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Movie Info

Joan Crawford won an Academy Award for her bravura portrayal of the titular heroine in Mildred Pierce. The original James M. Cain novel concerns a wife and mother who works her way to financial security to provide a rosy future for her beloved daughter, but encounters difficulties and tragedies along the way. Ranald McDougall's screenplay tones down the sexual content, enhancing its film noir value by adding a sordid murder. The film opens with oily lounge lizard Monte Beragon (Zachary Scott)

Unrated, 1 hr. 53 min.

Drama, Mystery & Suspense, Classics

Directed By: Michael Curtiz

Written By: Ranald MacDougall, James M. Cain

In Theaters: Oct 20, 1945 Wide

On DVD: Feb 4, 2003

MGM Home Entertainment

Mildred Pierce Trailer & Photos

Cast

Joan Crawford
Mildred Pierce
Jack Carson
Wally Fay
Zachary Scott
Monte Beragon
Eve Arden
Ida
Ann Blyth
Veda Pierce
Lee Patrick
Maggie Binderhof
Bruce Bennett
Bert Pierce
Moroni Olsen
Inspector Peterson
Veda Ann Borg
Miriam Ellis
Jo Ann Marlowe
Kay Pierce
Barbara Brown
Mrs. Forrester
Charles Trowbridge
Mr. Williams
Butterfly McQueen
Lottie
Chester Clute
Mr. Jones
John Compton
Ted Forrester
Betty Alexander
Party Guest
Ramsay Ames
Party Guest
George Anderson
Peterson's Assistant
Lynne Baggett
Waitress
Wheaton Chambers
Personnel Man
Wallis Clark
Wally's Lawyer
Joyce Compton
Waitress
Clancy Cooper
Policeman
David Cota
Pancho
Thomas P. Dillon
Bob Evans
Sailor
James Flavin
Detective
Angela Greene
Charles Jordan
Policeman
Marjorie "Babe" Kane
Marion Lessing
Waitress
James Lono
Houseboy
George Meader
Man
Harold Miller
Man
Garry Owen
Policeman
Paul Panzer
Waiter
William H. Ruhl
Personnel Man
Mary Servoss
Nurse
John Sheridan
Clerk
George Tobias
Mr. Chris
Joan Winfield
Piano Teacher
John Christian
Singing Teacher
Leah Baird
Police Matron
Richard Kipling
Larry Rio
Reporter
Robert Arthur
High School Boy
Elyse Brown
Waitress
Doria Caron
Waitress
Don Grant
Bartender
Helen Pender
Party Guest
Tom Dillon
Policeman
Manart Kipper
Dr. Gale
Johnny Walsh
Delivery Man
Bob Locke Lorraine
Man
John O'Connor
Detective

Critic Reviews for Mildred Pierce

All Critics (34) | Top Critics (5) | Fresh (30) | Rotten (5) | DVD (15)

All this is good melodrama and fair entertainment, but it is much closer to the waltz-time schmalz of Kathleen Norris than to the fox-trot brass of James M. Cain.

July 25, 2011 Full Review Source: TIME Magazine

| Comment

TIME Magazine

Top Critic

The archetypal Joan Crawford movie.

October 17, 2007 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader

| Comment

Don Druker

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

A class feature, showmanly produced by Jerry Wald and tellingly directed by Michael Curtiz.

October 17, 2007 Full Review Source: Variety

| Comment

Variety Staff

Variety

Top Critic

Joan Crawford is playing a most troubled lady, and giving a sincere and generally effective characterization of same.

March 25, 2006 Full Review Source: New York Times

| Comment

New York Times

Top Critic

Joan Crawford gives one of her most iconic (Oscar-winning) performances in Michael Curtiz's quintessential film noir and woman's picture of the 1940s.

March 25, 2009 Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com

| Comment

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com Source: EmanuelLevy.Com

An undisputed classic.

October 17, 2007 Full Review Source: Film4

| Comment

Film4

A hearty genre pic fraught with tense social/sexual anxieties.

August 7, 2006 Full Review Source: Lessons of Darkness

| Comment

Nick Schager

Lessons of Darkness

The film is a chilling demonstration of the fact that, in a patriarchal society, when a woman steps outside the home the end result may be disastrous.

June 24, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out

| Comment

Time Out

A protective mother's love leads to familial tragedy, and you know what you're in for when mommy dearest happens to be the incomparable Joan Crawford.

June 15, 2005 Full Review Source: Slant Magazine

| Comment

Jeremiah Kipp

Slant Magazine

Though all of its craft is accomplished, Mildred Pierce never gets deep under one's skin the way it ought to.

June 15, 2005 Full Review Source: Slant Magazine

| Comment

Jeremiah Kipp

Slant Magazine

...isn't quite in the same class of noir film as Double Indemnity or The Postman Always Rings Twice, but it's still a good mystery and a good character drama.

June 12, 2005 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis

| Comment

John J. Puccio

Movie Metropolis

It shows its age in some scenes...yet it survives them all with its riveting performances.

June 12, 2005 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis

| Comment

John J. Puccio

Movie Metropolis

Great middle-period Crawford, strong story

October 23, 2004 Comment

Steve Crum

Kansas City Kansan Source: Kansas City Kansan

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Mildred Pierce

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The story of "Mildred Pierce," follows Mildred, a poor woman who is about to divorce her wealthy husband. Once this happens, she results to becoming a waitress in order to put food on the table for her children. She quickly moves up in the business and eventually takes a chance in creating her own restaurant chain. She

January 20, 2012

KJ Proulx

Super Reviewer

What a fantastic movie, I loved it, the story is great and the actors are even better! One of my favourite movies.

September 5, 2010

AJ Verser

Super Reviewer

Mildred Pierce Quotes

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1. Veda Pierce: Are you sure you want to know?
2. Mildred Pierce: Yes.
3. Veda Pierce: Then I'll tell you. With this money, I can get away from you.
4. Mildred Pierce: Veda...
5. Veda Pierce: From you and your chickens, pies and kitchens and everything that smells of grease. I can get away from this shack and its cheap furniture. And this town and its dollar-days and its women that wear uniforms and its men that wear overalls.
6. Mildred Pierce: I think I'm really seeing you for the first time in my life and you're cheap and horrible.
7. Veda Pierce: You think just because you've made a little money, you can get some new hairdo and some expensive clothes and turn yourself into a lady. But you can't. You'll never be anything but a common frump whose father lived over a grocery store and whose mother took in washing. With this money I can get away from all the rotting, stinking thing that makes me think of this place or you!
8. Mildred Pierce: Veda!
– Submitted by Ralph T (3 months ago)
1. Ida: Personally, Veda's convinced me that alligators have the right idea. They eat their young.
– Submitted by Chris P (9 months ago)

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