Review of Mildred Pierce (1945) by Kevin R — 20 Apr 2013

I'm so smart it is a disease.

Mildred Pierce's husband cheats and deserts her, leaving her with a demanding daughter. Mildred becomes an independent woman, starts working as a waitress, saves her pennies, and eventually opens her own restaurant. She makes enough money to give her daughter the best life she can but her daughter keeps the pressure on her to make more and more money. Can Mildred meet her daughter's expectations or will her life crumble through her fingers?

"You don't really think I could be in love with a rotten tramp like you, do you?".

Michael Curtiz, director of Casablanca, White Christmas, The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Vagabond King, Yankee Doodle Dandy, and Captain Blood, delivers Mildred Pierce. The storyline for this picture is absolutely awesome. The main character is mesmerizing and the side characters, male pursuers as well as the daughter, are so well written and delivered. The performances are stunning and the cast includes Joan Crawford, Jack Carson, Zachary Scott, Eve Arden, Bruce Bennett, and Ann Blyth.

"Detectives have souls...the same as anyone else.".

I am a HUGE Michael Curtiz fan and I am coming around on Joan Crawford. I found this picture on Turner Classic Movies (TCM) and decided to give it a shot. I will tell you this is an amazing picture and easily my favorite Crawford film to date. The story is intriguing, unpredictable, and very intricate and ways I hardly anticipated. This thriller is a must see and amongst my favorite Curtiz films.

"I lost my awe of women at an early age.".

Grade: A+.