← Back to results
Mildred Pierce
1945 111 min United States of America 16+
★8.4
Crime, Drama
Director: Michael Curtiz
📖 Based on the novel
«Mildred Pierce»
byJames M. Cain
Trailers
Description
A hard-working mother inches towards disaster as she divorces her husband and starts a successful restaurant business to support her spoiled daughter.
Budget:
$1.45M
Worldwide:
$5.64M
Starring
Joan Crawford
Actor
Jack Carson
Actor
Zachary Scott
Actor
Awards
Academy Awards 1946
— Best Actress
Academy Awards 1946
— Best Supporting Actress
Academy Awards 1946
— Best Adapted Screenplay
Academy Awards 1946
— Best Cinematography (Black and White)
Academy Awards 1946
— Best Picture
Key opinion
Mildred Pierce is a quintessential 1940s noir-drama that masterfully balances a compelling rags-to-riches story with a tense murder mystery. Joan Crawford’s career-defining, Oscar-winning performance anchors the film, effectively navigating the complexities of maternal sacrifice and the dark consequences of ambition.
| Acting | Joan Crawford delivers an iconic, career-reviving performance that perfectly captures the strength and vulnerability of a self-made woman. | |
| Acting | Ann Blyth provides a chilling and memorable portrayal of the spoiled, manipulative daughter Veda. | |
| Direction | Michael Curtiz successfully integrates the tropes of a 'woman's picture' with noir mystery elements, creating a genre-bending narrative. | |
| Screenplay | The film utilizes an inventive 'Citizen Kane'-style reverse chronology that elevates the murder mystery hook. | |
| Score | Max Steiner’s score provides an elegant and effective atmospheric backdrop without overpowering the drama. | |
| Pacing | The rapid-fire pacing of Mildred's ascent is viewed as either a thrilling, brisk transformation or an unrealistic and exhausting narrative shortcut. | |
| Theme | Opinions on the film's structural identity are divided: some praise the successful blend of melodrama and crime, while others view the melodramatic elements as bordering on excessive or 'trashy'. |