rating:
(out of
4 stars)United States; 1945
Directed by Michael Curtiz; produced by Jerry Wald; screenplay by Ranald MacDougall; based on the novel by James M. Cain
Starring Joan Crawford, Jack Carson, Zachary Scott, Eve Arden, Ann Blyth, Bruce Bennett
'Mildred Pierce' is classic film noir when it comes to factors easy to point out. There is the female, possibly deadly, there is a men, possibly trapped in her web, there are a lot of shadows, uncertainties for characters and audience, there are plot twists, and of course most of the story is told in flashbacks. But when we look closer, or a little further into the film, we see mostly men in control of a lonely and fragile woman, and the story is told as a drama, not a crime thriller like most other noirs.
The film opens with a shooting and a man is killed. In the next shot we meet Mildred (Joan Crawford), crying, about to kill herself before she is stopped by a police officer. She walks away, passes a bar and is called in by Wally (Jack Carson). He obviously knows her, and it turns out they have a long history together. He has his eyes on her, and she takes him to the place the man was killed, trying to frame him for the murder. These are just the opening sequences - normally this could be an entire film noir.
At the police station the audience is able to sense this film is going to be different. They believe Wally instantly, and Bert Pierce (Bruce Bennett) - Mildred's former husband - is the main suspect for killing the man, identified as Monte Beragon (Zachary Scott). Mildred starts explaining why that is impossible, and so the big flash back begins.
We learn the three men - Wally, Bert, Monte - all know each other from business deals. One of them has to do with a string of restaurants, financed by Wally, managed by Mildred, partly owned by Monte. Mildred, mother of two, is making quite some money which she needs to stay in favor of her oldest daughter Veda (Ann Blyth), a spoiled kid with only dollars on her mind. The relationship between Mildred and Veda forms the dramatic center of this film, with the murder plot only used as something to get the story going.
The film is based on a James M. Cain novel, one of those writers perfectly suited for film noir. Together with Raymond Chandler and William Faulkner - who contributed to this script, even though his additions were not used - he is responsible for some of the better stories, including 'Double Indemnity' (screenplay by Chandler) and 'The Postman Always Rings Twice'. 'Mildred Pierce' fits them in tone and style, and on the surface in story, but the difference makes the film special in the genre. It has a form of suspense, but the murder is not really the reason for it.
Even though, as with most noirs, it is the women you'll remember. Crawford - winning her only Academy Award - gives us a Mildred who appears to be strong and certain on the outside, but shows her vulnerability especially concerning Veda. On her turn, Blyth - nominated for an Oscar - gives an equally strong performance as the unpredictable daughter. Finally Eve Arden - also nominated - shows up as co-manager and good friend of Mildred, responsible for some of the few laughs in this terrific film.