A stormy night on the beach. A man is shot. Through his dying breath, a
single word escapes: "Mildred."
This is the instantly captivating beginning of the 1945 movie "Mildred
Pierce," starring the infamous Joan Crawford.
The film is Crawford's best; a production that stands out in film
history, opening viewers' eyes to the realities of World War II.
While police investigate the murder, the movie becomes a flashback of
Pierce's recent years. She is a single mother separated from her husband,
struggling to make ends meet for an ungrateful daughter.
She soon becomes a successful businesswoman, yet all is not well for
Pierce. The movie winds the viewer down the road of her heartbreak, happiness
and love.
It contains exceptional acting - Jack Carson as Wally Fay and Eve Arden
as Ida keep the mood light in their scenes; and Ann Blyth as pretentious Veda
delivers drama.
Crawford's tantalizing on-screen relationships with Bruce Bennett as
Bert and Zachary Scott as Monte Beragon provide romance.
I highly recommend this movie to people who enjoy a dramatic film;
Mildred Pierce is classified as a film noir, meaning it has a shadowy,
pessimistic plot.
Nevertheless, 63 years after its release and big box office debut, it
still keeps viewers on edge and leaves them wanting more. It is certainly worth
the $3 rental fee and the 1½ hours to watch it.
In light of a fading career, Crawford puts on the performance of a
lifetime - one that, in fact, is a hazy mirror of her own life.
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