Sick Product of a Sick System

Beautiful, moving film.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Milderd Pierce is the best movie in the 1940's for me after Milderd Pierce is Now Voyger.The Movie is about a Woman named Milderd pierce is telling stuff about here life after her husband got shot.Her a has some rise and falls and also a death!!.Th Acting was amazing.Also Joan Crawford was in the movie so this movie differently be good so just watch the movie!!Sincerely,Oliver Wady

I came to this with high expectations, and ended feeling somewhat disappointed. Sure, the look was great (excellent camera work) and the music superb. Joan Crawford was good for her part, but so much of her speech was exposition—not at all conversational or realistic. Jack Carson and Eve Arden were scene-stealers whenever they were in shot—fantastic. The rest of the cast were wooden in their performances, almost reading their lines and so obviously "acting." And the writing was a real disappointment. Take each conversation, and it's hard to believe that anyone would ever talk that way. Still, I've seen plenty worse! But it isn't really a movie that I would have any desire to revisit.

Joan Crawford won an Oscar for her portrayal of a mother whose determination to make a better life for her daughter leads to disastrous outcomes. Whereas Crawford is now known as abusive towards her children, "Mildred Pierce" casts her as a caring individual, while her daughter is the brutal one. Michael Curtiz's adaptation of James M. Cain's novel creates a truly noir setting. None of the characters can truly get called a "good" or "bad" person, even though plenty of them do questionable things.Without a doubt, the bulk of the credit has to go to Crawford. Her facial expressions are enough to chill you. Good performances also come from the rest of the cast, but Michael Curtiz's - of "Casablanca" fame - direction merits praise. The camera angles, lighting, and overall pace of the movie create one of the most intense movies that you'll ever see. I don't know what James M. Cain - of "The Postman Always Rings Twice" fame - thought of this adaptation, but I recommend it.As for movies about Joan Crawford, "Mommie Dearest" has a trashy reputation, but I took it seriously. I understand that Ryan Murphy has produced an upcoming miniseries about the production of "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?", starring Jessica Lange as Joan Crawford and Susan Sarandon as Bette Davis. This sounds good. In the mean time, definitely see "Mildred Pierce" (I still haven't seen Todd Haynes's 2011 miniseries starring Kate Winslet).

Widely acknowledged as one of the greatest movies ever made, Curtiz's "Mildred Pierce" is more than a film about the life story of a hard working woman and the mysterious murder occurring in her house. It is a study of the human psychology.. the needs and desires.. and an approach to how people differentiate between illusion and reality and whether it is really valid!"Mildred pierce" is a film noir told through flashbacks with a voice-over narration from the protagonist, where she is telling her life story to the detective investigating in the murder of her second husband. An attractive housewife separates from her first husband due to disagreements related mainly to the raising of their two daughters. Mildred's Life then starts to take a different shape with all the struggles and sufferings, only to find that her hardest challenge is her older daughter Veda with her greedy, mean, and spoiled manners; all of which lead to destruction.The plot and its protagonist Mildred Pierce reminded me of "Gone with the Wind". The film though is more cynical and the characters are in a way or another two-faced.. The acting was great and that helped a lot in introducing the complicated characters and deep dialogue successfully (3 actresses were nominated for Oscars with a win for Joan Crawford in addition to Best Writing nomination). The incredible execution of the film intended to make it gloomy and succeeded.. it is dark, deeply shaded, mysterious, and "deceptive".. wonderful cinematography (also nominated). And the directing.. well it was masterful.What I love about this movie is the way Curtiz introduced its meanings and allegories. Starting with the opening scene, Curtiz shows us Monte (the second husband) being murdered without showing us the murderer. Going through Mildred's story the bits and bits of her life build up for us the image of the killer. The mystery (of life?) carries within it great illusions. In one scene, Mildred goes into a room to search for a bathing suit and Monte follows.. it is then revealed, as Mildred moves closer, that the initial shot was for a reflection of the mirror and for a moment there Mildred is facing herself in the mirror. A similar scene (of a mirror shot) is when Monte is embracing Mildred (do we perceive things in life as they are? are we even honest to ourselves? our feelings.. affections..). Remarkably in the same scene, Monte mentions the sound of his beating heart to Mildred.. after a while the "love scene" ends with Mildred telling Monte to stop the record "from beating" (the sound then - or his feelings I should say are artificial and his words deceptive).Note that in a scene on the beach, Curtiz plays with the light. It is the only "shiny" scene in the film without the contrasts where Mildred is seen happy with her lover Monte (before he becomes her husband).. Curtiz is being artistic and stylish.Curtiz then presents for us the human psyche at-most.. a devotion of a mother that in itself carries the seeds of destruction.. The strengths and motives that turn into weaknesses.. the desire to be wanted that makes someone try to buy the love of another (is "love" ever unconditional or does it always come from a need).. loyalty and betrayal.. the dark humor coming out through memorable words.. and the two faced characters. A beauty.. and a must-see classic.. Mildred Pierce.