MILDRED PIERCE (1946)

Directed by: Michael Curtiz
Based on the novel by: James M. Cain
Starring: Joan Crawford, Jack Carson, Zachary Scott, Eve Arden, Ann Blyth, Bruce Bennett, Butterfly McQueen, Lee Patrick, Moroni Olsen, Veda Ann Borg, Jo Ann Marlowe, Charles Trowbridge, Garry Owen

111 minutes
(NR - adult themes)

PLOT:
Upon the discovery of her second husband Monte Beragon's gunshot riddled dead body, Mildred Beragon - Mildred Pierce during her first marriage - is questioned by the police, she who tells them about the circumstances of her life starting with the break-up with her first husband, Bert Pierce, who the police will be charging with the murder. Their break-up stemmed from a combination of the associated issues of money problems - he unemployed at the time, she feels the need to sell homemade baked goods to afford what she wanted for the family - his supposed infidelity with a Mrs. Biederhof, and primarily the disagreement in the raising of their two offspring, daughters Veda and Kay, a teenager and adolescent respectively at the time. What Mildred wanted with whatever money came into the house was the best of everything for the girls, especially related to being cultured, belying their working-class background. While tomboyish Kay was happy just having her brand of fun outside of the "culture", such as the ballet lessons, Veda always wanted more, whatever given to her unconditionally never seeming to be enough for her increasingly refined tastes. Partly with the help of Bert's former business partner Wally Fay, that help despite Mildred always rebuffing his sexual advances, Mildred was able to parlay her domestic skills combined with sheer determination to start what ended up being a successful and lucrative restaurant chain empire. It was in purchasing a property from him for the first restaurant that Mildred met then wealthy Monte, their relationship which opened Veda's eyes to what truly living the high life could be. While Mildred tries to portray certain aspects to the police for her wanted outcome, they may glean other aspects from her story to make the imminent murder charge stick.

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