Mildred Pierce: Highlights of a Successful Noir Production

Mildred Pierce was produced by Warner Bros. in 1945. The film was directed by prolific filmmaker Michael Curtiz, who had directed a number of other notable films, including Casablanca and The Adventures of Robin Hood. The film was produced by Jerry Wald, with studio head Jack L. Warner as executive producer. The screenplay was written by Ranald MacDougall From the 1941 novel of the same name by James M. Cain, author of the novel Double Indemnity. The novel Mildred Pierce was more a psychological work and less violent than the film (MacDougall).

Mildred Pierce starred Joan Crawford as Mildred Pierce. The studio’s first choice to play the part of Mildred Pierce was Bette Davis, but after she turned down the role, Joan Crawford was signed to play the part. This would be Crawford's first starring film for Warner Bros. after leaving MGM (AllRovi). Other roles included Jack Carson as Wally Fay, Zachary Scott as Monte Beragon, Eve Arden as Ida Corwin, Ann Blyth as Veda Pierce, and Bruce Bennett as Bert Pierce.

One summary of the plot reads, “After her cheating husband leaves her, Mildred Pierce proves she can become independent and successful, but can't win the approval of her spoiled daughter (IMDb).”

Some of the advertising for the film included clever taglines to lure audiences who were seeking a darker storyline: "The kind of woman most men want – but shouldn't have!" "A mother's love leads to murder." "In her heart of hearts, she knew it would happen this way!" My favorite one is, "Please don't tell anyone what Mildred Pierce did!"

Author Pam Cook, in her article “Duplicity in Mildred Pierce” suggests the film should be viewed as melodrama and may not even fit into the film noir category (Cook). But there are many elements of the film that support the Film Noir identity. Some of these noir themes are money, greed,  independence of women, disjointed family, and betrayal. The film opens with a gunshot and a murder victim in a body bag. The narrative is told through flashbacks that tell the story and help us to understand what happened.  The sound by Oliver S. Garretson is atmospheric. The music by Max Steiner offers a melodramatic theme. The scenes contain high-contrast lighting that is sundrenched and open. Deep contrast chiaroscuro lighting is evident. The almost obligatory shadows and blinds are used in several settings (Film Studies).

Also interesting are some of the wardrobe tests done for the character of Mildred Pierce. Several images were used to test different apparel that was considered for various scenes. In these wardrobe tests, chalk boards were used to note the location of the scene, the actor, the character, and other details.

The film was considered an enormous success at the box office. It ranked in the top 10 grossing films of 1945. With a production cost of $1.45 million, a domestic box office receipts of $3.5 million, and a foreign studio gross of $2.1 million. Warner Bros’ profit was about $3.5 million. The profit, in current terms, adjusting for inflation, would be about $45 million.  

The film received several Academy Award nominations, as follows:
1946 - Won - Best Actress in a Leading Role - Joan Crawford
1946 - Nominated - Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Eve Arden
1946 - Nominated - Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Ann Blyth
1946 - Nominated - Best B&W Cinematography- Ernest Haller
1946 - Nominated - Best Picture - Jerry Wald
1946 - Nominated - Best Writing, Screenplay - Ranald MacDougall

Mildred Pierce has received a lot of Positive Feedback in the press. TV Guide Online says, "Everything about Mildred Pierce is first-rate, from stellar production values to Curtiz's marvelously paced direction, which refuses to allow sentiment to rule the story.”  David Denby of the New Yorker wrote, "Mildred Pierce…is perhaps more candid about money and social status than any American movie of the period.” Film noir expert Eddie Mueller stated, “Mildred Pierce is perhaps the greatest melodrama ever produced by Hollywood.”

It wasn’t until the Hays Office approved Raymond Chandlers script for Double Indemnity that Warner Bros. decided to turn the book Mildred Pierce into a film. But instead of toning it down from the book, they pumped it up with a murder (MacDougall).

The film Mildred Pierce changed the publics' perception of Joan Crawford, who had become somewhat of a fashion icon and less respected as an actress.  The role of Mildred Pierce demonstrated a shift towards a more masculine, powerful character role (Corber). 

 

A notable oddity in the film includes a scene just before Mildred's daughter Veda is taken into custody, she tells Mildred: "I'll get by," but her lips don't move.

Works Cited

1.      "Mildred Pierce." IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 02 June 2013.

2.      Mildred Pierce Ranald MacDougall - Albert J.LaValley - James M.Cain - Published for the Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research by the University of Wisconsin Press - 1980.

3.      "Mildred Pierce (1945)." AllRovi. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 May 2013.

4.      Cold war femme: lesbianism, national identity, and Hollywood cinema. Robert J.Corber - Duke University Press - 2011.

5.      Cook, Pam. “Duplicity in Mildred Pierce”. in Kaplan, E. Ann. Women in Film Noir. London: BFI Pub., 1998. Print.

6.      "Film Studies: Mildred Pierce." Film Studies: Mildred Pierce. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 June 2013.

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