Mildred Pierce

Starring:Joan Crawford, Jack Carson, Zachary Scott, Eve Arden, Ann Blyth, Bruce Bennett, Lee Patrick, Moroni Olsen, Veda Ann Borg, Jo Ann Marlowe, Tom Dillon, Wheaton Chambers, Larry Rio, Claire Carleton, Garry Owen, Leah Baird, Don Grant, Perk Lazelle, George Tobias, Joan Wardley
Director: Michael Curtiz
Studio: Warner Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com essential video

For a full dose of pure, unfiltered Joan Crawford, look no further than this slab of scorching film noir. Crawford is in her element as the heroine of James M. Cain's pulp-fiction classic, a ditched wife and mother who is forced to become a waitress. On the strength of Crawford's steely willpower (and maybe those intimidating wide-wing shoulder pads), she constructs an empire of eateries, only to be disappointed by her rotten daughter (Ann Blyth) and a ferret-faced new husband (Zachary Scott). Director Michael Curtiz (Casablanca) whips up a storm of atmosphere, and the script is a series of tartly written exchanges. The best lines go to perennial wisecracker Eve Arden, as Crawford's acid-tongued pal--she earned her only Oscar nomination for the role. Commenting on the ungrateful daughter, Arden says, "Alligators have the right idea. They eat their young." Crawford herself took home the best actress Oscar, and the film was a triumphant personal comeback: her longtime studio MGM had released her from her contract before Mildred Pierce came along. Is this great acting? (Pauline Kael called it "heavy breathing.") Whatever Joan Crawford is doing in this movie, it's movie presence at its most formidable. --Robert Horton

Description

What Veda wants, her mother Mildred Pierce provides. Even if Mildred must end her middle-class marriage, climb atop the male-dominated business world and marry a wealthy man she doesn't love. "I'll do anything," Mildred says in explaining her love for her daughter. But does anything include murder? Just when you think you got this nominee for five other Oscarsincluding Best Picture figured out, along comes a shocking twist ending! Director: Michael Curtiz Starring: Joan Crawford, Jack Carson, Zachary Scott, Eve Arden, Ann Blyth

Customer Reviews:

Mildred Pierce.......2007-06-25

Peerless Warners director Michael Curtiz creates a diabolical murder yarn. Crawford resuscitated her fading career with the driven Mildred, a part she was born to play. Blyth grates as Veda (hard for her not to), and Scott and Carson each ooze their particular brand of acid as the calculating men in Mildred's life. For a vicarious glimpse into seamy small town intrigue, you can't beat this one. Joan won Oscar.

Evil, thy name is Veda..........2007-06-24

MILDRED PIERCE brought Joan Crawford her very first Academy Award in 1945, playing a valiant mother willing to sacrifice everything for her daughters' happiness.

Mildred Pierce (Crawford) is a frumpy middle-class housewife who invests every spare cent and waking moment into educating and bettering her two children; teenager Veda (Ann Blyth) and precocious Kay (Jo Anne Marlowe). When her husband Bert (Bruce Bennett) moves on to greener pastures, Mildred has no other option than to fling on the shoulderpads and enter the workforce. Despite her eventual success in opening a chain of restaurants, nothing she ever does or provides is "good enough" for Veda. Her ego spinning wildly out of control, Veda manipulates her mother and everyone around her, with dire consequences...

MILDRED PIERCE features some classic confrontation scenes between Crawford and Ann Blyth, who is so good as the evil Veda that you just want to throttle her! Based on the novel by James M. Cain (who also wrote "The Postman Always Rings Twice"), MILDRED PIERCE revived Joan Crawford's flagging film career and gave way to a series of similarly-themed noir drama roles at Warner Brothers. The amazing cast also includes Jack Carson, Lee Patrick, Zachary Scott and Eve Arden as Mildred's wisecracking best friend (in what surprisingly turned out to be her sole Oscar-nominated performance).

Followers of the infamous Joan Crawford/Bette Davis rivalry will be quick to notice that Max Steiner's musical score recycles portions of the main love theme from the 1942 Bette Davis vehicle "Now Voyager" (mostly during Crawford's love scenes). Whether or not Crawford noticed this, it's another great twist in the story of the reportedly bitter feud during their days as Warner Brothers' premier leading ladies.

The DVD includes a brilliantly-restored print of the movie (it's the best this title has ever looked on home video). Bonus features (on the flipside of the disc) are just as good, with the acclaimed feature-length TCM documentary "Crawford: The Ultimate Movie Star", narrated by Anjelica Huston, and featuring interviews with surviving co-stars and directors, biographers, historians, plus Crawford's adopted daughter Christina (who talks about the incidents in her book "Mommie Dearest"). A trailer gallery for all of the Crawford/Warner Brothers films is also quite interesting.

(Double-sided, single-layer disc)

Mildred Pierce.......2007-06-13

The movie was an old favorite of mine so I already knew it was great.
Jan

The Closest I will Ever Come to Loosing Myself in a Soap Opera.......2007-06-13

Mildred Pierce is such a soap opera. The characters are over the top. Wally, Mildred's ex-husband's ex-business partner, seems to have the single minded goal of getting into Mildred's now vacant pants. Monte is an aging spendthrift playboy, who is violently alergic to work, and vampirically latches on to Mildred's purse. Veda, Mildred's airhead daughter, is pure spoiled brat - nothing redeeming there, only a mother could love her. To polish off this soap opera quality, there is an awkwardly inserted scene of a child's death for added melodrama.

Mildred ties all these threads together as a good little housewife, who is striking out on her own to provide only the best for her daughter Veda. Her character has the most depth (any depth at all is a change in this movie). She remains motherly and virtuous, as she reallizes that she can be shark at business to keep the funds flowing for Veda's expensive hobbies. Similarly, Joan Crawford, who plays Mildred, holds the film together. It's so corny - I reallized this as I watched - and yet so gripping. I think that reading the script would have made me gag, and yet this movie pulled me in.

Truly Timeless.......2007-06-04

When watching most films that were made prior to the social changes of the '60s and '70s, one is usually struck as much by contrasts to today's world as one is by the quality of the actual writing and acting. Most films of the '40s and '50s, no matter how excellent, are firmly rooted in a particular time and place.

This film is an amazing exception. The hair styles and cars are about the only things that are dated here. The women are strong and independent, the dialogue is fresh, intelligent, and unsentimental, and the pace is quick. If someone were to remake this film today, they'd be hard pressed to find elements that needed updating or improvement.

This is a real gem of a movie that has stood the test of time. 5 stars!

The Joan Crawford Collection (Humoresque / Possessed (1947) / The Damned Don't Cry / The Women / Mildred Pierce)

Average customer rating:

you don't need any wire hangers to enjoy this set!
WHERE'S THE SECOND BOX SET??????
Fabulous as always
Gothic Diversion
FInally Joan gets the treatment she deserves!!!

The Joan Crawford Collection (Humoresque / Possessed (1947) / The Damned Don't Cry / The Women / Mildred Pierce)
Starring: Joan Crawford , John Garfield , Oscar Levant , J. Carrol Naish , and Joan Chandler
Director: Jean Negulesco , Curtis Bernhardt , and Vincent Sherman
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Queen Bee
The Little Foxes

ASIN: B0008ENID4
Release Date: 2005-06-14

Amazon.com

The Joan Crawford Collection brings together a potent group of films from Crawford's career renaissance: her Warner Bros. run of the late 1940s, beginning with Mildred Pierce. Four of the titles are from that heated, noirish streak, including Crawford's 1945 Oscar-winning turn in Mildred, a great Hollywood example of an actress's persona meeting the zeitgeist moment. In this adaptation of the James M. Cain novel, Crawford plays a sacrificing mother perfectly willing to claw her way to success for the sake of her ingrate daughter. Michael Curtiz directed, snapping Crawford out of a long career slide.

Humoresque (1946) was promptly given the top-drawer treatment, and it's a truly epic melodrama about a restless society woman who takes up the cause of a young violinist (John Garfield) from the slums. Possessed (1947) gave Crawford a thorough workout as a woman in complete obsessive breakdown from various romantic traumas. What Crawford lacks in subtlety she makes up for in sheer will, which suits the character well (and brought another best actress Oscar nomination). The Damned Don't Cry (1950) is a film noir smash-up, with Crawford as a low-rent dame who brazens her way into becoming a fur-lined mobster's moll (it was loosely inspired by the Bugsy Siegel-Virginia Hill story). It's overripe but entertaining.

1939's The Women, an MGM picture, doesn't fit the mood of the collection, although it has its fans. George Cukor directed this catty version of the Clare Booth Luce play, which has an all-female ensemble cast; Crawford is in very good form as a bad girl. The movie's reputation is somewhat beyond its actual witchy charm. (Packaging gaffe: the photo on the back cover is from Seven Women.) DVD extras tend toward smallish documentaries, save the absorbing 90-minute career profile The Ultimate Movie Star on the Mildred Pierce disc, an even-handed study that includes frank revelations from director-lover Vincent Sherman and the "wire hangers" story from adopted daughter Christina. Sherman contributes a commentary on The Damned Don't Cry. --Robert Horton

Description

The Joan Crawford Collection features classics from the star whose career spanned more than 40 years. "I never go out unless I look like Joan Crawford the movie star. If you want to see the girl next door, go next door." - Joan Crawford

Customer Reviews:

you don't need any wire hangers to enjoy this set!.......2007-06-29

Fans of the divine Joan Crawford are sure to enjoy this great-value DVD set from Warners which packages five of Crawford's best films.

From the outer box artwork to the extra features, a lot of care and attention has clearly been spent on this set, and we are certainly lucky in having it so beautifully presented. The emphasis is very much on Joan's years as a film noir femme fatale, with The Damned Don't Cry, Possessed and Humoresque all from Crawford's glory days at Warner Brothers. Mildred Pierce (Keepcase), her first Oscar-winning role; plus her catty turn in The Women (Keepcase) are also here. Each disc is housed in it's own sturdy plastic Amaray case.

THE DAMNED DON'T CRY - Joan Crawford plays a gangster's moll who climbs up from the gutter only to discover that life at the top can be twice as dangerous. Extra features include the new featurette "The Crawford Formula: Real and Reel", audio commentary with director Vincent Sherman, and the trailer.

POSSESSED - Love takes a deadly turn in this noir drama co-starring Van Heflin and Raymond Massey. Crawford plays Louise Howell, a woman driven to desperate measures when her boyfriend marries another woman. Extra features include audio commentary by Dr. Drew Casper, featurette "The Quintessential Film Noir", and the trailer.

HUMORESQUE - Crawford gives one of her most nuanced performances as jaded socialite Helen Wright, whose love affair with an up-and-coming violin virtuoso sends her to the brink of madness. Extra features include featurette "The Music of Humoresque", and the trailer.

MILDRED PIERCE - From James M. Cain's novel comes the legendary potboiler about a devoted mother (Crawford) and her ungrateful, hellion of a daughter (Ann Blyth). Extra features include the movie-length TCM documentary "The Ultimate Movie Star", and a trailer gallery.

THE WOMEN - In director George Cukor's screen version of the Claire Booth Luce comedy, Joan Crawford plays a hard-boiled mantrap who moves in on Norma Shearer's husband. Fabulous comic turns from Rosalind Russell, Mary Boland, and Paulette Goddard. Extra features include alternate B&W fashion show sequence, and trailers.

Even at it's full list-price, buying this box set is cheaper than getting each DVD individually. If you love Joan Crawford, this will be a mandatory addition to your movie collection.

WHERE'S THE SECOND BOX SET??????.......2007-06-27

They can release Trog and Reunion in France, but not A Woman's Face, Possessed (1931), Sadie McKee, Torch Song, Our Dancing Daughters and Flamingo Road? Come on, Warner Brothers! Release another box set of Joan!

Fabulous as always.......2007-01-11

Wonderful collection of some of Joan's movies. Hours of pleasure watching them. Highly recommended.

Gothic Diversion.......2007-01-03

Put this collection on during a stormy day, but keep at least one light on and lock the tranquilizers in the medicine cabinet. Joan's performances are riveting and her face was made for monochrome. Watch "Humoresque" first. The director used the pounding piano and searing violin to propel the film but employed Oscar Levant as the comic foil so the film doesn't collapse under its own weight. In "Possessed", you'll see Joan on the verge of campiness, although she apparently visited insane asylum inmates in order to verify her facial expressions. "The Women" is a fast, furious "Sex and the City"-like farce. Buy this.

FInally Joan gets the treatment she deserves!!!.......2006-12-11

I am SO glad Joan gets her own box set, although I am miffed that Bette has a second one while poor Joan still only has one!
I would Love to see a second box set and even a third. Joan made some fun, campy films, but she always rose above the material.
I'd love to see Johnny Guitar, Flamingo Road, Torch Song and A Woman's Face in a set. And another with Female on the Beach, Autumn Leaves, Susuan and God and When Ladies Meet.
This set has The Women, which is the campiest and most quoted film. The "clever" plot involves a story devoid of men, but it is ALL the women talk about. Norma Sheaer, who deserves her OWN box set, is WONDEFUL in this film. Joan has a supporting role and she chews every inch of scenery she is in! Humoresque is my least favorite role. Joan falls for John Garfield and throws her life away for him. So NOT our Joanie! Possessed is OK. The role was written for Bette Davis and it is interesting to see Joan do the role while imaginging how Bette would OVERPLAY it while Joan does it more subtley. Now, The Damned Don't Cry is PURE CRAWFORD!! Woman claws her way to the top and uses every trick in the book to stay there. This should have been in a box set iwth Torch Song, Female on the Beach and Johnny Guitar. TOUGH "Don't F with me fellas!!!" Crawford! PLEASE release the second box set in early 2007!!!!!

Average customer rating:

Mildred Pierce
Evil, thy name is Veda...
Mildred Pierce
The Closest I will Ever Come to Loosing Myself in a Soap Opera
Truly Timeless

Mildred Pierce (Snap case)
Starring: Joan Crawford , Jack Carson , Zachary Scott , Eve Arden , and Ann Blyth
Director: Michael Curtiz , and Peter Fitzgerald
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00007G1ZM
Release Date: 2003-02-04

Amazon.com essential video

Description

Joan Crawford won the Best Actress Oscar(R) for her role as a divorcee who will do anything for her spoiled daughter in this classic, gripping melodrama, nominated for six Academy Awards(R) Year: 1945 Director: Michael Curtiz Starring: Joan Crawford, Jack Carson, Zachary Scott, Eve Arden, Ann Blyth

Customer Reviews:

Mildred Pierce.......2007-06-25

Evil, thy name is Veda..........2007-06-24

Mildred Pierce.......2007-06-13

The movie was an old favorite of mine so I already knew it was great.
Jan

The Closest I will Ever Come to Loosing Myself in a Soap Opera.......2007-06-13

Truly Timeless.......2007-06-04

Best of the 40s (Adam's Rib / The Big Sleep / The Maltese Falcon / Mildred Pierce)

Average customer rating:

Best of the 40s (Adam's Rib / The Big Sleep / The Maltese Falcon / Mildred Pierce)
Starring: Joan Crawford , Jack Carson , Zachary Scott , Eve Arden , and Ann Blyth
Director: Michael Curtiz , Howard Hawks , and John Huston
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00011ZBH0
Release Date: 2003-12-02

Average customer rating:

Essential Viewing

Now Voyager / Mildred Pierce (Two-Pack)
Starring: Warner 2pak
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Mr. Skeffington
All About Eve
Laura (Fox Film Noir)
The Little Foxes
Now, Voyager (Keepcase)

ASIN: B0002QO3TQ
Release Date: 2004-10-12

Customer Reviews:

Essential Viewing.......2004-11-01

Without a doubt these DVD,s (great transfers)show two of the greatest actresses we have known portraying characters that are still common place today despite the movies being termed as ""old fashioned" etc. I viewed them at the one sitting and thought back to the good old days of double features and afterwards came away impressed and wondering why filmakers nowadays cannot make simple dramas like they used to. People argue that 1997,s Titanic was a great love story,I beg to differ,it was poor in comparison to the 1940,s love stories which set a trend. Bette and Joan I salute you both,fantastic actresses

The Leading Ladies Collection (Now Voyager / Mildred Pierce / For Me and My Gal / Father of the Bride / Dial M for Murder)

Average customer rating:

Good Mixed Classic Set
new titles please

The Leading Ladies Collection (Now Voyager / Mildred Pierce / For Me and My Gal / Father of the Bride / Dial M for Murder)
Starring: Bette Davis , Paul Henreid , Claude Rains , Gladys Cooper , and John Loder
Director: Irving Rapper , Michael Curtiz , and Busby Berkeley
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

( L ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000GETTIY
Release Date: 2006-08-29

Customer Reviews:

Good Mixed Classic Set.......2007-03-22

In "Now Voyager" Bette Davis plays a great heartbreaking role in a tragic romance with Paul Henried. "Mildred Pierce" has Joan Crawford wonderfully playing an independent woman after her divorce. "For Me and My Gal" has Judy Garland well cast in a romantic musical. "Father of the Bride" with Spencer Tracy and Joan Bennett is excellent romantic comedy. "Dial M for Murder" is a suspenseful murder mystery with Ray Milland and Grace Kelly.

new titles please.......2006-07-29

if only the studios would stop repackaging films that have already been released and release some new material i would spend my $ but if by chance you dont already have these titles then this is a must they are all good films and the print quality is superb, 5* for the contents

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