The Price of Devotion: Sacrificial Motherhood and Fatal Ambition in Michael Curtiz’s “Mildred Pierce”

Directed by Michael Curtiz, Mildred Pierce (1945) seamlessly blends classic melodrama with the dark, shadows-and-murder aesthetic of film noir. The story kicks off in classic noir fashion with the late-night murder of playboy Monte Beragon (played by Zachary Scott) at a beach house. The police interrogate Monte’s wife, Mildred (Joan Crawford), which triggers a sprawling series of flashbacks that unspool her life over the previous several years. We learn that Mildred begins as an ordinary, devoted housewife who separates from her well-meaning but unemployed husband, Bert (Bruce Bennett), leaving her to support her two daughters entirely on her own.

Driven by an intense desire to provide everything for her materialistic, status-obsessed eldest daughter, Veda (Ann Blyth), Mildred takes a humbling job as a waitress. With the clever assistance of her cynical, wise-cracking friend and coworker Ida Corwin (Eve Arden) and the smooth-talking real estate agent Wally Fay (Jack Carson), Mildred successfully opens her own restaurant. The business quickly blossoms into a highly profitable Southern California restaurant chain. However, tragedy strikes early in her entrepreneurial journey when her younger daughter, Kay, dies of pneumonia, cementing Mildred’s singular, obsessive emotional fixation on fulfilling Veda’s endless demands for wealth and high social status.

As Veda grows older, her cruelty and entitlement only deepen, leading her to secret marriages, extortion schemes, and a deep contempt for her mother’s working-class roots. In a desperate, final bid to buy her daughter’s love and respect, Mildred marries the aristocratic but functionally broke Monte Beragon, using her restaurant fortune to fund his lavish lifestyle and appease Veda. The Mildred gives in to Veda, the more Veda demands.

Will Mildred realize that the only one Veda loves is Veda?

 

Joan Crawford and Ann Blyth

Michael Curtiz (1886 -1962) was a Hungarian-American film director who worked during Hollywood’s Golden age, directing some of the best-loved classics from that era including The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), Casablanca (1942), and Mildred Pierce (1945). He directed James Cagney and Joan Crawford to Best Actor/Actress Oscar wins; he put Doris Day and John Garfield on the screen for the first time, making them major movie stars in the process. He’s also responsible for the pairing of Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland, one of Hollywood’s most famous screen teams. Other films directed by Curtiz include Angels with Dirty Faces (1938), The Sea Wolf (1941), Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942), Life with Father (1947), and White Christmas (1954).

Born Lucille LeSueur, Joan Crawford (1904–1977) rose from a hardscrabble childhood to become one of the most enduring and fiercely determined superstars of classical Hollywood. She initially gained fame at MGM in the late 1920s and 1930s as a vibrant flapper and the quintessential working-girl heroine, before orchestrating a spectacular mid-career comeback at Warner Bros. that earned her a Best Actress Oscar for the definitive film noir melodrama Mildred Pierce (1945). Renowned for her striking, expressive eyes, razor-sharp cheekbones, and intense dedication to her craft, Crawford successfully reinvented herself across five decades, effortlessly transitioning into mature, volatile dramatic roles in classics like Humoresque (1946) and late-career cult horror films like What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962).

Born John Elmer Carson in Manitoba, Canada, Jack Carson (1910 – 1963) grew up in Milwaukee and established himself as one of Hollywood’s most versatile and dependable character actors and comedians during the Golden Age. Standing over six feet tall with a rugged, burly build, he specialized in playing loudmouthed, brassy, or slightly cynical regular guys, often serving as the perfect comic foil in Warner Bros. musicals and comedies alongside partners like Dennis Morgan. His role as the opportunistic, conniving Wally Fay in Mildred Pierce offered a rare, brilliant showcase for his dramatic range, allowing him to infuse his standard fast-talking persona with a darker, sleazier undercurrent. Carson worked tirelessly across film, radio, and early television until his untimely death from stomach cancer at the age of 52.

Zachary Scott (1914 – 1965) was born in Austin, Texas, and brought a distinct brand of urbane, aristocratic villainy to mid-century Hollywood. With his slicked-back hair, prominent mustache, and elegant, suave delivery, he was effortlessly cast as charming scoundrels, treacherous playboys, and smooth-talking heel figures. His definitive breakthrough came when Jack Warner saw him on Broadway and cast him as the fatalistic, gold-digging Monte Beragon in Mildred Pierce, a role that forever stamped him as a quintessential film noir antagonist. Though he occasionally played sympathetic leads, such as in Jean Renoir's The Southerner, Scott remained most memorable as Hollywood’s most sophisticated, menacing cad before dying of a brain tumor at age 51.

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Mildred Pierce trivia

• Director Michael Curtiz initially fought hard against casting Joan Crawford, famously calling her a has-been and demanding she take a screen test to prove she could handle the gritty, unglamorous early scenes of the movie.
• To achieve the realistic look of a weary, working-class mother, Curtiz reportedly became frustrated with Crawford’s meticulously applied shoulder pads and makeup on set, once lunging forward to rip a glamorous scarf from her neck to make her look more authentic.
• Bette Davis, Warner Bros.’ top female star at the time, was originally offered the title role of Mildred Pierce but turned it down, inadvertently paving the way for Crawford to secure the part and win her sole Academy Award for Best Actress.
• The author of the original hard-boiled novel, James M. Cain, was so deeply impressed by Joan's definitive performance that he personally gifted her a bound copy of the book inscribed with a note thanking her for bringing his heroine to life so beautifully.

 

Discussion questions

1. How does the structural choice of framing the narrative as a film noir murder mystery alter the emotional impact of Mildred’s domestic struggles compared to how the story might feel if told in simple chronological order?
2. In what ways does the film critique or subvert the traditional concept of the American Dream, particularly through Mildred’s rise to immense business success failing to secure her personal or familial happiness?
3. To what extent is Mildred herself responsible for Veda’s monstrous behavior, and where should a viewer draw the line between a mother’s tragic devotion and destructive enabling?
4. How do the supporting characters of Ida Corwin and Wally Fay represent contrasting survival strategies for navigating the cynical, transactional world of wartime Southern California?

 

 

James Stewart, Lee Remick, and Ben Gazzara head the cast in “Anatomy of a Murder”

Anatomy of a Murder (1959) is an American courtroom drama directed by Otto Preminger and starring James Stewart, Lee Remick, Ben Gazzara, Arthur O’Connell, Eve Arden, and Kathryn Grant. The supporting cast includes George C. Scott, Orson Bean, and Murray Hamilton. The musical score is by Duke Ellington.

Lawyer Paul Biegler (Stewart), a former district attorney, is contacted by Laura Manion (Remick) to defend her husband, US Army Lieutenant Frederick “Manny” Manion. Manny was arrested for murdering innkeeper Bernard “Barney” Quill. Manny doesn’t deny murdering Quill, but he said he did so because he raped his wife.

Biegler, a small-town lawyer in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, uses all his knowledge of the law to defend Manny. Will his folksy lawyer strategy get Manny acquitted, or will the sophisticated prosecuting attorney, Claude Dancer (Scott), get Manny convicted of murder?

Otto Preminger (1905 -1986) was an American film director who made more than 35 feature films during a five-decade career. Born in the Austro-Hungarian Empire into a Jewish family. Preminger was drawn to acting from an early age and became the apprentice of famed stage director Max Reinhardt. In 1935, he was recruited by Twentieth Century-Fox to apprentice as a director at the studio. After a rocky start, Preminger established himself as an A-list director after Rouben Mamoulian was fired from Laura (1944). The film noir classic made major stars of Gene Tierney and Dana Andrews and is considered one of the best film noirs of all time. While under contract to Fox, Preminger directed Fallen Angel (1945), Centennial Summer (1946), Forever Amber (1947), and Daisy Kenyon (1947). After he left Fox, Preminger became a maverick, constantly clashing with members of the Production Code. He released two films without the approval of the Production Code: The Moon is Blue (1953) and The Man with the Golden Arm (1955). Both films were financial successes and helped bring an end to the Code entirely. Later successes for Preminger include Anatomy of a Murder (1959) and Exodus (1960).

James Stewart (1908 - 1997) was an American actor whose career spanned almost five decades and 80 films. Stewart often portrayed the ideal of the average American who was decent and honest. Stewart signed a seven-year contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, where he appeared in a variety of supporting roles in B and A pictures. It wasn’t until he was loaned out to Columbia Pictures to costar in Frank Capra’s You Can’t Take It With You (1938) that his home studio began to take notice. Still, his best roles were on loan to other studios, including Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) at Columbia again and Destry Rides Again (1939) at Universal. M-G-M eventually cast him in The Philadelphia Story (1940) where he won the Academy Award for Best Actor, which cemented his reputation as a leading man and star. From there, he went on to make The Shop Around the Corner (1940) and The Mortal Storm (1940). After serving in the United States Army from 1941 - 1945, Stewart returned to Hollywood where he continued as a popular leading man. During the 1950s, Steward made two films with director Alfred Hitchcock, which are considered two of the director’s best films: Rear Window (1954) and Vertigo (1958). Vertigo was voted the greatest film ever made by Sight & Sound in 2012.

Lee Remick (1935 – 1991) was an American actress and singer. She made her film debut in A Face in the Crowd (1957) directed by Elia Kazan. She quickly established herself as a Major leading actress in films like Wild River (1960), Days of Wine and Roses (1962), which earned her a Best Actress Oscar nomination, No Way to Treat a Lady (1968), The Detective (1968), The Omen (1976), and The Europeans (1979). Remick also received a Best Actress Tony nomination for her lead performance in Wait Until Dark (1966), a role that Audrey Hepburn would portray in the screen version in 1967.She received Golden Globe Awards for her television work. She won a BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress for her performance in Jennie: Lady Churchill (1974).

Ben Gazzara (1930 – 2012) was an American actor, director, appearing on stage, film, and television. His big break came with his starring role as Brick in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1955 -1956). This led to a successful film career starting with Anatomy of a Murder (1959). He starred on television in Run for Your Life (1965 -1968). Gazzara was a frequent collaborator of John Cassavetes, working with him on the films Husbands (1970) and The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976). Some of his movies include The Bridge at Remagen (1969), Voyage of the Damned (1976), and Saint Jack (1979).

 

Anatomy of a Murder trivia

• The film pushed the boundaries of the Production Code by using words like “bitch,” “contraception,” and “rape,” words not heard in American films before.
• James Stewart’s father found the film offensive and took out an ad in his local paper advising people not to see it.
• Much of the movie was filmed on location in Marquette County, Michigan.
• Lana Turner turned down the role of Laura, leaving the door open for Remick, Preminger’s first choice.
• James Stewart received his last Oscar-nominated performance. It was George C. Scott’s first Academy Award nomination.
• The film was banned in Chicago upon its initial release.

 

Ben Gazzara and James Stewart

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Lee Remick, Eve Arden, and James Stewart

Discussion questions

1. This film was shocking for its frankness when dealing with a subject like rape and murder. Did you find anything about the film shocking or surprising?
2. Three actors from the film were nominated for Academy Awards: James Stewart, Best Actor; Arthur O’Connell, Best Supporting Actor; and George C. Scott, also for Best Supporting Actor. Did you think their performances were worthy of the nominations?
3. What did you think of the jazz score by Duke Ellington? Do you think it worked with the movie?
4. What did you make of the Lee Remick character? Do you think she was telling the truth about her relationship with Barney?
5. Did the Michigan location add to the film’s authenticity?
6. Would you recommend this film to a friend?

Screening of "Stage Door" at Daystar Center August 11

Stage Door (1937)

Where: Daystar Center, 1550 S. State Street, Room 102

When: August 11, 2018

Time: 6:45 p.m.

Hosted by Stephen Reginald

Stage Door (1937) is a comedy/drama about aspiring actresses trying to make it big on Broadway. The actresses all live in the same theatrical boarding house, which is the setting for some of the wittiest dialogue ever put on film. The all-star cast includes Katharine Hepburn, Ginger Rogers, Adolphe Menjou, Gail Patrick, Andrea Leeds, Lucille Ball, Eve Arden, and Ann Miller. This is the movie where Hepburn actually says, “the calla lilies are in bloom again.”

Ginger Rogers, Lucille Ball, and Katharine Hepburn

Directed by the great Gregory La Cava (My Man Godfrey 1936) who manages to get magnificent performances from all the players. One of the great movies from the 1930s.

Backstory: In 1937, Katharine Hepburn’s career was in decline. She had starred in several back-to-back box office failures. On the on the other hand, Ginger Roger’s career was exploding. Having become a superstar as Fred Astaire’s premier dancing partner, she had begun to branch out in dramatic and comedy roles on her own. Hepburn’s role was initially diminished to that of a supporting player with Rogers being the main star. Hepburn complained to the bosses at RKO and director La Cava and she eventually got her part increased and shared equal billing with Rogers on screen and in publicity materials. After the release of Bringing Up Baby (1938), which was another box office flop, Hepburn was out at RKO and off the screen for two years until her triumph in The Philadelphia Story (1940).

Join the Chicago Film club; join the discussion

Twice a month we screen classic films and have a brief discussion afterward. For more information, including how to join (it’s free), click here. The Venue 1550 is easily accessible by the CTA. Please visit Transit Chicago for more information on transportation options.

Stephen Reginald is a freelance writer and editor. He has worked at various positions within the publishing industry for over 25 years. Most recently he was executive editor for McGraw-Hill’s The Learning Group Division. A long-time amateur student of film, Reginald hosts “Chicago Film Club,” a monthly movie event held in the South Loop, for the past two years. Reginald has also taught several adult education film classes at Facets Film School, Chicago.