"Mildred Pierce," 1945 Film Noir Melodrama Featuring Joan Crawford's Best Actress Performance, Directed by Michael Curtiz, Also Starring Ann Blyth, Jack Carson, Zachary Scott, Eve Arden and Bruce Bennett

[DIShGo]

I found the miniseries "Feud, Bette and Joan,"  about the lifelong catfight between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, highly entertaining. Having seen both actresses in a number of films, I was curious to see "Mildred Pierce," the role for which Crawford received the Best Actress Oscar, her only Academy Award win.

About a third of the way into this movie, I realized I knew whodunnit, and not because of anything I had read about this often-referenced, classic film. It was an episode of the Carol Burnett Hour that I had seen as a child--a skit with Burnett playing "Mildred Fierce"--that sent a stream of spoilers, safely sleeping in the back of my brain, to my frontal lobe.

Seventies variety-show spoilers notwithstanding, I found this film entertaining. It is dated, but dated in a way that adds to the fun. It's a classic film noir, full of melodrama and suspense. 

[Mark Slater]

The most hysterical and outlandish part of this movie was the idea of someone getting fabulously wealthy owning a restaurant.

[DonRocks]

Name that shot putter!

It's Bruce Bennett, ne: Herman Brix, aka Bert Pierce in "Mildred Pierce," and Silver Medalist in the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics.

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Jeez, really? I wouldn't have even known, except I recognized the helium voice of Butterfly McLean (playing, sigh, Mildred Pierce's maid).