tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post8917045997593841098..comments2024-01-11T05:02:32.321-05:00Comments on Goodfella's Movie Blog: #54: Mildred Pierce (Michael Curtiz, 1945)Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07134196370913749544noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-69182267476303550652010-02-27T01:11:51.207-05:002010-02-27T01:11:51.207-05:00Dave, you have identified the essential elements, ...Dave, you have identified the essential elements, and Sam's assessment nails it. This is one of the great Hollywood pictures.<br /><br />The story of family tragedy played out against the pursuit of the California dream of wealth and ease through hard-work and ambition destroyed by wastrel conceit and shameless greed, is as strong an indictment of the moral corrosiveness of wealth and privilege as Hollywood has achieved. But it is also a story of profound humanity and the worth of simple decency and personal integrity. Mildred makes tragic mistakes and misplaces her trust and love, but she is always true to herself, and in even in her darkest hour towers above the morass of greed and selfishness that would suck her down.<br /><br />This was Crawford's come-back picture after the studios were saying she was too old...Tony D'Ambrahttp://filmsnoir.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-80070720602409166372010-02-26T20:01:04.914-05:002010-02-26T20:01:04.914-05:00This is a film that fully deserves to be on this c...This is a film that fully deserves to be on this countdown. I completely disagree with "Anonymous" and agree with so many here. I can't even count the number of times I've seen it. Crawford, of course, is irresitible, but Ann Blyth as Veda, is one of the screens most notorious villians. It's melodramatic, but in the best sense, and the story of how a woman fights to achieve success at the ultimate price always rivets, especially when the ingredients here are so tasty. Max Steiner's music and ernest Haller's cinematography are exquisite!<br /><br />Outstanding choice and great essay Dave!Sam Julianonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-24118993582518209682010-02-26T19:21:10.135-05:002010-02-26T19:21:10.135-05:00M.Roca - Our feelings on Mildred seem pretty simil...M.Roca - Our feelings on Mildred seem pretty similar. As for Road to Perdition, I agree with you that it's a great one... I placed it in my Top 20 of the 2000s list as well!<br /><br />Jeffrey - You're right on the epic scope presented here... it feels like you've watched Mildred's entire life play out before, which in a way I suppose you have.<br /><br />John - Yes, Curtiz was a pro's pro and I would probably rank this as his third best film behind the two masterpieces that I mentioned.<br /><br />Quirky Character - Yes, Crawford is spectacular in this one... and I don't see anything wrong with Warners in general from this era!<br /><br />Samuel - Give it a shot... as M.Roca points out, it has a soapy noir feel similar to some noirs like Gilda. Plus, with Curtiz at the helm, you know it's going to at least be well made.Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07134196370913749544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-8541485869261455652010-02-26T11:36:34.989-05:002010-02-26T11:36:34.989-05:00Dave, I've never watched this, probably becaus...Dave, I've never watched this, probably because I think of it as a women's picture rather than a noir despite the Cain label. Those distinctions probably never occurred to Cain himself, and there are a lot of 1940s pictures that I could stand to approach without my genre filters on. Thanks for the reminder.Samuel Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00934870299522899944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-72897285444866707832010-02-26T10:42:32.139-05:002010-02-26T10:42:32.139-05:00I adore this movie. And it taught me to love one o...I adore this movie. And it taught me to love one of my favorite actresses, Joan Crawford (didn't like her very much in "Sudden Fear," the first film I watched with her), so... Unfortunately, I was a bit spoiled on the ending. And I really like Eve Arden. (Ann Blyth and Jack Carson -- not so much.)<br /><br />On the whole, it was a very high quality production which didn't look like a Warner Bros. movie at all.Quirky Characterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13590664018386916883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-22168482765013524522010-02-26T07:33:13.300-05:002010-02-26T07:33:13.300-05:00Soapy noir! I like that. There is a lot to like in...Soapy noir! I like that. There is a lot to like in this film and you touch on all, the photography ,the direction, like you I am a fan of Curtiz, one of the best studio directors, and of course Crawford. I read Cain's novel way back when I was in my late 20's or somewhere there abouts, along with about three others of his works. <br />We'll soon be at the half way mark!Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01808503055317962289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-69272232600858475932010-02-26T06:52:28.516-05:002010-02-26T06:52:28.516-05:00Great write-up, Dave, on a film that I think is ex...Great write-up, Dave, on a film that I think is extremely interesting, as well. It is both melodrama and noir, and even though it's only 111 minutes, it feels almost epic in how deeply it covers Mildred's story. I would personally say this one is a little undervalued, not on your countdown, but in film circles, in general.<br /><br />Thanks for the great thoughts, as always!Jeffrey Goodmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464544798603030406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-67356663816391384222010-02-26T00:22:43.670-05:002010-02-26T00:22:43.670-05:00^^^....M.Roca (There is another anonymous who p...^^^....M.Roca (There is another anonymous who posts here lol)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-13009994405689245692010-02-26T00:20:44.262-05:002010-02-26T00:20:44.262-05:00I waver on my appreciation for this film. It seems...I waver on my appreciation for this film. It seems that every time I watch it I find myself liking it less. It may be because its too soapy and more of a woman's picture than gritty noir. The problem with that opinion though is that I still greatly admire Laura and Gilda which can be classified identically. Regardless, this is a well made film and still worthy of its position on your list. Getting somewhat off topic, I watched Road To Perdition tonight for the third time. I can't believe how great this film seems to get with each viewing. I didn't love it the first time I viewed it but now consider it a masterpiece. I would even put it in my top ten of the 2000's.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com