Classic Film Club: Mildred Pierce (PG)

The classic noir based on James M. Cain’s 1941 novel.In this stylish film noir, Joan Crawford delivers a deeply humane Oscar-winning performance as a self-reliant single mother during the Depression. But her rise from suburban housewife and hard-working waitress to successful restauranteur isn’t enough to earn the respect of her selfish, socially ambitious elder daughter Veda.

Recounted in flashback, tragedy inevitably ensues.Equal parts noir thriller, soap and social drama, director Michael Curtiz’s sunny suburban Los Angeles gives way to a darkly textured murder plot about sacrifice, money, and class. Crawford’s steely shoulders (courtesy costume designer Milo Anderson) carry the story, with stellar support from Eve Arden, Ann Blyth and Jack Carson.

Running Time: 111 minutes