Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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37 of 39 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Knock-Out Noir, December 9, 2001
Film Noir never had it so good: "Mildred Pierce" combines the toughness of the Cain novel; a gutsy cast delivering knock-out performances; and at the center of it all one of cinema's great hard-shell dames, Joan Crawford.Do not be misled into thinking this is a "women's picture" typical of the 1940s. Given that the story concerns a woman who must find her own way after a bitter divorce, it may have a special appeal for women as a group--but let's face it, Joan Crawford ain't your average wife and mother, and while Mildred Pierce may engage our sympathies she ain't exactly a "little woman" stereotype herself. As noted, the plot revolves around Mildred/Joan's need to make her way in the world--but more to the point, her need to endow her daughters, particularly eldest daughter Veda, with all the best that money can buy. (Never mind, of course, that Veda is clearly a man-hungry, social-climbing little serpent dripping poison from both fangs.) And if that entails kicking out the husband, playing house with a society heel, or even... just possibly... murder... well, then so be it. The cinematography is light-and-shadow film noir classic; the production values are first rate throughout; and Joan and company deliver enough double-dealing spirit to make "Mildred Pierce" a vastly entertaining ride. And if you ever wondered what made Crawford one of the great stars of her era... Mildred Pierce will show ya and how!
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24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Crawford's greatest film becomes an OUTSTANDING DELUXE DVD!, February 1, 2003
By A Customer
Warner Bros. has outdone themselves to bring one of the finest classics in their library to DVD. This transfer of MILDRED PIERCE is so perfect, so sharp, clear & glistening, it's almost like watching a different film. Gone are the spots and glitches.
The image is smooth and gorgeous, lusciously capturing Ernest Haller's masterful cinematography. The sound is amazing too, for a film of this vintage.The film itself is Joan Crawford's finest hour, and one of the best film noir ever turned out by Hollywood. It's virtues are legendary by now, and I need not recount them here. This is simply a must have for even a casual film buff. A stylish and intelligent drama which is a testament to the dozens of talents that brought it to the screen. If a phenomenal transfer if an essetial classic wasn't enough, Warners has given us a B side with a feature length documentary entitled JOAN CRAWFORD: THE ULTIMATE MOVIE STAR. This is an excellent program that was made for the Turner Classic Movies channel a few months ago, and makes its home video debut here. With an astounding array of interesting interviews, rare film clips, and sumptuous photographs, the show takes the gloves off and presents both sides of the Crawford persona. Her incredible drive for stardom and perfection, her unique place in the hollywood pantheon, as well as the damage her reptutation has suffered due to the revelations made by her daughter Christina who is one of the many interviewed to recount stories about the real Joan Crawford. Others who knew Crawford wisely counter the daughter's words, with their own perceptions, leaving the viewer the opportunity to judge for themselves what they think of Joan Crawford. A very well-researched and entertaining film indeed. Now, they're not done... Warners has also included 9 trailers, including all of Joan's WB films made from MILDRED through THIS WOMAN IS DANGEROUS in 1952. This special feature alone is worth the price of the disc. It's really a field day for the film buff to get an amazingly restored DVD of one of the greatest films of hollywood's heyday, a superb feature documentary, and a host of other extras, for a list price of $20. My hat's off to the great folks at Warner Bros. home video.
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16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Why Not A Restaurant?, August 8, 2006
I first saw this film on Turner Classic one night a few years ago, shortly into the film as I was skimming through the channels. I saw the murder take place, and I was hooked. I watched the rest of the film, glued to the screen. To say that Joan Crawford ruled this film is a major understatement. She thouroughly dominated the screen from beginning to end. In a way, she WAS Mildred, the story drew strong parallels to her own life. Ann Blyth was PERFECT as the wanna-be rich snob Veda. Eve Arden should have had more time in this film, she was needed relief from the seriousness of the story. All three principle female leads got academy award nominations for this film, Crawford won Best Actress, and there's no arguing she deserved it. As the plot has been dissected and gone over repeatedly before, I'll focus on the DVD release. The film transferred beautifully, with razor-sharp definition and wonderful light and dark areas. This film is true film noir, and the lighting played a major role in the movie. On the disc flip side, there is a wonderful documentary on Crawford's life called "Joan Crawford: The Ultimate Movie Star". The documentary is well-worth watching on its own, so to have it included is great. All in all, it's easy to see why Crawford was very proud of this film, it represented her commercial comeback after MGM put her out to pasture, saying she was too old, and box office poison. Amazing what the right role, script, and director can do for a strong actor. This film is a true classic, so get this DVD and enjoy!
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