'Mildred Pierce' and Joan Crawford's Triumphant Reinvention | Film 101
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- Опубликовано: 6 сен 2024
- For 31 Days of Oscar, we're looking at Joan Crawford and how 'Mildred Pierce' marked a turning point in her career from being typecast in MGM roles to her glorious comeback role that ultimately earned her an Oscar for Best Actress.
'Mildred Pierce' airs on Friday, March 3rd at 10pm ET.
Look for this film on Watch TCM at tcm.com/watch.
Written by Raquel Stecher & Tom Reimann
Narrated by Tom Reimann
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Joan Crawford is one of those types of actresses who is just mesmerizing on the screen. You can't take your eyes off her! It's why we're still watching her and talking about her all these years later.
I could watch this movie over and over.
And I have watched it many times and still love it. Joan Crawford is my favorite actress and always has been my favorite.
Koô
I do! 😅 Every time it’s on, I think ... naw, I’ve seen it numerous times already ... but I don’t change the channel.
This is one of the movies I watch over & over again. It's absolutely brilliant. Stellar cast and writing, beautiful direction and camera work, too.
And I do. I just love Joan Crawford, and that movie. She's sensational in it. The first time I heard the name "Joan Crawford" was from that movie. From there I've tried to watch as many movies that she's in as possible. She delivers in every role-- even the "hagspoitation" movies she starred in. I also loved her in Queen Bee, and This Woman is Dangerous. I can't get enough of her. I wish I was alive at the same time she was, I would have loved to write her a letter and tell her she was the most beautiful woman in the world, and hoped to age half as gracefully. I think she would have liked that.
Joan was a true movie star with class, elegance and grit. A rare combination. 🌟💗
Indeed! Class, elegance, grit and stunning BEAUTY. 😍😍
Very nicely done. I’m glad Eve Arden was mentioned, even in passing. It was one of her best roles, and for me, one of the best aspects of the entire film.
She was a great foil for Joan.
@@hudsony777 Agreed! Love Eve's relaxed, down-to-earth manner contrasting with Joan's more tightly wound affect.
@@DaisnapThe whole cast was great. I saw it on screen once at MOMA in NY. I'd love to see it again in a theater. It really stands up almost 80 years later.
Joan Crawford deserved more than one Oscar. A true Hollywood treasure! ❤
Joan certainly deserved an Oscar
for her role as Blanche Hudson in
"What Ever Happened to Baby Jane"
(1962)
Her acting was so restrained and
at the same time simmered
resentment towards her sister.
Joan Crawford was awesome in her small role in The Best of Everything can you just imagine her in The Devil Wears Prada!
I also think Humoresque was one of the best performances I’ve ever seen and was absolutely Oscar worthy.
One of my favourites too! I don't know how she wasn't at least nominated
Me too! I think she gave an exceptional performance in Autumn Leaves too.
Possessed and Sudden Feàr
@@lynntownsend4457without a doubt!
I always love the parallelism of the character, Mildred and Joan Crawford. They both had humble beginnings, difficult motherhood, and ultimately, triumph after uphill struggles. Just an inspiration that age is not a barrier for success after years of career decline.
Mildred Pierce is one of, if not, Joan Crawford's greatest performance in a career full of them, as well as one of the best Film Noirs ever made. She definitely deserved the Oscar she won for it.
Wow, Joan Crawford was such a fantastic, talented actress. From her breakthrough role in the silent film, Our Dancing Daughters (1928), Grand Hotel (1932) with John Barrymore, Howard Hawks' Today We Live (1933) with the great Gary Cooper, The Women (1939), Humoresque (1946), Possessed (1947), Sudden Fear (1952), and a personal favorite of mine, Johnny Guitar (1954) where her and Mercedes McCambridge give some of their most intense performances ever. And of course, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane (1962), her and Bette Davis just had to collaborate at some point, too much talent not to(regardless of their grudge).
Steven Spielberg is a very lucky person, even with all the success he's had and done over the decades, to say that he actually got to direct this incredible woman in Night Gallery (1969). It's something he still remembers fondly, as he told Ben Mankiewicz recently at the TCM Film Festival.
Joan Crawford, what a legend.
Johnny Guitar is fantastic and her few but intense scenes in The Best of Everything she could have done the Devil Wears Prada.
@@Seabasstien Johnny guitar is a really interesting film, very kinky if you go just below the surface
Cool. Thanks for the _Night Gallery_ story; didn’t know that and I’ll have to hunt it down. Intrigued! That was one of my favorite shows as a kid, so I’ll get a 3-fer, between that Joan and Steven. 😃
Joan is and will always be my fav star. She respected her fans way beyond anyone then or today. Great tribute!
I first saw this film as a child, and loved it ever since , I'm 51 now.!! Joan Crawford is my favourite actress by far.🤩🤩🤩.
She's my favorite too. What a performance in Mildred Pierce!
So nicely done TMC! As much as I loved our Joan in "Mildred Pierce," I have always felt that her (two years later, Oscar nominated) performance in "Possessed" was even better.- and Crawford should have rolled-out a second winner.
No, it's not! See my comment above.
Imo Gene Tierney should have won for "Leave Her to Heaven".
Crawford should have won the next year for Humoresque.
You are 100% correct.
Her performance in “Possessed” wasn’t better, it was just different. She was playing a mentally I’ll woman. Mildred Pierce is a better film.
@@errolpletcher9186 Joan wasn’t nominated for “Humoresque” (1946).
Joan Crawford, one of filmdom's greatest actresses. From 1920's jazz baby, 1930's shopgirl, dramatic mature women's roles, and even a few comedy parts. Did I forget to mention she had a decent singing voice too? Watch her in the first Possessed with Clark Gable in 1931. Why do some still try to minimize her acting ability? She was great in Whatever Happened To Baby Jane. All the raves seem to only recognize Bette Davis in that film. I like Bette Davis and many of her performances, but she was so over the top in that film. In my opinion, Joan Crawford's performance in that film is incredible. If you view the film again carefully, just watch Joan's performance. WOW! It must have been difficult to be reserved and still be able to express horror at her sister's cruelty, to drag yourself down a staircase convincingly as a cripple desperately trying to reach a phone to call for help, to be so starved for food you greedily devour the few pieces of chocolate you find in your sister's bedroom dresser drawer. I never could understand why Crawford's performance in Baby Jane wasn't equally praised. In retrospect, Bette Davis' performance while good was overrated.
The song she sang for the Western, Johnny Guitar (which she's also very good in) was featured in the video game Fallout: New Vegas. Millions of players around the world enjoyed the song on the in game radio.
@Nick Xero Give me a break... That wasn't acting, that was her true personality everyday after 5 PM when she was already "half in the bag",, LOL.
She definitely deserved that Oscar. She should have won Oscars for #Humoresque #TheWomen and #SuddenFear as well.
This is one of those movies that has "watchability." Everything about it is exceptional. Performances, camera work, script, costumes. It hovers on the edge of excessive melodrama but doesn't fall over the edge. Crawford's performance is just as described: powerful, heartbreaking, aspirational. Just enough and never too much or too little. I can watch it over and over.
Thank you for the retrospective on how the film, Mildred Pierce, turned out to be Joan Crawford's ticket to her only Oscar win in a career, once stalled, but brought back to life by an award-winning performance. Also, as a reference to the director of MP, the last name of Michael Curtiz was pronounced, Cur-teez (he was born and raised in Hungary). It was not Curtis.
Thank you for point out the correct pronunciation of Curtiz. I'd have expected more of TCM.
One of the best performances in film history. One of the best films of all time. Extremely ahead of its time.
its
I think you're right. One of the best Hollywood Golden Era films. Def top ten.
What I love best about this win is that it wasn't handed out at the youthful peak of her career (as so many awards are), but as a triumphant later career comeback and validation of her talent.
I always thought she should have won Oscars for The Women, A Woman's Face, Mildred Pearce and Possessed. Her work in the 40s and early 50s was just sublime.
One of my favorite movies. I watch it every year or so. Joan Crawford is so good in this movie.
I crack it open twice a year and have a lot of lines memorized. Sounds strange, but that film and a few others ("I'll Cry Tomorrow" and "The Letter" are two) are like old friends.
One of classic Hollywoods greatest icons. You couldn’t take your eyes off her on screen. It’s a shame a lot of what she accomplished on film has been forgotten now or overshadowed by Mommie Dearest. Still her films are out there for those who are interested.
She's not forgotten by any means.
Michael Cur-TEEZ! Come on, who let that get through?
Mildred Pierce is a mid century masterpiece in 2 genres simultaneously - film noir and the woman’s melodrama, 2 genres that shouldn’t really be in the same film together! To frame it in flashback as a dark, tense, murder mystery is a brilliant contrivance and when you see the Kate Winslet TV version you realise just how clever that was. The narrative races past and does so easily because Crawford is so convincing, multi-dimensional and communicative in the role. Forgive me if I say that of the 2023 nominated examples shown in this analysis as a comparison, no one will be talking about any of them in three quarters of a century. Joan is still big, it’s the pictures that got small. Modern quality films are nearly all small productions. I know there were many unfair and unsatisfactory issues about the studios of the Golden Age, but it was a golden age precisely because of their confidence, craftsmanship and commitment to superb commercial film-making.
Joan Crawford was the original Queen of Hollywood.
I love it when I have a discussion with someone in their 20's and talk about Crawford's movies and how big she was and they say, "Joan who" ?
...so true. Younger generations eventually discover these other era artists at some point in their life experience as time goes by. I feel gifted to have been alive while they were also.
@@501rivet It's depressing when kids write "Betty Davis." It means they've never seen her name in print, never read about her.
@@akrenwinkle ..agreed, then only see her as a character of her real self. More reason to embrace the generation(s) that experienced "the person" in life. I actually feel gifted to have been alive to experience a wealth of art and social history, the bad and the very very good.
I love this movie! Joan Crawford really earned my sympathy for Mildred... It was a very well deserved Oscar.
I love this movie, Joan Crawford 😍 ❤️ 💕 💖 💗
I've always heard Curtiz pronounced kur-tease
@@Themanwhocameback2 That is utterly shameful! I hate the ignorant pronunciation mistakes you hear millennials make in EVERY field. It is simply illiterate. Film literacy seems to be slipping away, literally dying as older film buffs die.
@@Themanwhocameback2 TCM is getting worse every year. Himbo? Really? That's just tacky.
Lol the “himbo” had me rolling my eyes. I know someone else noticed!!
One of my favorites
I could watch well put together features like this all night. Thank you TCM for serving up these delicious tidbits of information on movies I've seen many, many times!
Every time I see her in Mildred Pierce I’m reminded why she was known not only as the greatest flapper who ever lived, as quoted by F. Scott Fitzgerald, but also why she was considered one of the most beautiful women who ever lived.
She is wonderful! I had the pleasure of seeing Mildred Pierce at the theater this year and it was a great experience, I really enjoyed it!
When Vida slapped Mildred (Joan), the raw range of emotions from stun and hurt, to shock, to acceptance, to rage and vengeance is everything acting is supposed to be!
a very underrated super star, she deserved much more as oscar for supporting role in THE WOMEN and a nomination if not winning for A WOMAN FACE, Crawford herselef told that was her best ever perfomance
Joan was at her most beautiful in Mildred Pierce. I don't care what anyone said or says, she's _stunning_ in that movie.
I agree...absolutely GORGEOUS!
Indeed! The Very Great Joan Crawford. Though Joan is of a different era, a different world, and though I'm pretty young, she (Joan) along with Bette Davis remain my two favourite stars EVER to to grace the silver screen. They have been my all-time favourites since I was a boy and they remain the cream of the crop as I am reaching 30. No other female stars have captured my imagination like BETTE and JOAN - JOAN and BETTE. None ever will.👠👠 👗👗
My favorite movie and my favorite actress of all time. Thank you for this documentary.
MGM made Crawford a star. Warner Bros. made Crawford an icon and a legend.
A few corrections here: first, Crawford didn't play Sadie Thompson in Rain for MGM. She was loaned out by Mayer, after Crawford begged to do the part. The picture was made for United Artists, decades before the two companies would amalgamate into one. Second, Crawford didn't make the decision to leave MGM. Her contract was NOT renewed by Mayer after she was labeled box office poison in the trades. Finally, whoever's narrating this refers to Michael Curtiz as Michael 'Curtis'. It's pronounced Michael Kur-teez!
Loved her in "Rain."
From what I have read there is some debate on whether she left on her own or was booted out.
When is TCM going to be available to stream internationally? I moved to Europe and I want to watch TCM!
Joan Crawford very much deserved her Oscar. Bravo Joan!
Pronounced - Michael 'Cur - tease"
Very interesting and well done. Joan Crawford is one of those stars who is always more fascinating the more you learn about her. I am, however surprised that whoever narrated this for TCM doesn't know that the last name of the very famous director of Mildred Pierce (Michael Curtiz) is pronounced "kur-TEEZ" NOT like the more common Curtis.
Thank you for putting this together and making it very relevant for 2023’s Oscar in some of the parallels. This is a great performance for Joan. I hope many new fans get to see so many of her other films that are also very strong such as Sudden Fear, Possessed (1947), Johnny Guitar, The Women, Humoresque, and one favorite of mine in Daisy Kenyon. Thank you TCM.
Her performance in Mildred Pierce is so modern in its psychological interpretation, reminds me of Meryl Streep's acting.
Joan and the women in the movie were all outstanding actresses!
Joan remains an ageless icon. I loved the Kate Winslet mini-series, she was brilliant as Mildred Pierce. No disrespect to Kate, but Joan, in my opinion, does the role far better.
It's almost a perfect movie. Hard to beat that!
Davis always claimed this film was not intended for her, nor was it offered.
Rosalind Russell very much wanted it, and agreed to do ‘’Roughly Speaking’’ first; then Crawford got it, causing her to tear up her non-exclusive contract - this according to Robert Osborne.
Don’t know about Ann Sheridan.
Barbara Stanwyck also had a non-exclusive contract, and Warner’s kept her very busy, so she wasn’t shedding any tears.
Crawford had a bit of a showdown with Warner’s having not done a film in two years and went off salary to prove her intentions, so it was vital to offer her something good.
An almost-excellent video..... I wish you had kept it to the incomparable Joan Crawford and Mildred Pierce. In my view, there was no room for the shots from the current releases, they only highlighted a universe of difference in quality and no parallels to be contrived. In a video about Mildred Pierce, inserting other topics only dilutes the message and sets the additives against unflattering light.
I could not agree more with your comment. Why all the current shots from films? This should have been ALL about Joan Crawford and her performance in Mildred Pierce. I don't get why they have to include scenes that have nothing to do with Mildred Pierce.
Joan Crawford's acting ability is finally being recognized she turned in some extraordinary performances in her career and is always entertaining to watch a rare quality! Watch her in A Woman's Face.
I loved her here and she's fantastic in "Humoresque." Also, she's great in "Rain."
Joan's Oscar win and story is one of if not the most famous in motion picture history, fitting for The Ultimate Star.
Mildred Pierce is one of my favorite movies, great story and perfectly cast. Each actor played their part so well. I do wish Lottie the black character would have given Veda a piece of her mind about how ungrateful she's being while her mother is working hard doing the best she can for her.
One OF THE GREATEST Actress Ever Love This Movie I Watch This Movie 🎥 Over And Over
No one could have done it like she did it!!!!
I have read a lot about Crawford and the consensus is that she was great to work with by everyone from actors to grips. I'v never heard she was difficult as is said here.
Yes, you’d think that since the source of this item is TCM, they’d get the pronunciation of the director’s surname right.
Why at 1:38 is Flamingo Road, a film made at Warners in 1949, given as an example of her roles at MGM? Also, yes, it's true Curtiz & she didn't get along - at first. But he came to appreciate her and direct her in several more films. C'mon TCM, you're supposed to be better than this.
@@Themanwhocameback2 Exactly! This is so typical of these glib mini-Hollywood docs that have to simpfily everything into neat categories like feuds that didn't really happen but keep the viewer interested in the subject. It's much less interesting that Curtiz was originally wary of Crawford and had a few spats initially on the set but that he quickly grew to respect and admire her .
Seriously did the narration actually say "elevated from straight melodrama to film noir"?!
Because film noir is the only way people could enjoy the film?
Lots of Bette Davis references in this video - why, I don't know - but, here are the facts:
1) Bette Davis was never offered "Mildred Pierce." That is an unsubstantiated rumor that has no source.
2) Joan Crawford was always a more bankable actress than Bette Davis. Crawford's films always grossed more money. Always.
If you wanted to mention Davis in this, you should have cited how Crawford saved what little was left of Davis' career in 1962 by putting the "Baby Jane" production together and insisting on Davis as her co-star.
Additionally:
3) Joan did not have a reputation of "being difficult on set." Source, please? None exist, only this false rumor. 99% of those Joan worked with praised her professionalism.
4) Joan's contracts with Warners did NOT stipulate anything about her look, makeup and wardrobe - I should know, I have SEEN and read her contracts. NO such clause is in them.
5) Joan Crawford never, never, never said the Academy Awards were rigged. In fact, she said the exact opposite.
Otherwise, this isn't a horrible bio...but try to find someone with a decent voice to narrate it - whose voice doesn't sound as if it belongs in the drive thru at McDonalds.
I agree. With all of Joan Crawford's incredibly great performances, they still try to minimize her talent. She not only won for Mildred Pierce, but was nominated for Possessed (1947) and Sudden Fear. In my opinion, Joan Crawford should have been at least nominated for her performance in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane. Just watch that film again carefully. The horror shown in her face at the sadistic cruelty of her sister Baby Jane, how convincingly done was her attempt to get down a long staircase as a crippled woman, and the terror on her face as she spoke desperately to her doctor while her sister enters the room. When she is so hungry, she greedily devours the few pieces of chocolates she finds in a drawer in her sister's bedroom. When her beloved caged bird is killed by her sister, look at the painful grief written on her face, and many other scenes in the movie. To me, that's great acting. While I like Bette Davis and many of her films, to me she was way over the top in that film and, I suspect, it was easy for her to act that way. Overrated to say the least. Just my opinion.
@@catlover34fl Absolutely! In my opinion, Joan is who did the real acting in that film. As you mentioned, the sheer look of Terror, frustration, stress that Joan carries throughout the film is amazing. This is on top of the fact that she also had to play a crippled person, and trained herself to not move her lower body, especially during those scenes when she's having to lift herself using her upper body. Her performance when having to hold to the banister to go down the stairs is amazing.
So many people praise Bette Davis's performance, however I can't help but notice how wonky and inconsistent her performance is throughout the film. It was as if Bette could not make up her mind as to who Baby Jane was supposed to be. And no I don't mean in the sense that Baby Jane had an imbalance, what I mean is that Bette did not seem to grasp the character's personality from one scene to the next. My eyes were really opened when I read Henry Farrell's novel. Baby Jane in the novel is 10 times better than the performance we got out of Bette Davis. This is on top of the fact that I think Bette also played Jane as an alcoholic in the cheesiest possible fashion.
This was REALLY well-written and assembled. Captivating account of the events.
Joan the best!
This woman was from another world
Cur-TEEEEZ, guys. TCM postures as the ultimate authority on "classic" films, then pronounces the director's name wrong.
Thank you! You saved my having to see if I could find the correct pronunciation online.
I still have not seen "Mildred Pierce". The closest I have come is the parody by Ms. Carol Burnette.
Plus, it's "Ms. Carol Burnett".
Would she be related to Smiley Burnette? 😂
@@barryobrien7935 Only if she spelled "Burnett" as "Burnette" ;-).
It's my favourite rainy Sunday afternoon movie.
Or even sunny or mildly overcast, for me.
I adore “Mildred Pierce,” but there are so many major spoilers in this video that I won’t share it with friends who haven’t seen the movie. Unfortunate. Could have been a great way to get people interested!
But anyway, what a cast! Everyone is fantastic. Jack Carson deserved an Oscar nomination too. (And also for “Roughly Speaking,” “The Hard Way,” and “The Male Animal.” The Academy never did acknowledge his talents and contributions. What a shame.)
Wonderful work!
When do we get more Joan Blu-ray ? Fans will buy them, especially if they have commentary . Thanks !
curTEEZ
This is brilliant! Thank you.
Wonderful actress, wonderful movie, but Humoresque is my all time favourite
She was great in that. I once met John Garfield's daughter, Julie. She's a stage actress in NY.
I think Humoresque was here best performance.
Imagine the glamour of having the press come to you for a photo shoot so everyone can see you receive your Oscar while you lay in bed. She didn’t get up, didn’t greet them at the door, she just sat there waiting for it. The drama!
Her profile at 6:25 ... wow.
Well, I’m compelled to interject here. While this video has a lot of interesting background details and mostly accurate information, I caught at least one glaring exception (besides the previously mentioned mispronunciation of director Michael Curtiz’s name). Joan Crawford absolutely did NOT have a reputation for being “difficult” at Metro. In fact, quite the opposite. She was known for making it a point to learn the names of every crew member on her pictures, and to be friendly with them, even giving them small gifts. She knew that a crew who liked working with her, would in turn make for a pleasant experience on the set, and make her look and sound her best up on the screen.
Bette was difficult, they say.
Excellent! ❤️👍🏻
But Crawford and Stanwyck were best of buddies!
The Queen! 😍😍
I recommend also watching RUclipsr Be Kind Rewind's presentation/interpretation of Joan Crawford's Oscar win for 'Mildred Pierce'...
The director’s last name is pronounced “Curteez” not “Curtis” - fyi
“grifter himbo monty berragon” accurate 💀
Mildred Pierce is a true classic. Love the film. My other favorite is “Johnny Guitar”, Sudden Fear.
Amazing performance…I have to think Barbara Stanwyck would have been terrific too….
Joan the best❤❤❤❤
Thanks
I do not know how on earth this narrator could have gotten past all the so-called film experts at TCM. It is disgusting to hear Curtiz's name mispronounced over and over as "CURTIS". Robert Osborne, where are you when we need you most? Has film literacy died with you?
Indeed! Such shoddiness of accuracy by TCM?
Tony Wendice says the same thing!
OH MYYYYYY!
My thoughts precisely! You can’t even PRONOUNCE THE MANS NAME correctly. It’s just sloppy and TCM should really be more attentive.
The narration also implies that Rain was an MGM film when in fact Crawford had been loaned out to United Artists for it.
👍💚from🇨🇦
Well done!
Brilliant!
Joan ABSOLUTELY RODE THIS PART INTO THE STRATOSPHERE
very nice, just wish the director's last name had been pronounced correctly
Crawford had no reputation of being difficult on set. Who wrote this crap?
Exactly. This is embarrassing.
Excwllent!
I 👍 Josn Crawford.
*Joan
From caterpillar to become a butterfly
I would add another nominee of this year as a parelal with Joan carrer : Babylon,
It's kinda odd Davis would object to playing the mother of a teenager when she had twice already in
'The Old Maid' and 'The Little Foxes'.
Maybe she was getting self-conscious about her age. 🤔
I had to bail on this, much as I wanted to see it. But I can't listen to "CURTIS" over and over and over again. Disgraceful.
Odd to be sure, from TCM of all places, but worth it for 10+ minutes of watching Joan at the top of her game!
@@tomc8115 I'd rather just watch the movie and skip the commentary.
@@ferociousgumby LOL. Fair enough! 😃
Yes... but IMHO...Ann Blythe stole the show. Why she didn't win the best supporting Oscar, I'll never know.
Well all in all...I hope she finally got to have a peaceful existence.,🍵🧘🙈🙉🙊🍵🧘
Barbara, Bette, or Joan,....any of the 3 could have had the same results because all 3 are fantastic actresses !
Joan was really well-suited for this. Maybe Stanwyck. I don't see Bette, though.
NO WIRE HANGERS EVER!!!!!!!
That is Faye Dunaway not Joan.