Best Actress: Joan Crawford

 Is there a We Hate Veda Pierce Fan Club I can join?

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I'd forgotten how deliciously noir and sexy this movie is. Like Gaslight, it's one that I saw years ago and then shoved into a back corner and have never revisited, but unlike Gaslight, I have fond memories of Mildred Pierce. 

I'd forgotten how it's framed as a whodunnit, with Mildred telling police the story of her life leading up to the point that her second husband winds up shot to death on the floor of their beach house. I'd forgotten, to my shame, the stellar supporting cast propped up by Ann Blyth (playing the loathsome Veda with such relish), Jack Carson (playing the handsy Wally to perfection) and Eve Arden (honestly, the woman should've won Oscars for the way she could banter).* 

Mildred Pierce is such a perfect film for establishing a time and place and mood, it's so fully believable and it's anchored by Joan Crawford in probably her most stellar performance. There's a reason it won an Oscar, after all. You can't help but root for her, you can't help wanting to tell her about how rotten Veda is, you know that ultimately it's going to be an unhappy ending, but you're still hoping she makes it through. 

I think there's more similarities between Mildred Pierce and Joan Crawford than there might be for any other actress who won an Oscar. Like Mildred, Joan rose up from humble beginnings and battled against family and friends who never believed in her success. At every step, she pulled herself up and ultimately found success through her own talents and drive. If you don't know Joan's story, you're doing yourself a disservice.

So much of my favourite Oscar lore is surrounding Joan's win. How her agent started the Oscar buzz rumbling for Mildred Pierce months in advance, assuring that it'd still be top of mind when nominations came around. How she was 'too sick' to go to the ceremony and instead is the first and so far only actress to be delivered her award bedside. Was anyone doing it like Joan? I don't think so.

Joan was nominated against Ingrid Bergman (The Bells of St. Mary's), Greer Garson (The Valley of Decision), Jennifer Jones (Love Letters), and Gene Tierney (Leave Her to Heaven). Joan would get my vote!

DID I LIKE MILDRED PIERCE? Yes! What a diva. Both Mildred and Joan. 

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Did you like Mildred Pierce? What are your thoughts on Joan Crawford's Oscar win? 

Keep up with all my Rewatching the Best Actresses posts here.