Not Enough Can Be Said About This Film!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                               When I found out that "Mildred Pierce" was going to be shown at the Film Forum, on what was Yom Kippur, I thought it the perfect holiday offering!  So, my equally movie mad, non-Jewish friend, Chris, and I, set out on this cinematic pilgrimage, which had a fair share of people gathered for this screening.  And why not?  The film is just about perfect.

                                 Not only did Joan deserve the Oscar she won, but so did everyone in it.

                                 The opening scene, in the night club, with Veda Ann Borg, as Miriam Ellis, singing "You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby," foreshadows not only the tale to come, but pops up several more times, whenever Mildred's daughter, Veda, is around!

                                   Veda, the venal daughter, is Ann Blyth's signature performance, and, darlings, if you love bitches, this is the one for you!  Barely out of pinafores, she is a grafter and schemer, but I always felt she was just a poor, misunderstood girl, who had goals.  She just went about attaining them horribly.  And, as she learned all too well, not everyone was as foolish as her mother.  Even Monty (the great Zachary Scott) had her number.

                                    This film brought my goals and nightclub ambitions to the fore.  I wanted to wear the outfits Veda and Miriam wear at the club, where they sing.  I still want to.

                                     Many may ask, what is my favorite moment?  In a film made up of so many, it is impossible, but, for me, I would have to say it is when Veda refers to Mrs. Biederhoff (the great Lee Patrick) as "distinctly middle class!"  I always applaud, at that one!

                                       And, of course, Veda goes to prison.  So, it is the perfect atonement film for Yom Kippur!

                                       This film was so good, it even worked when Carol Burnett parodied it as "Mildred Fierce!"  Remember Mildred's Fat Burgers?

                                        The dresses are exquisite, JoAnn Marlowe makes a moving and campy impact (in the tropics number) as Kay, the doomed daughter, and the camerawork is stunningly noir. The music, of course, is one of Max Steiner's best scores!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                          What a perfect movie afternoon!