February 13, 2018 (XXXVI:3) Michael Curtiz MILDRED PIERCE (1945), 111 min. DIRECTED BY Michael Curtiz WRITTEN BY James M. Cain (based on the novel by), Ranald MacDougall, William Faulkner, Catherine Turney (Screenplay) PRODUCED BY Jerry Wald MUSIC Max Steiner CINEMATOGRAPHY by Ernest Haller CAST Joan Crawford...Mildred Pierce Beragon Jack Carson...Wally Fay Zachary Scott...Monte Beragon Eve Arden...Ida Corwin Ann Blyth...Veda Pierce Forrester Bruce Bennett...Albert ('Bert') Pierce Lee Patrick...Mrs. Maggie Biederhof Moroni Olsen...Inspector Peterson Veda Ann Borg...Miriam Ellis Jo Ann Marlowe...Kay Pierce frequently over Crawford’s insistence that Mildred Pierce would Selected for National Film Registry by the National Film always be dressed glamorously. Curtiz felt this was inappropriate Preservation Board, 1996 for a working mother while Crawford said it was because Mildred was proud and wanted to project an upwardly mobile Academy Awards, USA 1946 appearance. Jerry Wald acted as peacemaker during arguments Oscar for Best Actress (Crawford), nominations for Best between Crawford and Curtiz. He recalled, “I had to be the Supporting Actress (Arden, Blyth), Cinematography-B&W referee. We had several meetings filled with blood, sweat, and (Haller), Picture (Wald), Screenplay (MacDougall) tears. Then everything started to settle down. Mike restricted himself to swearing only in Hungarian, and Joan stopped MICHAEL CURTIZ (b. Mihály Kertész on December 24, streamlining the apron strings around her figure and let them 1886, Budapest, Austria-Hungary—d. April 10, 1962 in hang.” When filming began, Curtiz mocked Crawford's famous Hollywood, CA) was almost not chosen as the director for shoulder pads, and accused her of having her assistant alter the Mildred Pierce. Jack L. Warner originally wanted Vincent store-bought clothes used for her costumes. By the time filming Sherman to direct the film but producer Jerry Wald held out for ended, however, she and Curtiz had become closer, and Curtiz. Curtiz also did not want Crawford for the title role. He’d Crawford presented him with a pair of oversized shoulder pads as offered the role to Barbara Stanwyck and Rosalind Russell—both a gift. Michael Curtiz would go on to direct her once again in actresses turned it down. Even Crawford’s arch-nemesis Bette Flamingo Road (1949). Curtiz directed 172 films, the last of Davis turned down the role. Curtiz and Crawford would clash which was The Comancheros (1961). Some of the others were Curtiz—MILRED PIERCE—2 King Creole (1958), White Christmas (1954), The Jazz Singer Humoresque (1946), Saratoga Trunk (1945), Rhapsody in Blue (1952), Force of Arms (1951), Young Man with a Horn (1950), (1945), Mr. Skeffington (1944), The Roaring Twenties (1939), Flamingo Road (1949), Night and Day (1946), Casablanca Dark Victory (1939), Jezebel (1938), Captain Blood (1935), The (1942), Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942), Santa Fe Trail (1940), Emperor Jones (1933), Parisian Nights (1925), and The Virginia City (1940), The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex Discarded Woman (1920). (1939), Dodge City (1939), Kid Galahad (1937), The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936), Captain Blood (1935), Mammy (1930), The Third Degree (1926), Der Goldene Schmetterling (1926), Boccaccio (1920), and Az Utolsó bohém (1912). He won a best director Oscar for Casablanca (1942). JAMES M. CAIN (b. July 1, 1892 in Annapolis, Maryland—d. October 27, 1977, age 85, in University Park, Maryland) is best known for three books have been made into now-classic films: The Postman Always Rings Twice, Mildred Pierce and Double Indemnity. Born and raised on the East Coast and trained as a journalist, Cain moved to Los Angeles in the 1930s, around the time his first book was published. He returned to the East Coast about 15 years later, but it was in Los Angeles, a place he had conflicting feelings about, that Cain had his greatest success. Cain's first novel The Postman Always Rings Twice was rejected by publishers—twice. Once he found success, the writer was in high demand in Hollywood, but the relationship was fraught. He JOAN CRAWFORD (b. March 23,1904, San Antonio, TX—d. managed a complete rewrite of the screenplay Out of the Past, May 10, 1977 in NY, NY) was a well-established star at the time only to have it rewritten again after he was done. While he wrote she accepted the lead in Mildred Pierce. However, by 1945 the novel for tonight’s film, other writers, including William Crawford was being whispered about town as “washed-up” (or Faulkner, were used to flesh out the screenplay. Among the many shouted if you were Bette Davis). Initially, Curtiz was less-than- versions of the screenplay, Faulkner’s rewrite differed the most keen at working with “has-been” star Joan Crawford as she had a significantly. He wrote an elaborate voice-over narration and reputation for being difficult. Most of the leading actresses of the concentrated on Mildred’s restaurant business, describing sleazy, day shied away from the role of Mildred Pierce as they didn't underhanded business dealings. Veda is even more calculating want to play the mother of a teenage daughter. Crawford had no and cold than she appears in the final film. Faulkner’s additions such reservations, knowing that it would be the part of a lifetime, ultimately were not used. Eight different screenplays from a so she campaigned vigorously to land it. She so badly wanted the succession of writers were written before Ranald MacDougall's rol e that she offered to do a screen test, something an established version was accepted. star was never expected to do. Curtiz directed the screen test and after watching it, astonished, agreed that Crawford was perfect ERNEST HALLER (b. May 31, 1896, Los Angeles, CA—d. for the part. Yet, the relationship between director and lead October 21,1970, age 74, in Marina del Rey, CA) began his actress was not always smooth sailing. Shooting the early scenes, career as a bank clerk before moving on to acting. Within one Curtiz accused Crawford of needlessly glamorizing her working year he discovered his true calling: being on the other side of the mother role. She insisted she was buying her character’s clothes camera. By 1920 he had become a full director of photography off the rack but didn’t mention that her own dressmaker was and would go on to handle prestige pictures such as Stella Dallas fitting the waists and padding out the shoulders. Even though she (1925). Despite prolific output, it took him several years to create may have been a touch vain, Crawford was a workhorse. a reputation. His breakthrough eventually came with the lavishly According to follow actress Ann Blyth, during the staircase scene produced period drama Jezebel (1938), starring Bette Davis. For Crawford insisted that Blyth slap her. Soon Curtiz was won over this, he received the first of five Academy Award nominations. It by Crawford’s dedication. He was not the only one: Writer James was his work on Jezebel which ultimately prompted David O. M. Cain sent Crawford a signed first edition of the original Selznick to replace Lee Garmes (with whom he had creative novel. The inscription read: “To Joan Crawford, who brought disagreements) with Haller as principal cinematographer for his Mildred Pierce to life just as I had always hoped she would be, Technicolor masterpiece, Gone with the Wind (1939). Haller also and who has my lifelong gratitude.” After the film’s success, WB shot Vivien Leigh’s famous first screen test for the role of went into overdrive campaigning for a Best Actor award their Scarlett O’Hara. Though his previous work had been almost star. Crawford, however, was much more skeptical about her exclusively in black-and-white, the gamble paid off handsomely, chances. “People in Hollywood don't like me, and they've never with Haller winning an Academy Award (alongside Ray regarded me as a good actress. But go ahead. We'll see what Rennahan) for Best Color Cinematography. In addition to happens.” Crawford was so sure she wouldn't win—and so tonight’s film, Haller photographed Crawford twice more in her nervous about delivering a speech if she did—she didn’t attend career looking her best in Humoresque (1946) and her worst in the ceremony on March 7, 1946. She put out the word she was What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962). Some of his other very ill and took to her bed. But when she heard Charles Boyer films were Dead Ringer (1964), Lilies of the Field (1963), Rebel announce her as the winner, she let out a shriek and, according to Without a Cause (1955), Jim Thorpe—All-American (1951), her daughter Christina, recovered her health very quickly. Soon Curtiz—MILRED PIERCE—3 her house was filled with hair and make-up people, Guild. It was in New York where he caught the eye of Jack photographers (in that order), actor Van Johnson (one of her Warner who signed him to a film contract. Scott’s first feature biggest fans), and Curtiz who, with a small contingent from the was the title role in The Mask of Dimitrios (1944). He was well production, delivered her Oscar. She was photographed in her received in the part of the mysterious and debonair scoundrel and nightgown in bed, proudly displaying the statuette, an image that seemed destined for a top-level career in movies. A subsequent dominated all the paper. Before leaving, the photographers had role as the cad in tonight’s film seemed likely to cement him as her fake one last picture, lying as if asleep, clutching her award both a star and as a typecast portrayer of amoral characters.