Film: Mildred Pierce (1945)

dir. Micahel Curtiz | 111 min | 1945

Michael Curtiz’ Mildred Pierce is a masterful take on James M. Cain’s grim novel about a woman who works tirelessly to give her children “the best” in the face of psychological battering from men and a spoiled daughter. In a career-defining role, Joan Crawford’s broad-shouldered Mildred is a woman whose efforts to build a successful restaurant from the ground-up for the sake of a grotesquely manipulative daughter (Ann Blyth in her debut) is sabotaged by unwise decisions, and weak and parasitic men. Curtiz’ noirish approach transforms what could have been an overblown melodrama into a nasty tale well told.

This is the first film in a monthly series of film noir classics every second Monday at SPACE.

This event will feature a post-film conversation with Peter Weed, a local film critic who writes for Movie Maker Magazine.

The film series KinoNoir is a presentation of Kinonik in partnership with SPACE. It is funded by the Maine Humanities Council.

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Presented in the original 16mm format, this is an important regional opportunity to reconnect with the unique sensory conditions of film as it was presented on celluloid film. While recent digital restorations have allowed new audiences to more fully appreciate the quality of the cinematographic vision of classic directors, experiencing the magic tactility of the flicker and hum of traditional filmic media is an integral experience to their presentation. Join us in staying curious and keeping endangered media histories alive and thriving in Portland.

About Kinonik

Kinonik’s mission is to promote and support the study of cinema through theatrical screenings projected from film. Kinonik screens 16mm films from the donated collection of Juris Ubans and donated academic collections; the eclectic selection offers a rich overview of film from the early days of cinema to the 60s. Join us in the shared darkness to rediscover the power of 24 fps communal cinema.