Actress Joan Crawford (1905)

Mildred Pierce (1945), an American melodrama/film noir by Michael Curtiz, follows the story of Mildred’s troubled marriage to Monte Beragon. After we witness Monte’s murder, the police inform Mildred that her first husband, Bert Pierce, is the culprit. They base this accusation on the fact that he owned the murder weapon, had a motive, and does not deny his involvement in the crime. However, Mildred strongly protests these allegations and shares her side of the story with the officer through a flashback. In it, we see that Mildred and Bert were not happily married. As Wally Fay ends their partnership in ...