Director
Michael Curtiz
Leading Actors/Actresses
Joan Crawford
Supporting Actors/Actresses
Jack Carson, Zachary Scott, Ann Blyth
Genre
Crime, Drama, Film Noir
Language
English
Awards
Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Joan Crawford)
Date of Release
1945
Producer
Jerry Wald
Setting and Context
1945, California
Narrator and Point of View
POV is that of Mildred
Tone and Mood
Serious, Dramatic, Film Noir, Suspenseful
Protagonist and Antagonist
Protagonist is Mildred, Antagonist is her daughter Veda
Major Conflict
Monte, Mildred's second husband, has been shot and killed, and Mildred has been brought in as a suspect. Inspector Peterson must find out who committed the crime.
Climax
The climax occurs when we realize that Veda is the murderer and she is arrested.
Foreshadowing
Monte being killed in the opening sequence of the film foreshadows the mystery of the entire film. Kay's cough foreshadows that she will die of pneumonia. Monte and Veda's close acquaintanceship foreshadows their affair.
Understatement
Every time Mildred makes excuses for Veda's terrible acts, she is understating Veda's antagonism. Many of Ida's comic lines are deadpan or understated.
Innovations in Filming or Lighting or Camera Techniques
Allusions
Some allusions to classical music.
Paradox
Mildred works herself to the bone in order to give her daughter the life that she desires. Paradoxically, the more Mildred works to give Veda the fancy life she wants, the more Veda castigates her for not doing enough or being too embarrassing/lower class. Monte also looks down on Mildred for working in the service industry, yet her work is what pays his bills.
Parallelism
Veda telling her mother that she wants to get away from the smell of grease parallels Monte saying he can't stand the smell of grease earlier.
