Joan Crawford was considered a washed up actress by the time she left Metro in 1943. After a two-year absence from the screen, she returned in Mildred Pierce, making the most significant come back of the studio era. In flashback, Mildred is like one of the cakes she bakes for extra cash: Decorative, domestic, and made for other people's pleasure. By the end of the picture, she's had an education and learned her lessons the hard way. She is glorious.

Thanks to Tom O'Mahoney for editing the episode.