Glendale, California, 1931: Mildred Pierce, a young mother with a talent for baking, is left a "grass widow" after throwing her husband, Bert, out of the house. Forced to hunt for work to support herself and her two young daughters, 11-year-old Veda and seven-year-old Ray, Mildred visits an employment agency, only to encounter job opportunities she feels are beneath her. Amidst her job search, she receives dating advice from her friend and neighbor, Lucy Gessler, and begins an unexpected affair with an ex-business partner of her husband's, Wally Burgan. When Mildred receives a call from the agency regarding an opening as a housekeeper to a wealthy socialite, she reluctantly agrees to meet with her. After cutting the acerbic interview short, Mildred seeks refuge at a local diner, Cristofor's Café, where fate, and a waitress named Ida, will play a role in shaping her future.

Director: Todd Haynes
Writers: James M. Cain (novel), Todd Haynes, Jon Raymond, Jonathan Raymond

Cast:
Kate Winslet ... Mildred Pierce
Brían F. O'Byrne ... Bert Pierce
Guy Pearce ... Monty Beragon
Morgan Turner ... Veda Pierce
Melissa Leo ... Lucy Gessler
James LeGros ... Wally Burgan
Evan Rachel Wood ... Veda Pierce
Murphy Guyer ... Mr. Pierce
Mare Winningham ... Ida
Marin Ireland ... Letty
Diane Kagan ... Mrs. Pierce
Miriam Shor ... Anna
Halley Feiffer ... Arline
Hope Davis ... Mrs. Forrester

Released on: April 3, 2011 (US)

Posters, Promotional Stills, On the Set, On the Set Photoshoot, Trailers captures, Teaser captures, Featurettes captures and Screen Captures

During a New York press event before the premiere of this movie, Evan Rachel Wood said that her co-star and on-screen mother, Kate Winslet, gave her the courage to do her nude scene. Winslet, who has often appeared nude on-screen, told Wood, "You've got to do it. Trust me, it's so brave." Wood also revealed that she was not 100% nude in the scene — she was wearing a "merkin" (a pubic wig). "Let's just say, I had to wear a wig because it was in the 30s, and everything had to look like it was in the 30s," Wood explained.

6 time Academy Award nominee (and 1 time winner) Kate Winslet has the distinction of being nominated alongside two of her female co-stars. Mare Winningham for Georgia (1995) and Winslet for Sense And Sensibility (1995) competed for Best Supporting Actress 1995, while Melissa Leo for Frozen River (2008) and Winslet for The Reader (2008) competed for Best Actress 2008. Neither won for the former and Winslet won the latter.

[When asked why does she choose to play angst-ridden women]: "It's my chance to challenge myself to the fullest, which is one of the great joys about this job... I love it when a character requires me to look less than my red-carpet best. It's more fun playing a character that requires you to look like dog shit."

• Official site