Mildred Pierce is a 1945 Warner Bros film, based on the novel by James M. Cain, directed by Michael Curtiz, and starring Joan Crawford. One gunshot opens the film. Monte Beragon (Zachary Scott) collapses onto the floor, and chokes out "Mildred" before dying. Mildred herself is walking out to the docks, looking over the edge as if to jump. The police take her to the station and she relates her story. Mildred eventually marries Monte, a rich playboy, to impress Veda. Things go downhill from there, until we find out how Monte was killed. Sonic Youth named one of their songs after the film.