Mildred Pierce (1945)

Film Music Structure for Mildred Pierce

Number	Scene Type	Time	Theme	Variant	Gesture	On-screen
1	opening title sequence	0:00:00	Signature			WB shield and wave effect
2		0:00:10	Transition			Starring list and wave effect
3		0:00:23	Mildred			Main title, cast list, and wave effect
4		0:00:52	Mildred B			Cast list and wave effect
5		0:01:23	Mildred			Cast list and wave effect
6	establish setting	0:01:37	Mildred	Somber		A house on the beach
7	murder scene	0:01:50			Monte is shot	Monte is shot
8		0:01:59	Mildred	Murder		Bullet holes in the mirror
9	establish character	0:02:15	Mildred	Pier		Santa Monica pier at night
10		0:02:42	Mildred	Tragic		Mildred walks out onto the dock
11		0:03:15			Waves rumbling	Policeman convinces Mildred not to jump
12		0:03:59	You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby			Wally sees Mildred from the window
13	action scene	0:08:53	Underscoring (Dramatic)			Wally looks for Mildred
14		0:08:53			Wally tries to open door	Wally tries to open the door
15		0:09:28			Wally goes upstairs	Wally ascends the spiral staircase
16		0:09:59			Wally knocks on the door	Wally knocks on a door
17		0:10:03			Lamp falls	Wally knocks over a lamp
18		0:10:06	Murdered Man			Wally discovers the body
19		0:10:16			Phone rings	Phone rings
20		0:10:21	Underscoring (Dramatic)			Wally reacts to the situation
21		0:10:21			Wally stands up and walks	Wally stands up to go to the phone
22		0:10:32			Wally walks	Wally hurriedly walks away
23		0:10:37			Wally sneaks	Wally sneaks down the hall
24		0:10:47			Breaks door with chair	Wally smashes a glass door with a chair
25		0:10:49			Glass falls	The glass door breaks
26		0:11:01			Wally runs	Wally runs out of the house
27		0:11:08			Cops walk	The cops walk down the hill
28		0:11:12			Opens coat	Policeman opens Wally's coat to frisk him
29		0:11:13	Underscoring (Tense)			Policemen investigate the scene
30	advance plot	0:12:06	Mildred	Sehr Dramatic		Mildred arrives home
31		0:12:43	Mildred	Ominous		The detectives talk to Mildred
32		0:13:03	Underscoring (Tense)			Mildred leaves with the detectives
33		0:13:35	Hall of Justice			The Los Angeles Hall of Justice
34		0:14:11			Mildred sits	Mildred sits down
35		0:16:07	Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes			Cop whistles to himself
36	establish character	0:20:16			Flashback starts	Flashback to the past
37		0:20:18	Bert			Bert comes home
38		0:24:26	Bert	Triste		Bert and Mildred separate
39		0:25:03	Kay and Veda			Kay plays football in the street
40		0:25:12			Kay falls	Kay falls to the ground
41		0:25:13	Kay and Veda	Going Home		Veda leads Kay home
42		0:25:25	Kay and Veda	Skipping		Kay skips on her way home
43		0:25:37	Kay and Veda	Sentimental		Veda and Kay see their father leaving
44	advance plot	0:26:39	Waltz Brillante			Veda plays the piano
45		0:27:21	Waltz Brillante			Veda plays the piano
46		0:28:13	Kay and Veda	Ashamed		Mildred overhears Veda complaining about her new dress
47		0:28:20	Mildred	Lonely		Mildred looks through her desk
48		0:28:43	Mildred	Tense		Mildred goes to open the door
49		0:32:04	Mildred	Delicate		Mildred walks up the stairs
50		0:32:13	Kay and Veda	Dolce		Mildred and Veda talk about Kay
51		0:32:32	Kay and Veda	Coy		Veda talks to her mother
52		0:32:38	Mildred	Waltz Fantasy		Veda fantasizes about her mother marrying Wally
53		0:32:58	Mildred	Dark		Mildred scolds Veda
54		0:33:08	Kay and Veda	Deception		Veda lies to her mother
55		0:33:23	Mildred	Risoluto		Mildred resolves to give her daughter nice things
56		0:33:37	Kay and Veda	Dolce Foxtrot		Mildred puts Veda to bed
57	montage	0:34:05	Mildred	Desperate		Mildred looks for a job
58		0:36:12	Work			Mildred works as a waitress
59		0:36:42	Mildred	Hopeful		Mildred bakes some pies
60	advance plot	0:36:57	The Maid			Mildred's maid in the kitchen
61	montage	0:37:17	Work	Singing Lesson		Veda sings
62		0:37:25	Ballet Lesson			Kay dances
63	music scene	0:37:36	South American Way			Veda sings and plays while Kay dances
64	conflict	0:38:47	Mazurka in B-Flat Major	Tense		Veda plays a Chopin Mazurka
65		0:39:10	Secret Revealed			Mildred argues with Veda
66		0:39:22	Mildred	Appassionato		Mildred argues with Veda
67		0:39:22			Mildred raises Veda	Mildred lifts her daughter up by the arm
68		0:39:30	Mildred B	Angry		Mildred argues with Veda
69		0:39:37	Mildred	Regretful		Mildred regrets slapping Veda
70		0:40:09	Kay and Veda	Hopeful		Veda asks if they are going to be rich
71		NIF	Kay and Veda	Troubled
72		NIF	Mildred	Not in Film
73		NIF	Mazurka in B-Flat Major + Mildred
74		NIF	Allegretto
75	transition	0:42:35	Work	Excited		Mildred and Wally leave
76		0:42:49	Beach House			They drive up to the beach house
77		0:42:58	Walking			Mildred and Wally walk to the house
78		0:48:03	Bert	Sentimentale		Mildred watches her children leave
79		0:48:16	Work	Molto Grazioso		Mildred works at her restaurant
80	falling in love scene	0:49:40	First Kiss			Monte steals a kiss from Mildred
81		0:49:48	Walking			Driving to the beach house
82		0:49:57			Opens closet	Mildred slides open a door
83		0:50:47			Disrobes	Monte takes off Mildred's robe
84		0:50:49	Bathing Suit			Monte looks at Mildred in her bathing suit
85		0:51:01	Mildred	Frolicking		Mildred runs to the beach
86		0:51:05	Frolicking in the Surf			Monte and Mildred run to the water
87		0:51:11			Waves	Waves crash onto the beach
88	love scene	0:51:16	It Can’t Be Wrong			Monte plays a record for Mildred
89	death scene	0:54:01	Kay and Veda	Misterioso		Bert tells Mildred that Kay is sick
90		0:54:14	Bert	Dark		Bert and Mildred rush off to see Kay
91		0:54:25	Pneumonia			A doctor works on Kay
92		0:55:05	Kay and Veda	Dying		Kay's family waits and watches
93		0:55:24	Pneumonia	Dying		Kay passes away
94		0:56:07	Mildred	Mourning		Mildred mourns Kay's death
95		0:56:34	Kay and Veda	Tenderly		Veda and Mildred mourn for Kay
96	advance plot	0:57:26	Work	Grand Opening		View of Mildred's restaurant
97		0:57:37	T’Ain’t No Good			Mildred at the opening of her restaurant
98		0:59:47	While You’re Away			Monte arrives at the restaurant
99		1:01:42	Work	Success		People work in Mildred's restaurant
100		1:01:45			Order wheel spins	Restaurant order wheel spins
101		1:01:54	Please Think of Me			Monte dances with Veda
102		1:03:41	Mildred	Sorrow		Monte asks about Kay
103		1:04:11	It Can’t Be Wrong	Romantic		Monte kisses Mildred
104		1:04:30	It Can’t Be Wrong	Troubled		Bert interrupts Mildred and Monte's kiss
105		1:04:43	Bert	Regretful		Bert tells Mildred about the divorce
106		1:05:35			Breaks glass	Bert slaps the glass out of Monte's hand
107		1:05:36	It Can’t Be Wrong	Uneasy		Bert stares angrily at Monte
108		1:05:49			Flashback ends	Screen wipe back to the present day
109		1:07:59			Flashback starts 2	Flashback to the past
110	montage	1:08:00	Work			Montage of restaurants
111		1:08:09	Mildred	Sweepingly		Mildred greets customers
112		1:08:14	Polo			Veda at a polo match
113	advance plot	1:08:28	How Sweet You Are			Veda dances at a club
114		1:09:27	Kay and Veda	Subtle		Mildred looks at Monte's bills
115		1:13:21	Kay and Veda	Excited		Veda drives away in her new car
116	conflict	1:13:55	Kay and Veda	Sly		Mildred tells Monte to not see Veda
117		1:14:06	Kay and Veda	Troubled		Mildred and Monte argue
118		1:14:37	Mildred	Agitato		Mildred and Monte argue
119		1:14:53	Underscoring (Tense)			Mildred and Monte argue
120		1:15:29	It Can’t Be Wrong	Bitter		Mildred writes Monte a check
121		1:15:59			Closes blinds	Mildred closes the blinds
122		NIF	It Can’t Be Wrong	Not in Film
123	advance plot	1:16:01	You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby			Wally and Veda in a restaurant
124	conflict	1:18:21	Mildred	Angry		Mildred walks out of an argument
125		1:18:34	Underscoring (Tense)			Veda tells her mother she is married
126		1:18:59	Secret Revealed			Veda talks to her mother
127		1:19:11	Kay and Veda	Coy		Veda talks to her mother
128		1:19:18	Mildred	Waltz Fantasy		Mildred talks to Veda
129		1:19:37	Mildred	Tenderly		Wally talks about a settlement
130		1:21:34	Kay and Veda	Troubled 2		Veda looks at the divorce settlement check
131		1:22:22	Kay and Veda	Agitato		Veda and her mother argue
132		1:22:43	Kay and Veda	Ominous		Veda argues with her mother
133		1:23:00	Mildred	Appassionato		Veda expresses her disgust with her mother
134		1:23:09	Mildred B	Angry 2		Mildred gets angry at Veda
135		1:23:21	Mildred	Vicious		Veda insults her mother
136		1:23:38	Mildred B	Angry		Mildred tears up Veda's check
137		1:23:44	Stunned Reaction			Mildred is stunned after Veda slaps her
138		1:24:04			Runs upstairs	Veda runs up the stairs
139		1:24:04	Mildred	Tragic		Veda watches her daughter leave
140	transition	1:24:15			Rushing train	A rushing train
141	advance plot	1:27:46	Oceana Roll			Veda sings at a restaurant
142		1:29:05	Sweet Georgia Brown			Mildred confronts Wally
143		1:30:25	It Had to Be You			Mildred and Veda talk
144	montage	1:34:44	Work	Montage		Montage of Mildred and Monte's marriage
145		1:35:44			Glasses clink	Mildred and Monte clink glasses together
146	advance plot	1:37:06	Bert	Somber		Bert talks with Mildred in her new house
147		1:38:02			Mildred stands and walks to window	Mildred stands up and goes to the window
148		1:38:10	Kay and Veda	Returning Home		Mildred looks at Veda through the window
149		1:38:50	Mildred	Happy Homecoming		Mildred and her daughter embrace
150		1:39:33	Bert	Tenderly		Mildred thanks Bert
151		1:39:47	Kay and Veda	Allegretto Grazioso		Monte is happy to see Veda
152	turning point	1:42:42	It Can’t Be Wrong	Molto Misterioso		Mildred learns that Monte has betrayed her
153		1:43:19	Mildred	Mad		Mildred makes a phone call
154		1:43:38	Hopes Crushed			Mildred realizes Monte has left her
155	transition	1:43:57	Mildred	Revenge		Mildred drives to the beach house
156	interrogation	1:44:37	Kay and Veda	Coy 2		Veda is brought in by the police
157		1:44:53	Mildred	Waltz Fantasy		Mildred tells Veda not to confess
158		1:45:09	Mildred	Dark		Mildred realizes that she cannot save Veda
159	climax	1:45:20	Mildred B	Twist		Mildred walks into the beach house
160		1:45:25	Mildred	Ominous		Mildred walks downstairs
161		1:45:37	Secret Revealed			Mildred finds Veda and Monte together
162		1:46:05	Kay and Veda	Agitato		Veda reveals that she is in love with Monte
163		1:46:22	Kay and Veda	Very Slow		Mildred reacts to Veda's betrayal
164		1:46:43	Mildred	Tragic		Mildred runs away
165		1:47:11	Mildred	Breakdown		Mildred tries to start her car
166	murder scene	1:47:28			Monte is shot 2	Monte is shot
167		1:47:42	Kay and Veda	Ominous		Mildred rushes in to check on Veda
168		1:48:06	Mildred B	Angry		Veda confesses to Mildred
169		1:48:22	Kay and Veda	Troubled		Veda pleads for help to escape
170		1:48:41	Mildred	Ominous		Mildred calls the police
171		1:48:54	Underscoring (Tense)			Veda asks her mother not to turn her in
172		1:49:17	Kay and Veda	Returning Home 2		Veda convinces her mother to not report her
173	resolution	1:49:37	Kay and Veda	Triste		Veda is led out by the police
174		1:50:07	Mildred	The End		Mildred leaves with Bert