Potent Quotables: A Classic Lesson in Movie Marketing

"Please don't tell anyone what Mildred Pierce did!" was concocted by Warners publicity to tout the big screen melodrama that marked the comeback of Joan Crawford. And it worked. Not only did it make Mildred Pierce an anticipated event, it became part of the pop culture landscape of the time. Parodies of the phrase sprung up everywhere, like this one:

"For 65 cents, we'll not only serve you a swell blue plate -- we'll tell you what Mildred Pierce did!"

The film was a huge hit, netting six Oscar nominations (including Best Picture) and landing Joan her one and only Academy Award.

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