Poster art for the film includes this misleading illustration of the character of Mildred holding a smoking gun. Warner Brothers promoted the film as a story of a woman scorned who takes revenge by murdering an unfaithful lover.

    Additional promotional material included a poster which instructed viewers to “Please don’t tell anyone what Mildred Pierce did!” Audiences who had seen the film may have been confused as to what the implication was for since it did not cohere with the plot.

    The film ends with the reveal that it was Veda who killed Monte after he had jilted her. Mildred, in one final act of maternal self sacrifice, attempts to take the blame before being thwarted by the police who solve the case.