Attended a screening of this movie not long ago at the BFI in London. Joan Crawford is remarkably impressive portraying a plain housewife who finds herself abandoned by her feckless husband, and subsequently begins working in a restaurant kitchen while pursuing a career so she can provide her indulged daughter with every luxury. Ann Blyth delivers an excellent performance as the unpleasant daughter, and Zachary Scott rounds out the main cast as the opportunistic second husband. Mike Curtiz’s direction is superb, especially during the film's final moments; both the writing and musical score significantly contribute to the overall impact of this rightfully Oscar-winning narrative. It really is just a fantastic film!

Source on TMDB