MILDRED PIERCE
US, 2011, 300 minutes. Colour.
Kate Winslet, Guy Pearce, Brian F. O’ Byrne, Melissa Leo, James Le Gros, Mare Winningham, Hope Davis, Morgan Turner, Evan Rachel Wood.
Directed by Todd Haynes.
Mildred Pierce is based on the novel by James M. Cain. It was made into a film by Michael Curtiz in 1945 with Joan Crawford winning an Oscar for her portrayal of Mildred Pierce. Zachary Scott was Monty and Jack Carson Wally. The film was more melodramatic than Cain’s original novel and this version which follows the novel very faithfully.
Mildred Pierce is a domestic drama, set in Los Angeles in the 1930s. With the miniseries format, the film has a great amount of time to develop Mildred’s character – and she appears in practically every sequence. In the original film, the relationship between Mildred and her daughter Veda is very powerful, leading to a final betrayal and melodrama. While this is not so strong in terms of melodrama in this version, the relationship between Mildred and her spoilt daughter, snobbish when she was young, self-obsessed and wilful when she was older, is very much to the fore. Morgan Turner gives a striking performance as the young Veda and Evan Rachel Wood is powerful as the older Veda.
The supporting cast is very strong and many of them were nominated for Emmy awards, with Guy Pearce winning. Kate Winslet easily won with her portrayal of Mildred. Melissa Leo, who is able to do a variety of turns on her basic performance (Frozen River, Red State, her Oscar-winning performance in The Fighter) is very good as Mildred’s friend and confidante. Guy Pearce is the playboy Monty. James Le Gros is the shady real estate agent, Wally. Brian F. O’ Byrne also received a nomination for his portrayal of Mildred’s husband. The film was directed by Todd Haynes, a director who has made a number of striking films, paying homage to the America of the past and the movie genres (Safe, Far from Heaven).
The film recreates Los Angeles of the 1930s, suburban Los Angeles, homes, diners and restaurants, the streets and the beaches. It veers into concert halls towards the end – but generally focuses on middle-class America.
The film is a portrait of an American woman, strong, loving, fallible. Kate Winslet is certainly worth seeing in this role.
1. The work of James M. Cain, his novels, the film versions over the decades, remakes and reinterpretations?
2. The 1945 original, Joan Crawford’s Oscar? This version for the 21st century, the miniseries format, the length of time given to the plot, less melodrama, ordinary Los Angeles life?
3. The work of Todd Haynes, his interest in America’s past, in recreating America of the past, homage to the films of the past, capturing the moods and feelings?
4. The visual style, for television, the sets, costumes and décor, the houses and cars, restaurants? The coast, the roads, the beaches? The Los Angeles of the 1930s? The musical score?
5. The strong cast, performances, awards and nominations?
6. The effect of the running time, people’s attention, concentration, the film as a whole, the variety of parts?
7. Kate Winslet’s performance, award, her screen presence? The tone of her name? From Los Angeles, her background, family, her marriage and pregnancy, her two children, her relationship with her husband, his real estate work, the friendship with Wally? Her ousting her husband? His infidelity? With her children at home, domestic, management? The troubles at home? Veda, her education, her snobbery and aloofness? Ray as small, her love? Mildred’s plight?
8. Mildred and her cooking, the pies and cakes, her skills, Veda’s comments? Her ability to sell her pies? Going for a job, the interview and her cutting it short? Lucy and her friendship, support? Her getting the job at the diner? Her friendship with Ida, initial wariness? Not telling the family about the job, fearing Veda’s condemnation? Her working hard? The effect on her?
9. The encounter with Monty, his style, Veda’s reaction? Monty, his money, the affair with Mildred, at the beach, her absence with her daughter’s illness, coming back, in hospital, the rest of the family, with her husband? Her child’s death? The effect on Mildred? The later arrangement with Monty, his financial difficulties, reliance on Mildred? Supporting him financially? His sponging on her? Moving in and out of the relationship? Mildred’s advice for him? Her devotion and care? The marriage, the beginning of clashes, Monty not wanting to be controlled, Monty and Veda, his character and lack of character, his mansion, weakness, fickle, not wanting to be controlled, breaking out with Veda? Mildred and her disillusionment?
10. Lucy, her character, friendship and support, advice about the restaurant, her partnership, the growth of the restaurants, Lucy as her confidante?
11. Ida, wary of Mildred? The touch of hardness? Their growing friendship? The bond between the two? The work at the restaurants, partnerships, building up the company? Mildred neglecting Ida, not listening to her complaints? Ida changing, with Wally, the financial betrayal, decisions? The final reconciliation between the two?
12. Wally, partnership with Mildred’s husband, the relationship with Mildred? In himself, his advice, money issues, scouting the building, the buying of the building, the setting up of the restaurant, the planning? His presence in Mildred’s life? Turning against her, the money deals?
13. Mildred and her children, love for them, her spoiling Veda, the piano lessons, the clashes with the teacher, the arguments? Veda getting older, more wilful? Mildred continuing to spoil her, pay the money for her classes? Veda and her surliness, assertiveness against her mother, her snobbishness? Self-obsessed? Her leaving, the relationship with the young man, her pregnancy, blackmailing the family, the mother’s visit to Mildred, Mildred and her disbelief? Her shock, confronting Veda, Veda leaving home? The discovery of her voice, the training, the conductor, his ambiguous reaction to Veda? Her performances? The reconciliation? Mildred and Monty going to the concert? Mildred’s joy? Veda twisting her relationship with her mother, her betrayal with Monty? The money issues, her engineering her mother’s financial disasters? Veda as completely selfish?
14. Mildred, her difficulties, her reliance on Monty, not listening to people, her excessive devotion to Veda, her growing disillusionment? Her continually consulting her husband?
15. Mildred’s husband, his life, supporting his wife, the death of the child, his seeing through Veda? Money issues? His woman friend, his separating from her? The reconciliation?
16. The range of background characters, at the restaurant, the staff, Mildred’s personal assistant, the details of building up the restaurant, furnishing it, the menus, chicken? Life in the restaurant? Cooking, the pies? The range of clients, Mildred as a hostess? Lucy and her work? Ida?
17. Mildred and her life behind the scenes, success, finance, becoming careless in attention to details, her spoiling Veda, her stubbornness and disillusionment?
18. Her reconciliation with her husband? Discovering Veda with Monty? The truth? Her remarrying – and the family and friends gathering round her?
19. The portrait of a woman in the United States, the 1930s, the aftermath of the Depression, in Los Angeles, a battler? The American ethos for hard work and success?
