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As I say every time award season comes around, I'm not a big fan of miniseries in general, unless the word Torchwood appears in the title or there are people shooting things. I blame my mom for monopolizing the sole TV in the house with Thorn Birds when I was younger. Anyway, I decided to watch Mildred Pierce because I liked the original Oscar-nominated movie and I enjoy Kate Winslet and the sadistic part of me wanted to see just how terrible Evan Rachel Wood was in it. While this mini is beautiful and carefully crafted, the first segment, and a large hunk of the second part, move really slowly. On the one hand, it really gives you a sense of her life and struggles, but I wanted to get to the good stuff, and that doesn't really kick in fully until the end of Part 2. But while this film has some ups and downs with its pacing, it is extremely well executed and something I'd highly recommend sitting through, even though it is nearly six hours.
In the early '30s, Mildred is a housewife. She is also quite the exquisite cake decorator, she has two young children, but makes the brave decision to boost her cheating unemployed husband out of the house and to raise the kids by herself. This forces her to find different ways to support herself, and some are quite below her station in life. Her visit to socialite for a housekeeping job is entirely mortifying for her, and her two children (Ray and Veda) barely understand the lengths that Mildred goes to in order to give them an upper middle class lifestyle. Eventually she ends up with the demeaning job of a waitress, and parlays that into a chicken and waffle restaurant with the help of her overweight, sometimes lover Wally Burgan. She basically uses him to get what she needs, but Wally's using her too, and there aren't deep expectations, so no one really seems to get hurt. Well, until someone does... and if you watched last night, then you saw the extreme consequences of Mildred making rash decisions and engaging in a little bit of romantic fun with someone she's attracted to.
Not to give too many spoilers for the forthcoming parts for those unfamiliar with the book or the movie, but as the movie grows, so does my appreciation of Winslet in this role. She manages to convey a cool collectedness but on the same hand show the wide range of emotions that is necessary for this part. Guy Pearce is quite wonderful as well, as Mildred's polo playing boyfriend Monty Beragon. After the tragedy in Part 2, Mildred's life completely changes and Veda, goes from spoiled brat (played to perfection by Morgan Turner) to a selfish raging bitch. Turner delivers her lines with maturity beyond her years and you can't help but want to reach through the television and smack her yourself. It is only fitting that in as time goes by Veda gets increasingly more insufferable and the older version of her is played by Evan Rachel Wood. I have come to dread seeing Wood in just about anything (if you need reasons, see True Blood for starters) but here, her stilted way of speaking and her icy-off-putting ways really work, as Veda just has to come across as the most callous hateful being on the planet. And Wood does that well, its just a good thing that we as an audience aren't asked to find any redeemable qualities in this character, as I'm not sure that Wood in general would be able to garner my sympathy in any way. Rounding out the terrific cast is Melissa Leo, as Mildred's busy-body neighbor who basically explains to her how the "grass widow" system works.
While unevenly paced, sluggish in some parts, too fast in others, as a whole, this five-part series is pretty wonderful, and while I haven't read the book (yet!) it seems to be a quite thorough presentation of the subject matter. It may even make me rethink my position on mini-series, though I'm not sure all of them would be done with director Todd Haynes devoted hand and attention to detail, and I think that's what really sold this for me. And hey, at least I'll have something to root for in the mini-series category next year come Emmy time.
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I thought the first two hours did drag unnecessarily. I also thought that the actress playing the young Veda was horrible, and I don't mean the character. Every time she was in a scene she sucked the air right out of it and it seemed like Kate was laboring to make their scenes work.
This is a huge waste of time. A flaming piece of crap. Winslet is sooo over acting. They have screwed up every relationship dynamic up in this version. Mildred was NOT at all too pridefull to be a waitress, the marriage ended more with a wimper and she never slept with Wally! I can tell by the previews they have also changed the situation Veta gets into. If you want to see a the movie the way it was meant to be viewed, watch the original. And you won't regrettably lose 5+ hours of your life!
How the in the world is Winslet over acting? Did you even WATCH it?
Sue, hon, this is the book. If anything was screwed up it was the original move based on the book. And this is coming from some one who loves the original movie!
I thought it was great. I remember seeing the original movie years ago, but I've never been a big Joan Crawford fan. I downloaded the book this morning, and Sue, this version seems to be a pretty faithful adaptation...right down to complete lines of dialogue. (And Mildred and Wally DO sleep together.)
I don't know why you would be so cruel and callous about Miss Wood. Because you hate her in True Blood? Please, go after Alan Ball for his interpretation of Queen Sophie, as that was not her choice. If you just didn't like her acting, that's your opinion and that's fine.
Evan is a perfectly nice, well-informed young woman, who followed her parents onto the stage and then to films. She was not motivated by fame and fortune. She has done films that are smart and edgy. She is not one iota like Veda in reality, and really does not deserve to be treated with such hostility.
As a favor to her family, and an 83 year old grandma, could you critique her in a less hateful way next time? Thank you very much.
If this whole site were written in such a way as to not hurt any of the actors' grandparents' feelings, it wouldn't be the same site.
Sue, you seem to be comparing it to the 1940s movie, not the book. This miniseries is following the book instead of the previous movie (and so, yes, the ending and the story will be different.)
Sue, really? Enough posters have commented so I'll leave it at that.
I also agree with MA and want to defend ERW on one front. The author only used True Blood of an example as to why her acting sucks. Of course she is not good in True Blood, she is completely over the top, not believable and ridiculous, just like every other actor on the show! IMO its how the show is written and portrayed, very campy and OTT. I don't see why ERW should be singled out for her portrayal when everyone else is guilty because I suppose Alan Ball wants it that way?
Word to what MA and LALA said regarding ERW. I like her here, I liked her in other projects. But, she has a disease many female writers at EW can't seem to stand or tolerate - Skinny Young White Female Syndrome, which tends to bring out the catty, b*tchy comments from EW's female staff. Meow meow, darling!
I think you meant TWOP, but...yeah, I see what you are getting at. I hope ERW isn't the new whipping girl for this website, and it's just this particular author...
The six part "Spartacus: Gods of the Arena" was a better mini series than "Mildred Pierce". Lucy Lawless's 'Lucretia' was a bit more interesting than Winslet's 'MP'. (And Guy Pearce doesn't hold a candle to John Hannah's 'Batiatus'.) Looks like there may be some competition in the mini-series category this year. This mini may have the pedigree attached but "Gods of the Arena" was a lot more engaging and the acting was better, especially the supporting casts.
How can anyone critize Kate Winslet's performance. I have never before seen a nearly 6 hour anything where the lead was in "every" scene
What a piece of crap this HBO version was of MP
It starts with the writing the script for HBP was just horrendous. Todd Haynes should be embarrassed that he put this to screen.
Pretentious camera angles, shots thru window curtains, wide angles covering vapid scenes, the dialog was pointless in so many scenes that were unnecessary because nothing ever happened in them. And no pretentious camera angles can correct a bad script. What a waste of talent. Even got the facts wrong, i.e. how is Pasadena closer to Laguna then Glendale. If you live in LA you know this is incorrect. So melodramatic My husband who is a writer and I were laughing through the whole 5 hours. But great hats and some nice opera, but certainly not worth watching for those minor reasons!
Cat, you couldn't of hated it too much if you watched all 5 hours of MP.
CHICKEN AND WAFFLES??????????
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