Mildred Pierce 2010

[Broadwaywest2]

Posted: 9/13/10 at 10:34pm

The first trailer for Mildred Pierce starring Kate Winslet and Evan Rachel Wood has come out. It looks fantastic and appears to go back to the original novel, as oppose to the joan crawford film. Todd Haynes is the perfect director to tackle this material.

http://blog.oregonlive.com/madaboutmovies/2010/09/brand_new_trailer_for_todd_hay.html

[Almira]

Posted: 9/14/10 at 1:17am

Seems a bit over produced to me.

The original novel is pretty slight. Hard to imagine 5 parts (hours? 1/2 hours?) worth of material could be culled from it.

Updated On: 9/14/10 at 01:17 AM

[A NIce Macaroon]

Posted: 9/14/10 at 2:10am

I think it look fabulous. Overproduced, ba! Every choice I saw in that short trailer seemed appropriate to the material. And I could definitely see it as 5 45 minute/hour long playlets.

[best12bars]

Posted: 9/14/10 at 7:02am

One of the things I loved about the Crawford movie was the "mystery" that was set up in the screenplay.

"Did she or didn't she?" or as the original tagline for the film said:

"Please don't tell anyone what Mildred Pierce did!"

It made the film compelling beyond a standard "chick flick" soap opera. The setup was strong enough to demand audiences' attention, both male and female.

As good as this looks, as a 2010 soap opera, I don't get that compelling sense at all, that reason to stay engaged.

I still think it looks really good. But there's something to say about that Golden Age of Hollywood when they really knew how to adapt novels for the screen and make them work as films, not as "faithful recreations."

Updated On: 9/14/10 at 07:02 AM

[nmartin]

Posted: 9/14/10 at 7:09am

It ain't the Widow Steele.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 9/14/10 at 9:29am

The one thing that concerns me is that this might be another of Haynes' Douglas Sirk knockoffs, that it will be all operatic and lush, basically a five-hour FAR FROM HEAVEN, as opposed to James M. Cain's grittier smellier works.

But we'll see. The sublime Ms. Winslet makes everything worth watching.

Posted: 9/14/10 at 10:17am

I'm curious. will Winslet be able to play overwrought?

[Gothampc]

Posted: 9/14/10 at 12:20pm

Patti LuPone in Mildred Pierce the Musical!

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 9/14/10 at 1:03pm

How about Patti LuPone in "Charles Pierce: The Musical"?

Posted: 9/14/10 at 1:09pm

I'd buy premium tickets to Charles Pierce in "Patti LuPone: The Musical."

[nealb1]

Posted: 9/14/10 at 6:18pm

Looks really good. Last year's "Grey Gardens" on HBO was very, very good - winning quite a few Emmys and Golden Globes. Quite a few people on this board predicted doom & gloom on it.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 9/14/10 at 7:00pm

Where's all the slapping?

[KneelBeeWon]

Posted: 9/14/10 at 9:00pm

Yeah! All the those predicting doom and gloom (even though no on actually is)are going to be proved W-R-O-N-G!

And you know why???? Because GREY GARDENS was good, that's why!

It stands to un-reason that if HBO broadcast a good film last year then this year they can ONLY broadcast a good film too!

Why are people so blind? It looks FABULOUS! And a good looking production design is all you need to make quality tv drama!

KATE WINSLET CAN START WRITING HER EMMY ACCEPTANCE SPEECH!!!!!


Updated On: 9/14/10 at 09:00 PM

[Elphaba]

Posted: 9/17/10 at 10:48am

ugh.....the ONLY thing that will get me to watch this is the Queen of the Night aria......but there IS only ONE Mildred Pierce.....and while it may be slightly interesting, it will probably do no better than the remake of The Women did....

to compare it to Grey Gardens makes no sense to me, considering it was a remake of a documentary (basically)....and not the same as a remake of a classic film

[StageManager2]

Posted: 9/17/10 at 11:11am

But a classic documentary, nonetheless.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 9/17/10 at 11:26am

How does this compare to the re-make of THE WOMEN at all? That is such a terrible comparison. The re-make of THE WOMEN was simply trying to capitalize on the success of the SEX & THE CITY movie and portrayed the story as devoid of any real feelings or characters. It was directed by someone with no skill, no vision and no insight into the characters, and it starred Meg Ryan, an actress who is in no way comparable to the brilliant Kate Winslet (not to mention the fact that this was a post-face surgery performance by Ryan).
I don't really get why people are so up in arms about this adaptation. The original film is an adaptation in itself! We always have the original film and Joan Crawford's magnetic and legendary performance to go back to, but honestly the idea of Kate Winslet and Todd Haynes (a fantastic director) sinking their teeth into this great story is incredibly exciting. The fact that is a 5-part miniseries means that they will be able to explore different sides of the story and different sides of the characters and their relationships that the film does not explore. Also by making it a TV project (not even a TV movie but a mini-series) instead of a feature film, the producers are clearly paying a particular respect to the original film since they aren't trying to replace it or trying to get Winslet the Oscar or anything like that. It's a great project with a fantastic ensemble and it looks incredibly stylish, well-performed and pristine.
If you are soooo into the original film that you can't take the idea of this mini-series, you can always not watch it. Me, I'll be there rooting for Winslet's Mildred every night that it airs, I cannot wait! (Evan Rachel Wood, who's very hit and miss, looks sensational in this too).

[Almira]

Posted: 9/17/10 at 12:36pm

I don't really get why people are so up in arms about this adaptation


I'm scratching my head as to where on this thread people are "up in arms."

The posts so far have simply expressed a dispassionate lack of interest in what the trailer is selling. In spite of that, it seems everyone is willing, including myself, to give the mini-series a shot based on Winslet's consistent ability to give an interesting performance.

It seems the only real passionate "up in arms" reaction is from those melodramtic defenders of the trailer who don't like that others aren't as impressed as they are.

Updated On: 9/17/10 at 12:36 PM

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 9/17/10 at 4:14pm

Fair enough, but in my defense, if any project calls for a melodramatic response it's MILDRED PIERCE.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 9/17/10 at 4:39pm

The first time I saw this was when I was working at the video store and we popped it in to have a campy laugh only to find ourselves utterly absorbed in it and going "OOOOH!" when Veda slaps her mother.

My favorite campy line is when Mildred walks in on Veda and her boyfriend making out and he says in an almost bored manner something to the effect of: "Well, Mildred. We didn't mean for you to see this. Obviously."

[Almira]

Posted: 9/17/10 at 4:58pm

if any project calls for a melodramatic response it's MILDRED PIERCE.

True that.


Saw the 1945 film last night with a dear friend. We ate fried chicken and peach pie as a tribute.

We couldn't help notice how expertly constructed the film is.

Every ounce of drama is squeezed out of each scene. In the first fifteen minutes you get a murder, suicide attempt, a guy set up and framed for the murder, a tense police room interrogation.. and then boom a flashback!.. and the real action begins!

Updated On: 9/18/10 at 04:58 PM

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 9/17/10 at 5:05pm

I think the one (tiny) flaw in the film that this miniseries looks to correct is the idea that Veda views Mildred as a 'common frump'.

You could force-feed Joan Crawford Krispy Kreme's and drop her into a septic tank and she'd still be nothing but pure, unadulterated glamour.

I also never quite believed that Ann Blythe was anything other than a virgin.

But I still love the movie. And cannot wait for the miniseries.

[MrMidwest]

Posted: 3/3/11 at 11:06pm

Fab interview with Todd Haynes

[Almira]

Posted: 3/4/11 at 1:03am

Okay...they got me.

Just saw the second trailer and now I'm intrigued.

Also, just finished re-reading the novel. I didn't remember it but, at least at the beginning, Mildred is a bit of a snob herself.

I hope they keep that bit of color to her character.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oufmYeBbyIU

Updated On: 3/4/11 at 01:03 AM