The fact that both Joan and Kate could give iconic performances of the same character shows how good of a character Mildred Pierce is. Thanks BKR, worth the wait 🤗
Mildred feels like a reflection of my own grandmother, who worked hard to go from a single mother working as a secretary in the 40's to an independent woman who owned her own small book keeping business in a time and place when it was almost shocking for a woman to do so. She was legitimately amazing AND had really toxic relationships with her kids. She was especially unforgiving with her daughters and granddaughters. I'm fascinated with Mildred and Veda's relationship as a sort of alternate reality of my own family history AND as a metaphor for the American middle class' neurotic obsession with the idea of upward mobility.
your story highlights the inability of 'independent women' to function normally and how they destroy their children with their selfishness. nothing amazing about that.
Did you end up having a favourite version. I'm curious. I love the Joan Crawford movie but also love the Todd Haynes mini series for completely different reasons.
Veda is a very curious role because she may be one of the first - or at least among the first - character depictions of a genuine female sociopath in mainstream American films. I note you also mentioned Bette Davis's role of Regina Hubbard in The Little Foxes, which preceded Mildred Pierce by a few years, and which also arguably depicted a sociopathic female character. There's more than a coincidence here - consider an interesting factoid: Ann Blyth, who played Veda in the '45 Mildred Pierce, would go on to play the film role of Regina Hubbard in Another Part of the Forest (1948), an adaptation of Hellman's1946 play that was the prequel to The Little Foxes. Now that is odd...
I always thought Veda took that low class job at the bar down by the docks to lure, manipulate and horrify Mildred. To the point where Mildred would do anything to save her and get her back, including marrying Monty. She could have taken a different job, like war production, which was a well-paid booming business. But no, she took the sleaziest, by her standards, job she could find.
That is actually an extremely valid perspective! I love both versions but do not understand the hold that Veda had on her mother in either. She's up there with Mildred in "Of Human Bondage" in terms of irredeemable people
The idea of a series on how Todd Haynes interacts with classic film has my mouth watering! Carol is my favourite film of the 21st century so far, (very happy to hear Murtada mention it on the pod), and Far From Heaven and I’m Not There were both riveting finds - can’t wait to see what’s next! ❤
Mildred Pierce was my first Joan Crawford film and one of the first HBO miniseries I watched as someone with an active interest in film, so this video really took me back. I have to say, even though it's not in the novel I adored the fact that the murder was added to the film. It provided a sense of urgency that the miniseries, gorgeous as it is, lacks. I also remember thinking Mildred was softer and girlier as played by Kate Winslet when compared with Joan's hard edge. Which was not a bad thing, it just amazed me how different their interpretations were, and how the material was able to support both takes. 1945 is still my favorite, but I want to revisit the show. Also, that Todd Haynes series idea is amazing. I know the Far From Heaven/Douglas Sirk analysis video is coming someday, and I'll be waiting patiently.
I really enjoy these videos where you examine a narrative that has been adapted multiple times (like this, Little Women, West Side Story and A Star is Born). I like the way you contrast the different periods of production, the history of story and the actresses involved. Perhaps this could continue to be a series you create(?)
I would imagine the idea of TV being a step down would be even more bizarre to Winslet, because it was always much more of a US thing. Actors going from theatre, TV and movies is normal in the UK. Also, if anyone in the UK wants to watch Winslet’s version, Sky Atlantic still have it in their On Demand service.
I saw the notification for this video, and I kid you not, I went to the kitchen and POPPED a big bowl of POPCORN. I was so excited when I settled down into the sofa to watch this, and you did not disappoint. My Venn diagram is just like yours. And in answer to your question at the end, YES, a series like this from you is something I would definitely want to see. With even more popcorn. 😊
My Grandmother(a titanium magnolia) was a widow during the Great Depression and it was the family stories that resonated through the whole series. She never remarried or even dated. She spent most of that time surviving, working split shifts at a dime store soda fountain to make ends meet. Eventually, she worked in a hospital kitchen. All her kids did well, rising to the middle class.
I’m glad to finally find a film channel covering the Kate Winslet miniseries! I’d recommend comparing “Imitation of Life” 1932 vs 1959 or “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane” 1962 vs 1992. Great video!
the 32 Imitation was REALLY interesting. REEEEEEAAAALLLLLY interesting. the levels of agency and (maybe a stretch) equity in the women's relationship is not something I EVER anticipated to see. that would be a gem of a comparison
@@jusletursoulglobaby I’ve always been of the mind that the ‘32 version is superior. It doesn’t have great audio or video quality (what 83 yr old film does?) but it definitely made a few statements about working women, interracial friendship in the midst of a servant-master relationship, and using an actual white passing black actress rather than a white woman with black hair. Here’s to hoping BKR agrees with us lol 🤞
@@Wyrd__One I think that was a typo. definitely not a servant/master relationship. she didnt own Delilah, Im guessing perhaps you meant employer? Fredi Washington being cast was most certainly an interesting choice since she was staunchly against passing. It would be a really good comparison, esp if the book is added to the comparison. That is a TALL order though. Lots of racial themes that can be bumbled if someone isnt careful
Joan did a great job with what she had to work the material she was given. She does make Veda her only care in the world. But Kate really makes you feel the tragic tension between Mildred and Veda. And Veda is evil and makes for a great baddy in the mini series. Great job as always BKR.
Ann Blyth and Evan Rachel Wood both give a unique take on Veda & her sociopathic behavior, but I think Evan Rachel and the younger actress in the miniseries did the role best in how cold and selfish she is to Kate’s Mildred. Joan will always be deserving of the Oscar she got for the film and with the Hayes Code restriction still owns the film
I love noir films, so I find the 1945 movie perfect as it is. I didn't know about the existence of the series, but I might give it a chance someday (although melodramas aren't really my thing). Anyway, I always get so happy whenever you post! :))
I love the way HBO re-invents timeless stories. I absolutely loved the film they did based on Grey Gardens, staring Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange, it gives a new meaning to the original documentary. I’d like to see you make a video about that film someday!
Vada is one of those characters that provoked just INSTANT hate with every cell of my body. Both the young actress and Evan Rachel wood had something about them that emanates pure evil.
I guess I won't be watching that movie...ERW is a nasty lying, man cancelling, heretic. The FBI better do something about her deception.These unstable "Feminists" need to be stopped.
Both actresses did a great job. It's a testament to them and directing that they both stick in my head about equally for their portrayals of the same character. It's tough to do an age up transition where a new actress comes in over halfway into the series or film. I hope the young one didn't get blowback for playing this part.
What Haynes HBO miniseries does well is capture a difficult , thorny , complicated mother and daughter relationship. The previous film version is essentially a crime/noir film that turns a novel with complex relationships into a straight forward crime flavored drama that falls within the Production Code straitjacket of crime and punishment . As usual, a polished, well produced video. Your work is well worth watching .
Yeah the Hayes Code was a nuisance to several adaptations of the time. I think they still did well, but with HBO and Haynes they could be more faithful & really nailed the tempestuous relationship between Mildred & Veda; seeing them scream at each other and of course the famous choking scene are hard to watch
i could honestly watch you compare different movie adaptations for hours! i wonder if jane eyre would be a fun one, since there are a lot of high quality versions across a long period of time. excellent video-really made me appreciate that kate winslet is a transformative actor. also, i'm going to go to the library and pick up a copy of mildred pierce asap lol
Both adaptation of the movies were good, however Kate got to dive into the Mildred Pierce character in a better way. The mini series was longer and really showed who the characters were. I loved the movie with Kate.
Jane eyre adaptations would also be great to analyse because the opinions charlotte bronte had and interpretation of themes she intended are largely debated over-and different adaptations therefor have different interpretation of themes-and possibly the era of Hollywood each adaptation was made in may reveal some insight into the opinions of people and how society should behave in that era. Also would be interesting about how each Jane and Rochester is cast and portrayed/characterised in each adaptation depending on the era and themes the adaptation focuses on. And on top of that you could analyse how each audience/critics responded to each adaptation and how they differed in opinions across time.
@@kategaging3363 totally, plus the text/film are read variously as feminist and misogynist depending on who's speaking, the class dimensions, the racial implications of the "madwoman in the attic"...
I love your videos! This is required viewing for people who say they hate remakes! The only thing 1945 has in common with 2011 Mildred Pierce is the title! Todd Haines' version is a direct interpretation of the novel. I remember reading the book in the 90s I had to put the 1945 film completely out of my mind and read the book anew. One thing that struck in my head was Cain's depiction of the grittiness and hard work it took to operate a restaurant. In the 1945 movie it looked glamorous! The 2011 Mini Series did delve into the inner workings of running a business like Mildred explaining how to prepare a meal ordering to serving while maintaining freshness and quality. Having worked in the industry I could relate. One thing in the video is the footnotes in the bottom left corner were partially cutoff made it difficult to read the text. Something very minor but I like to know the source material. Bravo to you! ❤
I look down and 50 minutes has just flown by. Absolutely fascinating analysis as per usual. I’ve seen the Crawford movie, and I had no idea so much was changed from the source material.
I’ve always wanted to see somebody do a video essay comparing the two different adaptations of Mildred Pierce as I have seen both you have delivered. In fact, I actually saw the Mildred Pierce miniseries as a screening at the Portland art museum (yes, all five episodes at once with an intermission I think) and the next day there was an in person lecture in Q&A, with Todd Haynes, and his producer, Christine vaschon (I think that’s her name I could be wrong). I had actually watched almost every movie that Haynes had directed at that point so I could gain knowledge about his work and ask the right questions.
OT but hinging on both this and the It Happened One Night video where it was previously mentioned, I would LOVE to see a similar video done on the two versions of Imitation of Life, how it was adapted from its source material, and why it inexplicably hasn't been remade in the 2020s when it would be at its most timely... just a thought
I like the Joan Crawford version best. The film noir style and classy melodramatic sensibilities for the changes work well to make Mildred more relatable and Veda more vile.
I loved Kate Winslet’s portrayal and Evan Rachel Wood was excellent. I return to it every now and then-it is more faithful to James M. Cain’s novel. That said, Crawford’s film is of course always number 1. And it incorporated film noir so deliciously well within the plot.
Todd Haynes was my Semiotics T.A. at Brown University in 1983-1984. Great to see him adapting Mildred Pierce which was one of the films we watched for the class.
Love this. Thank you. I read "Mildred Pierce" shortly after reading "Gone With the Wind" and was struck by the similar trajectories of Mildred Pierce and Scarlett O'Hara, from vain, too-proud girls to hardened but also humbled women who rebuilt themselves from the ashes of their original pretensions. They're ultimately stories about status, like all the great novels about women, because status-fighting against an assigned, inferior role-is THE fight in women's lives. It's the endless liberation project. What I loved about both books is that the resolution of both their struggles isn't love; it's maturity. Mildred and Scarlett are both finally able to reject the juvenile self-concepts that conspired to keep them in an inferior social position. Those were exactly the concepts that propped up status. Mildred and Scarlett move into a future that may or may not include love and companionship, but they do so dry-eyed, clear-headed, with no regrets, and as fully developed people. We should all take as much from our mistakes.
BKR, yes I would love for you to continue this type of series. I love the compare and contrast. I also your love how you present commentary. It’s very interesting discovering your videos on this platform. I also look forward to it.
I love your work, always so thoughtful and really spot on in so many ways, and one thing I like a lot about your videos that has NOTHING to do with your astute observations and insights is how you integrate your sponsorships into the themes and nuances of your creations as well as accept sponsorships from brands that fit in culturally with what you present as a channel. Very impressive.
Great video, as always! As a classically trained musician, the part about becoming a soprano di coloratura without years of training and discipline feels unhinged 😂 A friend of mine is a writer and for a short story about a pianist he asked me to watch for a couple of hours while I practice and attend one of my lessons. I think most people have an incorrect assumption about how one becomes a classical musician.
Yes absolutely. A channel on here called Sideways once pointed out that people have misconceptions that singing ability is somehow just granted by the gods and it's something you can either do or can't, rather than working for years and developing like literally any other skill.
Yeah, I always figured that's really why they changed it for the movie. In the book she had like six months of training, which seems like very little. Fun fact: James Cain's mother was an opera singer. Wonder if he had mommy issues...
@@JP-ve7or Not only that, but he was a failed opera singer. He wrote a novella, Career in C Major, that featured a diamond in the rough "miracle voice"-- this time a baritone. It goes far deeper into the nuts & bolts of opera production & voice training. So I think he understood well that it would be impossible, but as a conceit he tried to make it plausible. Maybe it was wish fulfillment.
Wow!! Love this piece! So glad you spent time on Mildred's carnal obsession with her own daughter, the crucial thing that both film versions avoid. The book is Bananas, such a great read.
48:36 this. I see you too Disney 👀 fantastic video, thank you! I like both versions but I only saw Todd Hayne’s once, Joan’s I have watched regularly throughout the years (I own the wonderful Criterion Blu-Ray), I just find it more entertaining 🤷🏻♂️ wonderful video!
I loved both versions for different reasons. And both performances. And your analysis. But I must pause and beg for a vídeo about Glenda Jackson. I am still grieving...
Okay I am officially convinced I have rewatched your videos to the point we are becoming the same person as I literally just watched this show and movie for the first time like 3 days ago. Thank you for continual quality content
I'd never seen the mini-series, but have watched Crawford's version several times. The difference is marked and fascinating. I watched your analysis, then watched both versions. You hit it spot on. Great commentary. Thanks for the new/old update!
Honey wake up there's a new be kind rewind video! Im so excited for this bc mildred pierce is referenced a lot but ive not actually been able to see it
Hi! Please do a video on Glenda Jackson who passed away one week ago. A fascinating woman who won two Oscars, ignored Hollywood for the most part, went off to be a poilitican, and returned triumphantly in her eighties.
@@abandonedfragmentofhope5415 thank you so much for the kind words! Is there anything you think I can improve on or anything you’d like to see in the future! I’d love input :))
@@whenthepicturesgotbigger Jokes and sight gags like Be Kind Rewind channel helps a lot with your own opinions of the subject matter sprinkled in. More clips of interviews and stuff like how Be Kind does it. Using text directly from books and other researched stuff but also just texts of words that you write on the screen with a citation of the source works too. I know that learning editing is hard so these aren’t criticisms nor do they have to happen right away. What you have already is very good. I loved your last video about Elaine May.
@@abandonedfragmentofhope5415 thank you so much; I will try and incorporate more of these notes!! I am learning more about editing with each video and all of these tips are helpful :) thank you for taking the time to write them.
As a person who has the Crawford Mildred Pierce and Todd Hanes’ Safe on my favorite films of all time list I’m kinda shocked I didn’t know he directed the miniseries. This is going right to the top of my watchlist along with the the novel to my reading list
I'm in favor of doing films or TV projects of the original novels that iconic movies are based on to get the original author's intent, ("Breakfast at Tiffany's" would be an interesting project). The iconic film would still be there but it would be worth it to see what the author envisioned, too, when there are substantial differences. That said, it may be axiomatic that the book is better than the movie but I think this case shows that that's not always the case. You can see why the novel was considered unfilmable. It would have been so even without the Breen office. Warner's turned it into a cleaned up but jazzed up and speeded up masterpiece. I watched the 2011 mini-series and quickly realized that that was going to be a character study, and period piece, not a crime melodrama. Still, I found myself getting bored and felt the story meandered. Part of it was the difference between a 1940's movie star and a 2010's movies star. Both Crawford and Winslet are great actresses but Crawford has an intensity and charisma that is missing form Winslet's performance. Crawford seems to focus on Mildred's strengths and Winslet on her weaknesses. I also agree that having Veda become an opera star overnight is ridiculous. Thinking she could become famous and finding that a torch singer in a dive is the best she can do on her own makes much more sense to me. The right-off-the-bat murder is one of the great movie openings and having Mildred finally liberated from Veda at the end is a great ending. They don't make 'em like that any more.
Great analysis, thank you for putting so much time and research into it. To be honest, I understand both movies MUCH better after watching this!! And though I haven't read the book, I feel like I know that version well, now. Fine job, BKR!
Honestly the more I hear about the original novel the more I like it compared to the 1940s version or even 2011 one because it kind of reminds me of Lolita where the narration is played out by abuser who doesn't understand the extend of the damage he /she is causing and paints the victim in an alluring but also an unsympathetic light for their own benefit. In Mildred and many understandably sympathetic audience , Mildred's action can be easily construed as a single minded devotion of a loving mother rather than obsession that feels predatory. Veda while she has become a spoiled person and is of course not likable at least goes on to have a life where she controls what she wants to do and succeed unlike poor Lolita who tragically dies too soon and poor.
A book so good I actually read it twice over the first time. Cain doesn't waste a word. I grew up in Glendale, California. My parents went through the Depression. The series and the book really nailed it. There is no snob like a middle-class snob, with a hardcore work ethic but dreams of grandeur. I started by rooting for the mother and wound up rooting for the daughter. I never liked the 1940s version because it dispensed with the chilling and subtle way the two women change places. Mildred begins as a clear heroine and Veda a spoiled brat. But Veda's absolute devotion to her music, her ascension into fame and fortune based on talent, make her infinitely more interesting. Mildred lives for Veda in a way that borders on prurient. Veda has no patience with this, and neither do I. Thank you for dissecting the reasons the studio tossed that aspect of the story. Because of your review, I'm going to have to watch it again with more charity. The 2011 version is spectacularly faithful but not to a fault, so we keep watching. Monty is infinitely more sympathetic, as he is in the book, effortlessly elegant, natural, and unshakably upper class. By the way, Veda became famous over about a year, because of radio, and she studied music for years before she sang. No overnight success but a realistic ruthlessness. "...a snake?" "No, is coloratura soprano, is much worse." Cain's mother was an opera singer, and this strain runs through all his works.Thanks for this pithy examination. I can't wait to re-watch the series. Your channel is wonderful. Yes, a series, please.
Yes! For the last third or so of the 2011 version I was definitely on Veda's side... she was no moral prize, but.... she was no more two-faced than she had to be to cope with her prying, intrusive and obsessive mother. The scene in the bedroom was shock therapy... getting thru to Mildred and getting free of her the only way she could.
Yes, I watched the miniseries and I think there is a lot of nuance to Veda as well. She's a terrible person but when she beaks down about not having talent, trying to explain to Mildred who will never quite get it, breaks my heart.
I love Haynes and I very much liked his version of Mildred Pierce in the same way that I liked Spielberg's update on West Side Story.... so good for both of them. That being said, I'd love to see more directors remake old films that SHOULD have been great, but weren't... or that aged horribly because of changing social norms. First up should be Breakfast at Tiffany's. Imagine what Todd Haynes could do with THAT magnificent story today.
I loved Todd Haynes' version. :) Speaking of Todd Haynes: Would love to see a series were he engages with Classic Cinema. Sign me up! Love your videos and your research is always top notch. Thanks and Cheers!
When I read the book I was reminded of how I felt when I read "The Postman Always Rings Twice" - that it's way better than the potboiler I expected it to be. It's so much more frank about, well, sex, but also a lot of other kinds of emotions and desires that media was usually pretty bogus about at the time. Maybe I should stop being surprised that Cain was a pretty good writer.
My very favorite series, I'm inspired to read the book. I think this is Winslet's best role ever, I loved the set, the story, and all the characters. I try to rewatch this series once a year and was online right now looking for it when I saw your video. You did a great job in reviewing the two renditions and I have seen the movie with Crawford, which I didn't like for the heavy handed drama.
I hadn’t watched either adaptation before this video and MY GOD AM I GRATEFUL for the recommendation! Thank you for making me a more cultured human being BKR ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Thanks BKR for another great video! I'd love to see a video on the rise of post-classical 'women's pictures' since the 70's - like Far From Heaven, The Marriage of Maria Braun, All About My Mother etc - looking at the characteristics and motivators behind the original 'women's pictures', and how they've come to influence major directors since the 70's - especially queer directors like Fassbinder, Almodovar and Haynes.
I know the movie has its problems - but I unabashedly LOVE it. Crawford in a Noir just cannot be wrong, and it's gorgeously shot. I get that the mini series version is probably better in quality and acting, but it just didn't grab me the way the movie did. The heart wants what it wants. Really fascinating to juxtapose the book, movie and mini-series. I really want to see more videos like this on different adaptations.
I really enjoyed the TV adaptation, but one thing that bothered me was that it seemed to actually agree with the conservative review that obliterating 'gentility and decency ... in the name of art' was unconscionable. Because yes, Veda is mostly presented as selfish and insufferable - but the one moment where she's something more, the story seems to take against her. It's where she breaks down and cries at the knowledge that her piano playing is, in her words, 'no good'. Mildred doesn't understand, because Veda plays quite competently, but what Veda calls 'talent' is something the story does show as real. Her piano playing isn't good enough to get by in a world of great professionals, and Veda is correct when she says this; that's why the discovery of her voice matters so much, because her singing, unlike her playing, is exceptional. The thing is, that isn't snobbery. It's artistic integrity. Veda understands art enough to understand that it's bigger than her, that she can't fake it and she can't command it. She *respects* art. That puts her in company with Mildred: it's realism, ambition to achieve rather than just to pass. And more than that, you don't think that way unless you love art - which means Veda loves something other than herself. It means Veda isn't just a social climber, but someone who loves something genuinely beautiful, something that many, many films show you the hero discarding everything else to pursue and expect you to sympathise. I haven't read the book, though the extracts you show read like Veda treats piano as an opportunity to put on airs more than being a genuine music-lover, but the HBO version didn't really feel that way. It gave Veda one massively sympathetic moment and then moved on with no sympathy for her. It's a pity, because otherwise it was brilliant!
I don’t believe you normally use background music as much in ur videos, which actually works much better. I found this one a tough watch/listen, because the background music was so distracting. Maybe it was the type of music or the volume Your videos are perfection, always so amazingly put together, and I think the usual narration without background music works great.
I watched this film in class for a sound design module. Had no idea why it felt so strange that Veda (and Mildred for that matter) had such a predlection for rising the ranks of class. This video was so fascinating and eye opening and gave me a higher appreciation for the story. Love your videos, as always.
Watching your videos is comparable to the anticipation of going to see a newly released theatrical film! Thank you for your expert analysis of various pieces. A suggestion for a new topic: How about picking two movies with first time directors and pitting them against each other? LOL!!! You know, analyze comparable/contrasting director styles, what makes one a better directed movie over the other, which gained better accolades, who went on to have greater success in directing future movie, etc. It would be amazing! (Examples of directorial debuts and not necessarily the picks) - Robert Redford's Ordinary People vs. Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs.
Anything you want to put on your channel, please do! Would love to see more Todd Haynes vids but seriously, I'll watch anything and everything you put on the channel! Keep up the great work!!
Our Miss BKR, thank you again for such fine quality analysis and for your intelligent ideas and insights. I never cease to be impressed by what you offer on the channel and the clever commentary (and humor) that is a part of all of your videos. Thank you!
I think it would be excellent to see a series from you talking about how just because a project is made with fewer restraints on it (e.g. the Hayes Code, ratings, broadcast vs. pay tv, etc.) doesn't mean it's better, more successful, or more "valid" as a piece of art. Some of the way eroticism was presented in the Hayes Code era was clever and sexy in its own right. And being able to say and do whatever you want on a screen can lead to laziness and reliance on shock value. I think you showed a little bit of this here - the 2011 "prestige" Mildred Pierce was truer in adaptation, but the 1945 movie - as much as Cain hated the edits, as boxed in as it was in storytelling - made for effective, even great, cinema. The Hayes Code banned sex scenes - but premium cable (or, streaming) all but requires them. Is one demand better than the other?
Thank you for your analysis of the novel, the 1945 film version, and the 2011 HBO version of Mildred Pierce. Your presentation prompted me to download the novel. After I finish it I will watch the Joan Crawford version and later the HBO version, if I can find it. I enjoyed your in-depth presentation. Keep up the good work.
On the ending, I don't know if Veda planned for her mother to choke her or she came up with the plan to fake voice damage right after this traumatic moment.
I waited to watch the 2011 version forever because I’m a die hard Joan Crawford fan but I’m also a trained opera singer and so once I saw the miniseries I realized how much of the plot we were robbed of…
It’s interesting how we talk about who drives the production. The ‘46 film is the pinnacle of a Joan Crawford Picture. And while there’s no denying Winslet’s star power, the miniseries has the artistic signature of its director.
I normally despise remakes, especially when talking about the remaking of a classic, but this is a great example of the WHY a remake should be made in some cases ... it's more faithful to the complexity of the original story (author's intent) and it has the benefit to delve deeper by virtue of its limited series run time. I enjoyed both, thoroughly.
I always enjoy watching the film as well as the classic Carol Burnett Show spoof of it, "Mildred Fierce." Harvey Korman alone, as Zachary Scott responding to being shot multiple times, and dying with the name "Mildred" on his lips goes beyond divine parody. But I didn't care much for the mini-series, tho I admire Haynes and Winslet. Couldn't believe her as Mildred, but I totally believed her american small town cop in "Mare of Easttown" which re-united her with and used her "Pierce" co-star Guy Pearce as a big ol' Red Herring. You should compare and contrast with the turkey Curtiz and Crawford went on to make after--"Flamingo Road." So many of the same elements, including Scott who is gunned down once again in Joan's living room (something of a recurring theme with him), but with a much more tawdry atmosphere.
Carol Burnett's classic movie parodies are unmatched. Her "Went With The Wind" is the best movie parody ever made, and the fact that "Cissy" ends up the hero of the sketch almost rights a wrong, in my book. And they did it WITHOUT any Blackface!
Flamingo Road probably could have been better. Hays Code-approved or not, faithful adaptation or not, there still is a potential for Joan's character in one more blaze of glory near the climax.
One day someone will let Mildred Pierce be the complete stage mom she wants to be, but I do like both versions. But I think your video gets to something that I keep thinking about. My dream cinematic treatment would be for Euripidies Medea, but I know that most creators would soften it, because most creators believe that sympathy has to be obviously deserved from the circumstances (for women) and not something you can feel in spite of the circumstances. If a female character cannot have a somewhat sympathetic audience, she's just a villain. So I feel like somewhat of the character changes derive from that feeling...which is too bad, because this is clearly "when stage moms get the children they want" story.
The fact that both Joan and Kate could give iconic performances of the same character shows how good of a character Mildred Pierce is. Thanks BKR, worth the wait 🤗
Totally agree
So much yes! There's so much to dig into with the character.
Mildred is such a complex character with a lot to say about class issues and class consciousness.
And what exceptional actors both Joan and Kate are!!
Mildred feels like a reflection of my own grandmother, who worked hard to go from a single mother working as a secretary in the 40's to an independent woman who owned her own small book keeping business in a time and place when it was almost shocking for a woman to do so. She was legitimately amazing AND had really toxic relationships with her kids. She was especially unforgiving with her daughters and granddaughters. I'm fascinated with Mildred and Veda's relationship as a sort of alternate reality of my own family history AND as a metaphor for the American middle class' neurotic obsession with the idea of upward mobility.
your story highlights the inability of 'independent women' to function normally and how they destroy their children with their selfishness. nothing amazing about that.
Well said!
Did I know anything about the book, movie or mini series? No. Was I invested in them all because of your video? Yes! Love your work
Did you end up having a favourite version. I'm curious. I love the Joan Crawford movie but also love the Todd Haynes mini series for completely different reasons.
Veda is a very curious role because she may be one of the first - or at least among the first - character depictions of a genuine female sociopath in mainstream American films. I note you also mentioned Bette Davis's role of Regina Hubbard in The Little Foxes, which preceded Mildred Pierce by a few years, and which also arguably depicted a sociopathic female character. There's more than a coincidence here - consider an interesting factoid: Ann Blyth, who played Veda in the '45 Mildred Pierce, would go on to play the film role of Regina Hubbard in Another Part of the Forest (1948), an adaptation of Hellman's1946 play that was the prequel to The Little Foxes. Now that is odd...
I always thought Veda took that low class job at the bar down by the docks to lure, manipulate and horrify Mildred. To the point where Mildred would do anything to save her and get her back, including marrying Monty.
She could have taken a different job, like war production, which was a well-paid booming business. But no, she took the sleaziest, by her standards, job she could find.
Yes!
That is actually an extremely valid perspective! I love both versions but do not understand the hold that Veda had on her mother in either. She's up there with Mildred in "Of Human Bondage" in terms of irredeemable people
Also "LOOK WHAT YOU MADE ME DO!"
The idea of a series on how Todd Haynes interacts with classic film has my mouth watering! Carol is my favourite film of the 21st century so far, (very happy to hear Murtada mention it on the pod), and Far From Heaven and I’m Not There were both riveting finds - can’t wait to see what’s next! ❤
What’s next is May December, it’ll be on Netflix, and Natalie Portman is already getting some early Oscar buzz for it.
Hope you have seen Safe (1995). His best film from the XXth century. Poison (1991) and Karen Superstar (1987) also worth a look.
Mildred Pierce was my first Joan Crawford film and one of the first HBO miniseries I watched as someone with an active interest in film, so this video really took me back. I have to say, even though it's not in the novel I adored the fact that the murder was added to the film. It provided a sense of urgency that the miniseries, gorgeous as it is, lacks. I also remember thinking Mildred was softer and girlier as played by Kate Winslet when compared with Joan's hard edge. Which was not a bad thing, it just amazed me how different their interpretations were, and how the material was able to support both takes. 1945 is still my favorite, but I want to revisit the show.
Also, that Todd Haynes series idea is amazing. I know the Far From Heaven/Douglas Sirk analysis video is coming someday, and I'll be waiting patiently.
I really enjoy these videos where you examine a narrative that has been adapted multiple times (like this, Little Women, West Side Story and A Star is Born). I like the way you contrast the different periods of production, the history of story and the actresses involved. Perhaps this could continue to be a series you create(?)
I second this!
That’s a great idea!
YES! YES!
Wow I need to look into all of this
Definitely agree. I love the long form deep dives on adaptations of a single story.
I would imagine the idea of TV being a step down would be even more bizarre to Winslet, because it was always much more of a US thing. Actors going from theatre, TV and movies is normal in the UK.
Also, if anyone in the UK wants to watch Winslet’s version, Sky Atlantic still have it in their On Demand service.
BKR you are really a *gem* on this platform. As someone from Belgium I want to thank you for giving the whole world masterful and insightful content!
I'm not from Belgium, but I fully agree.
You might enjoy Ladyknightebrave.. she has a lovely and great essays Give her a try
Just one view out of many.
I saw the notification for this video, and I kid you not, I went to the kitchen and POPPED a big bowl of POPCORN. I was so excited when I settled down into the sofa to watch this, and you did not disappoint. My Venn diagram is just like yours. And in answer to your question at the end, YES, a series like this from you is something I would definitely want to see. With even more popcorn. 😊
My Grandmother(a titanium magnolia) was a widow during the Great Depression and it was the family stories that resonated through the whole series. She never remarried or even dated. She spent most of that time surviving, working split shifts at a dime store soda fountain to make ends meet. Eventually, she worked in a hospital kitchen. All her kids did well, rising to the middle class.
Did the kids end up as working and responsible members of society?
I’m glad to finally find a film channel covering the Kate Winslet miniseries! I’d recommend comparing “Imitation of Life” 1932 vs 1959 or “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane” 1962 vs 1992. Great video!
The two "Imitations" seem a perfect fit for Be Kind's incredible analytical gifts- great suggestion!
Imitation of Life videos yes for sure! But she already has a What Ever Happened to Baby Jane vid or two.
the 32 Imitation was REALLY interesting. REEEEEEAAAALLLLLY interesting. the levels of agency and (maybe a stretch) equity in the women's relationship is not something I EVER anticipated to see. that would be a gem of a comparison
@@jusletursoulglobaby I’ve always been of the mind that the ‘32 version is superior. It doesn’t have great audio or video quality (what 83 yr old film does?) but it definitely made a few statements about working women, interracial friendship in the midst of a servant-master relationship, and using an actual white passing black actress rather than a white woman with black hair. Here’s to hoping BKR agrees with us lol 🤞
@@Wyrd__One I think that was a typo. definitely not a servant/master relationship. she didnt own Delilah, Im guessing perhaps you meant employer? Fredi Washington being cast was most certainly an interesting choice since she was staunchly against passing. It would be a really good comparison, esp if the book is added to the comparison. That is a TALL order though. Lots of racial themes that can be bumbled if someone isnt careful
This is my favorite BKR video to date because Mildred Pierce is my all-time favorite classic film/miniseries.
Quick shoutout to Mare Winningham as Ida and Melissa Leo as Lucy in the 2011 series. Great characters and performances! 💕
I am interested in a Todd Haynes series!!! PLEASE!!!!
Joan did a great job with what she had to work the material she was given. She does make Veda her only care in the world. But Kate really makes you feel the tragic tension between Mildred and Veda. And Veda is evil and makes for a great baddy in the mini series. Great job as always BKR.
Ann Blyth and Evan Rachel Wood both give a unique take on Veda & her sociopathic behavior, but I think Evan Rachel and the younger actress in the miniseries did the role best in how cold and selfish she is to Kate’s Mildred. Joan will always be deserving of the Oscar she got for the film and with the Hayes Code restriction still owns the film
I love noir films, so I find the 1945 movie perfect as it is. I didn't know about the existence of the series, but I might give it a chance someday (although melodramas aren't really my thing). Anyway, I always get so happy whenever you post! :))
Same to your first 2 sentences
I too love the noir films of that era and the cinematography of Ernest Haller for this is top notch; For me classic noir IS in black and white.
I love the way HBO re-invents timeless stories. I absolutely loved the film they did based on Grey Gardens, staring Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange, it gives a new meaning to the original documentary. I’d like to see you make a video about that film someday!
Vada is one of those characters that provoked just INSTANT hate with every cell of my body. Both the young actress and Evan Rachel wood had something about them that emanates pure evil.
You are so right
I guess I won't be watching that movie...ERW is a nasty lying, man cancelling, heretic. The FBI better do something about her deception.These unstable "Feminists" need to be stopped.
One of my most hated characters lol ( but I love lol)
I heard Ms. Blythe is a very nice person. I don't know about Ms. Wood. I only saw the 40's version. Great movie!
Both actresses did a great job. It's a testament to them and directing that they both stick in my head about equally for their portrayals of the same character. It's tough to do an age up transition where a new actress comes in over halfway into the series or film. I hope the young one didn't get blowback for playing this part.
What Haynes HBO miniseries does well is capture a difficult , thorny , complicated mother and daughter relationship.
The previous film version is essentially a crime/noir film that turns a novel with complex relationships into a straight forward crime flavored drama that falls within the Production Code straitjacket of crime and punishment .
As usual, a polished, well produced video.
Your work is well worth watching .
Yeah the Hayes Code was a nuisance to several adaptations of the time. I think they still did well, but with HBO and Haynes they could be more faithful & really nailed the tempestuous relationship between Mildred & Veda; seeing them scream at each other and of course the famous choking scene are hard to watch
@LucyLioness100 Yes I think the miniseries is a richer, more nuanced piece of work than the film.
i could honestly watch you compare different movie adaptations for hours! i wonder if jane eyre would be a fun one, since there are a lot of high quality versions across a long period of time.
excellent video-really made me appreciate that kate winslet is a transformative actor. also, i'm going to go to the library and pick up a copy of mildred pierce asap lol
Both adaptation of the movies were good, however Kate got to dive into the Mildred Pierce character in a better way. The mini series was longer and really showed who the characters were. I loved the movie with Kate.
Jane eyre adaptations would also be great to analyse because the opinions charlotte bronte had and interpretation of themes she intended are largely debated over-and different adaptations therefor have different interpretation of themes-and possibly the era of Hollywood each adaptation was made in may reveal some insight into the opinions of people and how society should behave in that era.
Also would be interesting about how each Jane and Rochester is cast and portrayed/characterised in each adaptation depending on the era and themes the adaptation focuses on.
And on top of that you could analyse how each audience/critics responded to each adaptation and how they differed in opinions across time.
@@kategaging3363 totally, plus the text/film are read variously as feminist and misogynist depending on who's speaking, the class dimensions, the racial implications of the "madwoman in the attic"...
I love your videos! This is required viewing for people who say they hate remakes! The only thing 1945 has in common with 2011 Mildred Pierce is the title! Todd Haines' version is a direct interpretation of the novel. I remember reading the book in the 90s I had to put the 1945 film completely out of my mind and read the book anew. One thing that struck in my head was Cain's depiction of the grittiness and hard work it took to operate a restaurant. In the 1945 movie it looked glamorous! The 2011 Mini Series did delve into the inner workings of running a business like Mildred explaining how to prepare a meal ordering to serving while maintaining freshness and quality. Having worked in the industry I could relate. One thing in the video is the footnotes in the bottom left corner were partially cutoff made it difficult to read the text. Something very minor but I like to know the source material. Bravo to you! ❤
I look down and 50 minutes has just flown by.
Absolutely fascinating analysis as per usual. I’ve seen the Crawford movie, and I had no idea so much was changed from the source material.
Been itching to rewatch the 45 version for a while now. This video may well push me over the edge.
I’ve always wanted to see somebody do a video essay comparing the two different adaptations of Mildred Pierce as I have seen both you have delivered.
In fact, I actually saw the Mildred Pierce miniseries as a screening at the Portland art museum (yes, all five episodes at once with an intermission I think) and the next day there was an in person lecture in Q&A, with Todd Haynes, and his producer, Christine vaschon (I think that’s her name I could be wrong). I had actually watched almost every movie that Haynes had directed at that point so I could gain knowledge about his work and ask the right questions.
OT but hinging on both this and the It Happened One Night video where it was previously mentioned, I would LOVE to see a similar video done on the two versions of Imitation of Life, how it was adapted from its source material, and why it inexplicably hasn't been remade in the 2020s when it would be at its most timely... just a thought
I like the Joan Crawford version best. The film noir style and classy melodramatic sensibilities for the changes work well to make Mildred more relatable and Veda more vile.
this is the only thing on youtube I truly look forward to! your content and research are like no other! and this one is made for me!
This channel should talk about Crawford in Possessed too. It's her best performance, imo.
I loved Kate Winslet’s portrayal and Evan Rachel Wood was excellent. I return to it every now and then-it is more faithful to James M. Cain’s novel. That said, Crawford’s film is of course always number 1. And it incorporated film noir so deliciously well within the plot.
Tbh - this made me want to hear a retelling of Mildred Pierce told from Veda’s point of view. What on earth was that girl thinking during all of this.
I am SO glad you're covering this!! I *just* finished the series and was bummed there was little content on it, and here you are. Best channel.
lmaoooo @ "shakin' her tiddies"
i saw this in my feed and GASPED you really made this for me specifically thank you
would LOVE a video about sirk and far from heaven
Todd Haynes was my Semiotics T.A. at Brown University in 1983-1984. Great to see him adapting Mildred Pierce which was one of the films we watched for the class.
Love this. Thank you. I read "Mildred Pierce" shortly after reading "Gone With the Wind" and was struck by the similar trajectories of Mildred Pierce and Scarlett O'Hara, from vain, too-proud girls to hardened but also humbled women who rebuilt themselves from the ashes of their original pretensions. They're ultimately stories about status, like all the great novels about women, because status-fighting against an assigned, inferior role-is THE fight in women's lives. It's the endless liberation project. What I loved about both books is that the resolution of both their struggles isn't love; it's maturity. Mildred and Scarlett are both finally able to reject the juvenile self-concepts that conspired to keep them in an inferior social position. Those were exactly the concepts that propped up status. Mildred and Scarlett move into a future that may or may not include love and companionship, but they do so dry-eyed, clear-headed, with no regrets, and as fully developed people. We should all take as much from our mistakes.
BKR, yes I would love for you to continue this type of series. I love the compare and contrast. I also your love how you present commentary. It’s very interesting discovering your videos on this platform. I also look forward to it.
I love your work, always so thoughtful and really spot on in so many ways, and one thing I like a lot about your videos that has NOTHING to do with your astute observations and insights is how you integrate your sponsorships into the themes and nuances of your creations as well as accept sponsorships from brands that fit in culturally with what you present as a channel. Very impressive.
I haven’t seen the 2011 miniseries, but I adore the Joan Crawford version. The atmosphere, the acting and the story made it too sublime.
Great video, as always! As a classically trained musician, the part about becoming a soprano di coloratura without years of training and discipline feels unhinged 😂
A friend of mine is a writer and for a short story about a pianist he asked me to watch for a couple of hours while I practice and attend one of my lessons. I think most people have an incorrect assumption about how one becomes a classical musician.
Yes absolutely. A channel on here called Sideways once pointed out that people have misconceptions that singing ability is somehow just granted by the gods and it's something you can either do or can't, rather than working for years and developing like literally any other skill.
Yeah, I always figured that's really why they changed it for the movie. In the book she had like six months of training, which seems like very little. Fun fact: James Cain's mother was an opera singer. Wonder if he had mommy issues...
@@JP-ve7or Not only that, but he was a failed opera singer. He wrote a novella, Career in C Major, that featured a diamond in the rough "miracle voice"-- this time a baritone. It goes far deeper into the nuts & bolts of opera production & voice training. So I think he understood well that it would be impossible, but as a conceit he tried to make it plausible. Maybe it was wish fulfillment.
I really love both of these versions separately. I wish Evan would've gotten an Emmy alongside Kate though.
Wow!! Love this piece! So glad you spent time on Mildred's carnal obsession with her own daughter, the crucial thing that both film versions avoid. The book is Bananas, such a great read.
48:36 this. I see you too Disney 👀 fantastic video, thank you! I like both versions but I only saw Todd Hayne’s once, Joan’s I have watched regularly throughout the years (I own the wonderful Criterion Blu-Ray), I just find it more entertaining 🤷🏻♂️ wonderful video!
I’m glad the new version was different. However, the older version is more satisfying.
I loved both versions for different reasons. And both performances. And your analysis. But I must pause and beg for a vídeo about Glenda Jackson. I am still grieving...
Okay I am officially convinced I have rewatched your videos to the point we are becoming the same person as I literally just watched this show and movie for the first time like 3 days ago. Thank you for continual quality content
Just realized both Bette and Joan had great success with Mildreds, Bondage '34 and Pierce '45
I'd never seen the mini-series, but have watched Crawford's version several times. The difference is marked and fascinating. I watched your analysis, then watched both versions. You hit it spot on. Great commentary. Thanks for the new/old update!
I wrote a paper on this in my Masters program! Amazing job!
This was delightful. As I am a cinephile and have seen both version. Please do other comparisons for us please and thank you!❤
Honey wake up there's a new be kind rewind video!
Im so excited for this bc mildred pierce is referenced a lot but ive not actually been able to see it
I had come across an article some 12 years ago that suggested Mildred had created Veda by passing some of her own toxic views to the latter.
Hi! Please do a video on Glenda Jackson who passed away one week ago. A fascinating woman who won two Oscars, ignored Hollywood for the most part, went off to be a poilitican, and returned triumphantly in her eighties.
Was this video made for me specifically?? This is literally what me and my viewers live for!
Your channel is brilliant and I think can rival and be on par with this channel.
@@abandonedfragmentofhope5415 thank you so much for the kind words! Is there anything you think I can improve on or anything you’d like to see in the future! I’d love input :))
@@whenthepicturesgotbigger Jokes and sight gags like Be Kind Rewind channel helps a lot with your own opinions of the subject matter sprinkled in. More clips of interviews and stuff like how Be Kind does it. Using text directly from books and other researched stuff but also just texts of words that you write on the screen with a citation of the source works too. I know that learning editing is hard so these aren’t criticisms nor do they have to happen right away. What you have already is very good. I loved your last video about Elaine May.
@@abandonedfragmentofhope5415 thank you so much; I will try and incorporate more of these notes!! I am learning more about editing with each video and all of these tips are helpful :) thank you for taking the time to write them.
I would love to see a BKR video all about Angela Bassett. She’s my all time favourite actress and her roles are so diverse.
As a person who has the Crawford Mildred Pierce and Todd Hanes’ Safe on my favorite films of all time list I’m kinda shocked I didn’t know he directed the miniseries. This is going right to the top of my watchlist along with the the novel to my reading list
I'm in favor of doing films or TV projects of the original novels that iconic movies are based on to get the original author's intent, ("Breakfast at Tiffany's" would be an interesting project). The iconic film would still be there but it would be worth it to see what the author envisioned, too, when there are substantial differences. That said, it may be axiomatic that the book is better than the movie but I think this case shows that that's not always the case. You can see why the novel was considered unfilmable. It would have been so even without the Breen office. Warner's turned it into a cleaned up but jazzed up and speeded up masterpiece. I watched the 2011 mini-series and quickly realized that that was going to be a character study, and period piece, not a crime melodrama. Still, I found myself getting bored and felt the story meandered. Part of it was the difference between a 1940's movie star and a 2010's movies star. Both Crawford and Winslet are great actresses but Crawford has an intensity and charisma that is missing form Winslet's performance. Crawford seems to focus on Mildred's strengths and Winslet on her weaknesses. I also agree that having Veda become an opera star overnight is ridiculous. Thinking she could become famous and finding that a torch singer in a dive is the best she can do on her own makes much more sense to me. The right-off-the-bat murder is one of the great movie openings and having Mildred finally liberated from Veda at the end is a great ending. They don't make 'em like that any more.
Great analysis, thank you for putting so much time and research into it. To be honest, I understand both movies MUCH better after watching this!! And though I haven't read the book, I feel like I know that version well, now. Fine job, BKR!
The limited series with Kate was excellent!
Honestly the more I hear about the original novel the more I like it compared to the 1940s version or even 2011 one because it kind of reminds me of Lolita where the narration is played out by abuser who doesn't understand the extend of the damage he /she is causing and paints the victim in an alluring but also an unsympathetic light for their own benefit. In Mildred and many understandably sympathetic audience , Mildred's action can be easily construed as a single minded devotion of a loving mother rather than obsession that feels predatory.
Veda while she has become a spoiled person and is of course not likable at least goes on to have a life where she controls what she wants to do and succeed unlike poor Lolita who tragically dies too soon and poor.
I ADORE this way of looking at film and cultural history. I would love love love to see more videos like this!
Hour-long video about Haynes' eight-hour long adaptation? YESS
So neat to see the character develop overtime. Thanks for the evening content, I always love bkr days 😊
A book so good I actually read it twice over the first time. Cain doesn't waste a word. I grew up in Glendale, California. My parents went through the Depression. The series and the book really nailed it. There is no snob like a middle-class snob, with a hardcore work ethic but dreams of grandeur. I started by rooting for the mother and wound up rooting for the daughter. I never liked the 1940s version because it dispensed with the chilling and subtle way the two women change places. Mildred begins as a clear heroine and Veda a spoiled brat. But Veda's absolute devotion to her music, her ascension into fame and fortune based on talent, make her infinitely more interesting. Mildred lives for Veda in a way that borders on prurient. Veda has no patience with this, and neither do I. Thank you for dissecting the reasons the studio tossed that aspect of the story. Because of your review, I'm going to have to watch it again with more charity. The 2011 version is spectacularly faithful but not to a fault, so we keep watching. Monty is infinitely more sympathetic, as he is in the book, effortlessly elegant, natural, and unshakably upper class. By the way, Veda became famous over about a year, because of radio, and she studied music for years before she sang. No overnight success but a realistic ruthlessness. "...a snake?" "No, is coloratura soprano, is much worse." Cain's mother was an opera singer, and this strain runs through all his works.Thanks for this pithy examination. I can't wait to re-watch the series. Your channel is wonderful. Yes, a series, please.
Yes! For the last third or so of the 2011 version I was definitely on Veda's side... she was no moral prize, but.... she was no more two-faced than she had to be to cope with her prying, intrusive and obsessive mother. The scene in the bedroom was shock therapy... getting thru to Mildred and getting free of her the only way she could.
Yes, I watched the miniseries and I think there is a lot of nuance to Veda as well. She's a terrible person but when she beaks down about not having talent, trying to explain to Mildred who will never quite get it, breaks my heart.
I love Haynes and I very much liked his version of Mildred Pierce in the same way that I liked Spielberg's update on West Side Story.... so good for both of them. That being said, I'd love to see more directors remake old films that SHOULD have been great, but weren't... or that aged horribly because of changing social norms. First up should be Breakfast at Tiffany's. Imagine what Todd Haynes could do with THAT magnificent story today.
I loved Todd Haynes' version. :) Speaking of Todd Haynes: Would love to see a series were he engages with Classic Cinema. Sign me up! Love your videos and your research is always top notch. Thanks and Cheers!
I would LOVE your take on Todd Haynes' "Far From Heaven" vs the original "All that Heaven Allows"
Oh that's such a great idea
When I read the book I was reminded of how I felt when I read "The Postman Always Rings Twice" - that it's way better than the potboiler I expected it to be. It's so much more frank about, well, sex, but also a lot of other kinds of emotions and desires that media was usually pretty bogus about at the time. Maybe I should stop being surprised that Cain was a pretty good writer.
My very favorite series, I'm inspired to read the book. I think this is Winslet's best role ever, I loved the set, the story, and all the characters. I try to rewatch this series once a year and was online right now looking for it when I saw your video. You did a great job in reviewing the two renditions and I have seen the movie with Crawford, which I didn't like for the heavy handed drama.
Yes to the Todd Haynes deep dives but I also still want the Judy Holliday video you promised!
HBO’s Mildred Pierce is actually my comfort “show”. Something about it…the music, the 30’s, Kates acting…it’s all so good!
I hadn’t watched either adaptation before this video and MY GOD AM I GRATEFUL for the recommendation! Thank you for making me a more cultured human being BKR ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Thanks BKR for another great video! I'd love to see a video on the rise of post-classical 'women's pictures' since the 70's - like Far From Heaven, The Marriage of Maria Braun, All About My Mother etc - looking at the characteristics and motivators behind the original 'women's pictures', and how they've come to influence major directors since the 70's - especially queer directors like Fassbinder, Almodovar and Haynes.
I love that you try to sneak Cher into as many of your videos as possible! 😆
I know the movie has its problems - but I unabashedly LOVE it. Crawford in a Noir just cannot be wrong, and it's gorgeously shot. I get that the mini series version is probably better in quality and acting, but it just didn't grab me the way the movie did. The heart wants what it wants. Really fascinating to juxtapose the book, movie and mini-series. I really want to see more videos like this on different adaptations.
You’ve got to do a gone girl essay please. Or a pride and prejudice comparison (forgive me if you’ve already done either of these)
I really enjoyed the TV adaptation, but one thing that bothered me was that it seemed to actually agree with the conservative review that obliterating 'gentility and decency ... in the name of art' was unconscionable. Because yes, Veda is mostly presented as selfish and insufferable - but the one moment where she's something more, the story seems to take against her.
It's where she breaks down and cries at the knowledge that her piano playing is, in her words, 'no good'. Mildred doesn't understand, because Veda plays quite competently, but what Veda calls 'talent' is something the story does show as real. Her piano playing isn't good enough to get by in a world of great professionals, and Veda is correct when she says this; that's why the discovery of her voice matters so much, because her singing, unlike her playing, is exceptional.
The thing is, that isn't snobbery. It's artistic integrity. Veda understands art enough to understand that it's bigger than her, that she can't fake it and she can't command it. She *respects* art.
That puts her in company with Mildred: it's realism, ambition to achieve rather than just to pass. And more than that, you don't think that way unless you love art - which means Veda loves something other than herself. It means Veda isn't just a social climber, but someone who loves something genuinely beautiful, something that many, many films show you the hero discarding everything else to pursue and expect you to sympathise.
I haven't read the book, though the extracts you show read like Veda treats piano as an opportunity to put on airs more than being a genuine music-lover, but the HBO version didn't really feel that way. It gave Veda one massively sympathetic moment and then moved on with no sympathy for her. It's a pity, because otherwise it was brilliant!
I don’t believe you normally use background music as much in ur videos, which actually works much better.
I found this one a tough watch/listen, because the background music was so distracting. Maybe it was the type of music or the volume Your videos are perfection, always so amazingly put together, and I think the usual narration without background music works great.
I watched this film in class for a sound design module. Had no idea why it felt so strange that Veda (and Mildred for that matter) had such a predlection for rising the ranks of class. This video was so fascinating and eye opening and gave me a higher appreciation for the story. Love your videos, as always.
The Audrey Plaza collab is sending me. Living for it .
Watching your videos is comparable to the anticipation of going to see a newly released theatrical film! Thank you for your expert analysis of various pieces. A suggestion for a new topic: How about picking two movies with first time directors and pitting them against each other? LOL!!! You know, analyze comparable/contrasting director styles, what makes one a better directed movie over the other, which gained better accolades, who went on to have greater success in directing future movie, etc. It would be amazing!
(Examples of directorial debuts and not necessarily the picks) - Robert Redford's Ordinary People vs. Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs.
Anything you want to put on your channel, please do! Would love to see more Todd Haynes vids but seriously, I'll watch anything and everything you put on the channel! Keep up the great work!!
Our Miss BKR, thank you again for such fine quality analysis and for your intelligent ideas and insights. I never cease to be impressed by what you offer on the channel and the clever commentary (and humor) that is a part of all of your videos. Thank you!
I think it would be excellent to see a series from you talking about how just because a project is made with fewer restraints on it (e.g. the Hayes Code, ratings, broadcast vs. pay tv, etc.) doesn't mean it's better, more successful, or more "valid" as a piece of art. Some of the way eroticism was presented in the Hayes Code era was clever and sexy in its own right. And being able to say and do whatever you want on a screen can lead to laziness and reliance on shock value. I think you showed a little bit of this here - the 2011 "prestige" Mildred Pierce was truer in adaptation, but the 1945 movie - as much as Cain hated the edits, as boxed in as it was in storytelling - made for effective, even great, cinema. The Hayes Code banned sex scenes - but premium cable (or, streaming) all but requires them. Is one demand better than the other?
Thank you for your analysis of the novel, the 1945 film version, and the 2011 HBO version of Mildred Pierce. Your presentation prompted me to download the novel. After I finish it I will watch the Joan Crawford version and later the HBO version, if I can find it. I enjoyed your in-depth presentation. Keep up the good work.
I would kill for a video about Far From Heaven/Douglas Sirk. Please, make it a series ✨💖
Yes!
On the ending, I don't know if Veda planned for her mother to choke her or she came up with the plan to fake voice damage right after this traumatic moment.
oh dang I didn't know my name would show up as that. Ignore it and consider me FailureArtist.
I waited to watch the 2011 version forever because I’m a die hard Joan Crawford fan but I’m also a trained opera singer and so once I saw the miniseries I realized how much of the plot we were robbed of…
It’s interesting how we talk about who drives the production. The ‘46 film is the pinnacle of a Joan Crawford Picture. And while there’s no denying Winslet’s star power, the miniseries has the artistic signature of its director.
I normally despise remakes, especially when talking about the remaking of a classic, but this is a great example of the WHY a remake should be made in some cases ... it's more faithful to the complexity of the original story (author's intent) and it has the benefit to delve deeper by virtue of its limited series run time. I enjoyed both, thoroughly.
I always enjoy watching the film as well as the classic Carol Burnett Show spoof of it, "Mildred Fierce." Harvey Korman alone, as Zachary Scott responding to being shot multiple times, and dying with the name "Mildred" on his lips goes beyond divine parody. But I didn't care much for the mini-series, tho I admire Haynes and Winslet. Couldn't believe her as Mildred, but I totally believed her american small town cop in "Mare of Easttown" which re-united her with and used her "Pierce" co-star Guy Pearce as a big ol' Red Herring.
You should compare and contrast with the turkey Curtiz and Crawford went on to make after--"Flamingo Road." So many of the same elements, including Scott who is gunned down once again in Joan's living room (something of a recurring theme with him), but with a much more tawdry atmosphere.
Carol Burnett's classic movie parodies are unmatched. Her "Went With The Wind" is the best movie parody ever made, and the fact that "Cissy" ends up the hero of the sketch almost rights a wrong, in my book. And they did it WITHOUT any Blackface!
Flamingo Road probably could have been better. Hays Code-approved or not, faithful adaptation or not, there still is a potential for Joan's character in one more blaze of glory near the climax.
I would love to see more Haynes-related content on this channel
One day someone will let Mildred Pierce be the complete stage mom she wants to be, but I do like both versions. But I think your video gets to something that I keep thinking about. My dream cinematic treatment would be for Euripidies Medea, but I know that most creators would soften it, because most creators believe that sympathy has to be obviously deserved from the circumstances (for women) and not something you can feel in spite of the circumstances. If a female character cannot have a somewhat sympathetic audience, she's just a villain. So I feel like somewhat of the character changes derive from that feeling...which is too bad, because this is clearly "when stage moms get the children they want" story.
I love Kate Winslet, but Joan Crawford will always be Midred Pierce in my eyes.
I'm out here stuck in traffic, and a new BKR video is up. Time to relax and enjoy. 😎
i love the movie mildred pierce joan was so good in it she was a good actress
Would absolutely love to heard more about Todd Haynes work.
she talks about his work in the Julianne Moore video.
This channel is a gem for lovers of the Hollywood golden age. Beautifully researched and consistent.
I love your film analysis. This is one of the best RUclips channels in the genre. Can’t wait to see what you put out next.
I would LOVE this as a series! The Little Mermaid? Scenes From A Marriage?