Mildred Pierce

So the remake of Mildred Pierce was shown on Sky Atlantic this weekend. When it was announced that this was coming to tv I had just finished an assignment analysing the original Joan Crawford version for my film class. I loved the film. It was done in a film noir style in 1945 and was quite glamorous, earning a an Oscar nomination for Crawford. I wouldn't necessarily agree with the message in the film, that women who aim to achieve more than their male counterparts will be karmically punished for it.
The film is based on a novel by James M. Cain.

The story goes that Mildred is a housewife who kicks out her cheating husband to try and raise her two kids and pay the bills on her own. She works hard, in a job she feels is beneath herself and makes enough money using her wits and intelligence and builds her own restaurant business. But it is her oldest daughter Veda whom she has spoilt through the years that betrays her and humiliates her. You really have to see or read it to get the whole gist of the story. Crawford's version of Pierce is punished for her endeavours and I wonder if this new version with Kate Winslet will be different.

Already the critics are not impressed with the new version's bleakness and lack of convincing storyline. I think this is the intent. This time it's not film noir, it's post modern irony. Winslet's Pierce's struggle through the depression to try and get a decent job with just her home-maker skills echoes with myself and millions of mothers out there who are dealing with own reality with the current recession. I  found this version much more depressing, but a part of me is urging Winslet to bring some glimmer of hope to us mums who are watching this. Surely things right now are nowhere as bad as the Great Depression? Or should we prepare for worse to follow?

I urge everyone to at least watch the original film. Its probably the first black and white film I have really ever enjoyed!