Mildred Pierce Review

Mildred Pierce is a dramatic mini-series airing on HBO, based on a book that was written way back in 1945 by the same title and the storyline takes place in the even more archaic realm of the 30s. It includes such stars such as Morgan Turner as the young Veda Pierce, Kate Winslet as Mildred Pierce , Evan Wood as Veda Pierce, Quinn McColgan as Ray Pierce, directed by Todd Haynes, screenplay by James M. Cain, Todd Haynes and Jon Raymond.

Mildred Pierce is a young mother who threw her husband out and is now forced to hunt for work to support herself and her two young daughters, Veda (11) and Ray (7), in Glendale, California the year, 1931. Mildred turns to an employment agency only to throw away all of the opportunities presented to her because she feels as if they are beneath her. During her quest for a suitable job, her neighbor Lucy Gessler, bombards her with dating advice as Mildred begins an affair with her husband’s ex-business partner, Wally Burgan. Mildred reluctantly agrees to meet with a wealthy socialite after being contacted by the agency regarding an opening as a housekeeper. Mildred acerbically cuts the interview short and runs of to a diner, Christofor’s Café, where she meets a waitress named Ida who will undoubtedly play a role in shaping her future.

If you have yet to notice, I find the setting of a movie to be nearly as important as the plot itself. The setting in this mini-series is better than most full-length productions in that you feel as if you are right in the midst of all of the hustle and bustle of the every great 1930s and makes me think of such productions as Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, The Wizard of Oz and just the over all Golden Age of Hollywood.

Overall it’s not a bad show. In fact, no corners were cut in the making of this piece of entertainment. However, that’s all it will ever be, a piece of entertainment. Unlike the unique vision of Spartacus, another HBO mini-series, Mildred Pierce will disappear into the archives to never be seen again. If anything it will be used to keep the children quite during a History class in which the teacher forgot his/her lesson plans.

3 out of 5 only because of the setting