Hollywood just can't resist doing a remake when often the old adage of "some things are better left alone" will do. Perhaps this won't be the case when HBO takes a turn at the remake of the classic Mildred Pierce. From the initial look, the stellar cast and director Todd Haynes, the five part mini-series is a must-see.
The original was pure film noir with Joan Crawford at her best. The shoulder padded screen icon plays a divorcee with a spoiled and selfish daughter who goes back to work as a waitress to make ends meet during the depression days of the thirties. Eventually she opens her own restaurant, remarries an heir to a real estate fortune and soon the film turns into a murder mystery.
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| Daughter Dearest: Joan Crawford and Ann Blyth |
Directed by Casablanca's Michael Curtiz, the film is filled with shades of expressionism -- lots of dark menacing shadows contrasted with the bright California sunlight. Production designer Anton Grot and set decorator George Hopkins designed some memorable interiors such as Mildred's Spanish style bungalow and the Bergaron beach house in Malibu's Latigo Beach (which was owned by Curtiz and eventually fell into the ocean during a storm in 1983).
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| Sets for Mildred's Bungalow above and below |
The film also delivered one of the best movie lines in years by her bff Ida (played by Eve Arden below) "Personally, Veda's convinced me that alligators have the right idea. They eat their young."
The remake stars Academy Award winning actress Kate Winslet with Evan Rachel Wood as her daughter Veda. Guy Pearce as the dashing yet somewhat seedy Bergaron, Mare Winningham and recent Oscar winner Melissa Leo are also in the cast. The mini-series will follow the original novel by James M. Cain instead of the l945 film. Cain also wrote The Postman Always Rings Twice and Double Indemnity.
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| Kate Winslett |
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| Evan Rachel Wood |
Director Todd Haynes gave us the highly stylized Far From Heaven which was greatly influenced by the films of Douglas Sirk and is a master at recreating this genre of melodrama. The sets were designed by Mark Friedberg (who also worked on Heaven) who had the task of creating a thirties Los Angeles in New York's Westchester County (right down to importing palm and orange trees from Florida). They found an area in Long Island called The Gables which has the perfect Spanish architecture needed for Mildred's world. Award winning costume designer Ann Roth designed the costumes for up to 2000 plus extras which meant alot of girdles and seamed stockings.
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| Ann Roth's Costume Design |
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| Winslet and Wood |
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| Guy Pearce |
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| The Gables |
Set your Tivo for Sunday, March 27th. And be sure to see the original...better still, read the book!
Photo Credits: Warner Brothers, HBO
The first Mildred had such a great look. I am looking forward to this new version since it is being made more from the book. I also think Kate W will be amazing. From your photos I can see this one will also have a great look and style.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this amazing introduction into this classic film and it's new offspring. You have a way with words to make it utterly enticing!
ReplyDeleteI love these actresses and can't wait to see them in this remake!
Now I will go and read the book first and then mark my calendar!
Hope your Sunday is a fine day!
Thanks for your kind words! Kate W is perfect casting for this role. The original was so intriguing, can't wait to see what they will do with this one. Everything Todd Haynes does is wonderful and this will no doubt be
ReplyDeletefollow suit.
The original was so perfect, that it's a hard act to follow. Looking at your pictures, I'd say I prefer the Evan Rachel Wood look. She is perfect for that time. To replace JC, I'd rather see Sharon Stone than KW, she looks kinda mousy with those costumes on.
ReplyDeleteFrancesco Fonda, Rome, Italy.
I had no idea the movie was based on a book. I'm going to see if I can buy it and then watch both the old and new movie.
ReplyDeleteKate pretty much looks like a woman would during the depression and Evan looks incredible! And yes, will be a hard act to follow. Can't wait!
ReplyDeleteI think the book (along with The Postman Always Rings Twice) was pretty racy for those times.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting that nice set still.
ReplyDeleteNotice how the sofa and console are "blocked up" higher than FF for camera in the interior Glendale house. Great apple boxes! They have cupped sides so the furniture does not move.
ReplyDeleteI have looked at that photo a dozen times and never noticed the blocks under the sofa feet! Good call!
ReplyDeleteIs that Larry King I see on your photo?
I've seen the original but its been awhile. The HBO version looks promising "Far From Heaven" was beautiful. Love this time period. Guess I might need to call my cable company and add HBO. I try to do without it but there is always something I want to see.
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