Mildred Pierce (miniseries)
Mildred Pierce | |
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![]() Promotional poster | |
Genre | Drama |
Based on | Mildred Pierce by James M. Cain |
Screenplay by | |
Directed by | Todd Haynes |
Starring | |
Music by | Carter Burwell |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of episodes | 5 |
Production | |
Producers |
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Cinematography | Edward Lachman |
Editor | Affonso Gonçalves |
Running time | 58–79 minutes |
Production companies |
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Budget | $20 million |
Original release | |
Network | HBO |
Release | March 27 April 10, 2011 | –
Mildred Pierce is an American period drama television miniseries created by Todd Haynes for HBO. Adapted from James M. Cain's 1941 novel of the same name,[1] It is about the titular heroine (Kate Winslet), a divorcée during the Great Depression struggling to establish a restaurant business while yearning for the respect of her narcissistic daughter (Evan Rachel Wood).[2] The miniseries also features Guy Pearce and Melissa Leo.[1] It is the second adaptation of the novel, after the 1945 film noir produced by Warner Bros. and starring Joan Crawford. Carter Burwell wrote the original score for the miniseries.
Mildred Pierce aired on HBO from March 27 to April 10, 2011, consisting of five episodes. It received a limited audience but gained positive reviews, especially for the performances.[3][4] At the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards, the series was nominated for nine awards and won two: Outstanding Lead Actress for Winslet and Outstanding Supporting Actor for Pearce.
Synopsis
Mildred Pierce depicts an overprotective, self-sacrificing mother during the Great Depression who finds herself separated from her husband, opening a restaurant of her own and falling in love with a man, all the while trying to earn her spoiled, narcissistic elder daughter's love and respect.
Cast
- Kate Winslet as Mildred Pierce
- Guy Pearce as Monty Beragon
- Evan Rachel Wood as Veda Pierce (Dilber Yunus and Sumi Jo as her singing "voice")
- Miriam Shor as Anna
- Melissa Leo as Lucy Gessler
- Morgan Turner as Young Veda Pierce
- James LeGros as Wally Burgan
- Brían F. O'Byrne as Bert Pierce
- Mare Winningham as Ida Corwin
- Hope Davis as Mrs. Forrester
- Quinn McColgan as Moire "Ray" Pierce
- Waltrudis Buck as Mrs. Temple
Lena Dunham appears as a nurse in two of the episodes.[5]
Filming
Parts of the miniseries were filmed in three New York locations: Peekskill, Point Lookout and Merrick.[6]
Reception
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1e/Kate_Winslet_at_the_BAFTAs_2007_%28cropped%29.jpg/220px-Kate_Winslet_at_the_BAFTAs_2007_%28cropped%29.jpg)
Mildred Pierce received generally favorable reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes it has an approval rating of 81% based on reviews from 58 critics, with an average rating of 8.3/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Loyal to its source material to a fault, Mildred Pierce compensates for its familiarity with elaborate production values and a knockout lead performance."[7] At Metacritic, the miniseries has a weighted average score of 69, based on 28 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".[8] In a WBEZ podcast on the best theatrical films of 2011, critic Jonathan Rosenbaum used the series as an example of television work that was on par with the year's best movies, calling it Haynes' best work to date.[9] Salon.com called it a "quiet, heartbreaking masterpiece",[10] while The New York Times reviewer, Alessandra Stanley, commented that while the miniseries was "loyally, unwaveringly true to James M. Cain's 1941 novel", it did not "make the most of the mythic clash of mother, lover and ungrateful child", and was "not nearly as satisfying as the 1945 film noir".[11]
Novelist Stephen King, reviewing Mildred Pierce for The Daily Beast and Newsweek, praised the acting of Winslet, Pearce and Wood, and admired the show's attention to detail and structure,[12] but complained that the five-hour adaptation was "too damn long".[12] He finishes with, "Winslet’s Mildred is a genuine star turn. How Joan Crawford would have loathed her."[12]
The series was shown out of competition at the 68th Venice International Film Festival in 2011.[13]
Ratings
Episode(s) | Date | Viewers |
---|---|---|
Parts 1 & 2 | March 27, 2011 | 1.270 million[14] |
Part 3 | April 3, 2011 | 0.987 million[15] |
Parts 4 & 5 | April 10, 2011 | 0.964 million[16] |
Awards and nominations
Notes
- ^ Tied with Maggie Smith for Downton Abbey.
- ^ Also for Cinema Verite, The Sunset Limited, and Too Big to Fail.
References
- ^ a b "About the Show". HBO.com. Retrieved December 4, 2010.
- ^ Ellison, Jo (April 2011). "Solo Act". Vogue: 218–225.
- ^ Collins, Scott (March 29, 2011). "HBO's 'Mildred Pierce' With Kate Winslet Opens To Disappointing Ratings". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 5, 2011. Retrieved May 21, 2011.
- ^ "Mildred Pierce". Metacritic. Archived from the original on August 30, 2011. Retrieved May 21, 2011.
- ^ "IMDb". IMDb. May 7, 2024.
- ^ "The Show". PointHistorical.org. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved December 4, 2010.
- ^ "Mildred Pierce: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
- ^ "Mildred Pierce". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved March 26, 2011.
- ^ "Call-in: The best and worst of the year in global film". WBEZ91.5. WBEZ. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
- ^ "'Mildred Pierce' is a quiet, heartbreaking masterpiece". Salon.com. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved March 25, 2011.
- ^ Stanley, Alessandra (March 24, 2011). "Television Review: Mildred Pierce". TV.NYTimes.com. Retrieved March 26, 2011.
- ^ a b c "Stephen King Reviews HBO's 'Mildred Pierce'". The Daily Beast. March 20, 2011. p. 1. Retrieved April 6, 2011.
- ^ Entertainment news Herald Sun [dead link]
- ^ Gorman, Bill (March 29, 2011). "Sunday Cable Ratings: 'Army Wives' Takes The Crown; 'Breakout Kings', Rises; 'Shameless' Finale Steady + Much More". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on April 1, 2011. Retrieved April 14, 2011.
- ^ Seidman, Robert (April 5, 2011). "Sunday Cable Ratings: 'Ax Men,' 'Chopped,' 'Army Wives', Kardashians Lead Night; + 'The Killing,' 'The Borgias,' 'Breakout Kings + Much More". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on April 8, 2011. Retrieved April 14, 2011.
- ^ Gorman, Bill (April 12, 2011). "Sunday Cable Ratings: 'Army Wives', 'The Killing' Steady; 'Breakout Kings' Falls; Plus 'Human Planet,' 'Khloe & Lamar,' & Much More". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on April 17, 2011. Retrieved April 14, 2011.
- ^ "2011 Artios Awards". www.castingsociety.com. Retrieved September 26, 2011.
- ^ "15th Annual TV Awards (2010-11)". Online Film & Television Association. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
- ^ "Mildred Pierce". Emmys.com. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
- ^ "2011 Satellite Awards". Satellite Awards. International Press Academy. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
- ^ "The Television Critics Association Announces 2011 TCA Awards Nominees". Television Critics Association. June 13, 2011. Archived from the original on February 13, 2014. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
- ^ "Women's Image Network Announces Nominees, Honoree". www.marketresearchworld.net. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
- ^ Finke, Nikki (February 18, 2012). "62nd Ace Eddie Awards: 'The Descendants', 'The Artist', 'Rango'; TV 'Breaking Bad', 'Homeland', 'Curb Your Enthusiasm'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 7, 2015.
- ^ "Past Nominees & Winners". American Society of Cinematographers. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
- ^ "Nominees/Winners". Art Directors Guild. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
- ^ "'Hanna,' 'Hugo' and 'Moneyball' Nominated for Cinema Audio Society Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. January 19, 2012. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
- ^ "12th Costume Designers Guild Awards". Costume Designers Guild. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
- ^ "Dorian Awards Past Winners". Dorian Awards. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
- ^ "Mildred Pierce – Golden Globes". HFPA. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
- ^ Kilday, Gregg (January 21, 2012). "Producers Guild Awards Name 'The Artist' Motion Picture of Year; 'Boardwalk Empire' Scores TV Drama (Winners List)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
- ^ "The 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards". Screen Actors Guild Awards. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
- ^ "Previous Nominees & Winners: 2012 Awards Winners". Writers Guild Awards. Archived from the original on May 12, 2015. Retrieved May 7, 2014.
- ^ "33rd Annual Young Artist Awards". YoungArtistAwards.org. Archived from the original on April 4, 2012. Retrieved March 31, 2012.
External links
- 2010s American drama television miniseries
- 2011 American television series debuts
- 2011 American television series endings
- Great Depression television series
- HBO original programming
- Primetime Emmy Award-winning television series
- Television series set in the 1930s
- Television shows based on American novels
- Television shows filmed in New York (state)
- Glendale, California
- Television shows set in Los Angeles County, California