| Mildred Pierce | |
|---|---|
 Promotional poster | |
| Based on | Mildred Pierce byJames 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 | |
| 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 (2011-03-27) – April 10, 2011 (2011-04-10) |
Mildred Pierce is an Americanhistorical drama miniseries created byTodd Haynes forHBO. Adapted fromJames M. Cain's 1941novel of the same name,[1] It is about the titular heroine (Kate Winslet), a divorcée during theGreat Depression struggling to establish a restaurant business while yearning for the respect of her narcissistic elder daughter (Evan Rachel Wood).[2] The miniseries also featuresGuy Pearce andMelissa Leo.[1] It is the second adaptation of the novel, after the1945 film noir produced byWarner Bros. and starringJoan Crawford.Carter Burwell wrote the original score for the miniseries.
Mildred Pierce aired onHBO 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 the63rd Primetime Emmy Awards, the series was nominated for 9 awards, winning 2:Outstanding Lead Actress for Winslet andOutstanding Supporting Actor for Pearce.
Mildred Pierce depicts an overprotective, self-sacrificing mother during theGreat 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.
Lena Dunham appears as a nurse in two of the episodes.[5]
Parts of the miniseries were filmed in threeNew York locations:Peekskill,Point Lookout andMerrick.[6]
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Mildred Pierce received generally favorable reviews. OnRotten 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] AtMetacritic, the miniseries has aweighted average score of 69, based on 28 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".[8] In aWBEZ podcast on the best theatrical films of 2011, criticJonathan 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] whileThe 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]
NovelistStephen King, reviewingMildred Pierce forThe Daily Beast andNewsweek, 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 the68th Venice International Film Festival in 2011.[13]
| 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] |