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In the film they set the scene for it to be a film noir but that is not what the book intended. In the novel there are no deaths, nor police that are involved. It is centered around Mildred’s life, her family, her duties, her passions, her love life. Veda plays a large role in her life but nothing like the role that the film Veda plays in Michael Curtiz’s film Mildred Pierce. The film begins with the death of Monty Beragon, who viewers who have read the novel would know to be Mildred’s love interest who eventually becomes involved with her daughter, Veda Pierce. There is a gunshot and the camera zooms in to picture Monty lying on the floor, taking in his last few breaths, and calling out his final word, “Mildred”.

It was not until twenty minutes into the film that the first scene that was described in the book was pictured. It was the scene where Mildred is in the kitchen, baking a cake for a friend, and Bert comes home. Soon into Bert’s arrival the two start bickering about his mistress and she finally demands he leave and never come back. The difference is that Mildred is narrating the scenes as she is actually speaking to the detective about her life. Instead of the audience following along in Mildred’s present day life, we are transported into the past as her present day is in the detective’s office. This is a completely different spin off from the novel and brings a more noir essence to the film.

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Of course a film has far less time than say, a television show, to give the audience each important detail and moment that one would have read in the novel. However, I found that the director of the film took an entirely different take on Mildred Pierce and transformed it into something far more gruesome and dramatic than the book. The television show was enticing, as I could read the book and follow along with each scene I was watching. The characters in the television show were portrayed exactly how the novel portrayed them. Their attitudes, morals, and demeanor were all displayed as the television show truly brought them to life. The television show was spread throughout five episodes, each a little over an hour long, so there is no surprise that Todd Haynes, the director of the mini-series, included every minute detail that he could.

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Personally, I preferred the television series over the film. For many reasons I found the mini series to be more intriguing and easier to follow along. While watching the series I followed along with my book and found that the cast was saying word for word what was in the novel. It was almost as if I was reading off the script. Of course there were a few small changes, and not every single detail was included in the series, but it was incredibly spot on. The few details Haynes did leave out had little to no effect on the story. While I was quite disappointed with the film, I was beyond fulfilled after watching the series. In my opinion, Haynes brought this novel to life. Each actor embodied their character in their own unique way. I highly advise anyone that has read the novel Mildred Pierce to watch the series after. While it was frustrating at times to watch Mildred make a fool of herself, it was everything I had pictured and more.

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It was interesting to see how in both the film the and television series each character was their own unique embodiment of how the novel portrayed them. For instance, I found that Mildred Pierce in the television series was exactly how I pictured her while I was reading the book. She was strong at times but for the most part she was a push over who was infatuated with Veda and getting her approval. Veda in the mini series, however, portrayed a good representation of the character but she was not as confident as I read her to be. It was the Veda in the film that I felt took on the role perfectly. From my understanding, Veda is the kind of girl that plays innocent and acts as if she is clueless to her surroundings and to her faults, when in reality, she knows exactly what she is doing and has the urge to go against her mother. The Veda in the television show was cruel, of course, but she still had the love and care for her mother. Perhaps that is a better representation of Veda, sly and malicious, but still has a heart when she wants to.

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It is interesting how Michael Curtiz, the director of the film, and Todd Haynes, the director of the mini series, both interpreted Monty Beragon in two different ways. Curtiz of course had his own drastically different take on Mildred Pierce, but I felt as though he portrayed Monty in a fairly accurate way. The thing is, Curtiz changed many things, even the spelling of Monty’s name. Instead he spelled it, Monte, I am still curious as to why he did so. Many of the differences between the series and the film have to do with time, while the film was released in 1945, the series was released in 2011. Times have obviously changed, and the film was released at a time where there was a dramatic effect that had to be incorporated into the film, the actors used transatlantic accents to take the audience away in another world, the film world. The tv series uses their real voices, just slang from the 40’s. Monty in the film is a confident young man who charms Mildred into impulsively doing something for herself. The series allowed room for the two to build their relationship both emotionally and sexually, while the film gave the viewers little to hold onto. I think Monty was depicted perfectly in unique ways in both the film and in the series.

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Mildred and Monty’s relationship both in the novel and in the series was full of passion. In the series we see Monty as a handsome young man, eager to take on this independent woman. Their relationship soon turns sour but the sexual tension between the two is flawless. Many times Monty will talk down to Mildred, “gaslight” her which is a common term nowadays simply meaning to manipulate someone into questioning their own thoughts and sanity. Monty was not the only one that used Mildred for his own pleasure, she too used him when she needed something out of him. When Mildred lost Veda, she knew what she had to do to get her back and that was reach out to Monty. In the novel it was clear that Mildred called Monty and set up a meeting date and time. In the series, the two miraculously crossed paths and Mildred was given the chance to reignite the spark. It is unspoken, but understood, that the marriage between the two was not the best which is why when Mildred finds Veda stark naked in his bed the audience should not be so surprised. Monty’s monologue about how this all Mildred’s fault and that he was aware of her motives, while fair, was still a clear form of manipulation. Monty and Veda had always had an interest in each other, and I wonder how long their secual relationship had been happening.

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Does Mildred genuinely love Veda or does she just romanticize what their relationship could be?

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Does Mildred genuinely love Veda or does she just romanticize what their relationship could be?

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In the novel, Mildred's obsession with Veda becomes most apparent when her youngest daughter Ray passes and Mildred states that she is glad it was not Veda who was taken from her. While most mothers devote their lives to their children, Mildred's devotion almost seems unhealthy. Throughout the novel Mildred and Veda’s relationship grows more and more toxic. Their relationship begins with Veda’s infatuation with feeling like everyone owes her something. Veda speaks in a very distinct, classy, and sophisticated way. Their relationship is seemingly normal, throughout the beginning of the novel and the television series. It was not until the scene in the series where Mildred kisses Veda on the lips while she was sleeping that I began to grow suspicious of Mildred’s motives. Throughout the television series their relationship has seemed toxic but platonic. The film depicts her jealousy and lust towards Veda, the book shows a mix of both relationships. I would say that Mildred does love her daughter but it is in a toxic and unhealthy way. It seems at times she lives vicariously through Veda, and almost wishes her life was Veda's instead. Near the end we see Mildred come full circle, after everything she has been through and everything she had accomplished, she lost it all. She was back at the same house on Pierce Drive, with the same husband she started with, and no carreer. It seems Mildred will forver hold resentment towards her daughter, and now Bert will as well. There famous last words being "to hell with her", insuinating that Veda will never be apart of their lives again.

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Clearly there are many different representations of Mildred Pierce. With each poster and cover page, the film and the mini series Mildred Pierce has a lot of different faces. It is hard to tell what I pictured her to look like as I read the book for the first time. I imagined a brunette, semi attractive woman in her early thirties. I imagined she was determined and strong, and told it like it was. I also imagined her to be boisterous when it came to speaking to others who she had authority over, but when it came to Veda I pictured her cowardly and small.

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Mildred in the mini series was far different than who she was in the film. In the show we got to see true character development, we built a connection with the characters and were able to build empathy towards each of them. I think that was director Todd Haynes' intention when he took on this project. While in the film we got a short backstory with little detail, in the show we got every single important detail necessary to bring the novel to life. In the series, Mildred has some strong moments, but for the most part she is a pushover that will do anything to gain the approval of the one’s she looks up to. For the most part that was Veda. However, she acted this way around Monty as well. I would say this is exactly how James M. Cain, author of the 1941 novel Mildred Pierce, imagined her. An attractive woman who gets walked all over by each person she trusts. In all honesty, I did not like her character. While I have developed empathy towards her, a lot of her actions are done with impulse and to please Veda. She does little for herself other than her intimate relationship with Monty. Part of me believes she was only with Monty because she knew it would make Veda jealous. There are many different takes on Mildred Pierce, and I think each embody her in a unique way. They are all different yet share similarities.

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Veda and Monty’s relationship is one I paid close attention to while watching the HBO miniseries of Mildred Pierce. From a young age Veda had an attachment to Monty, even before she was aware of his relationship with her mother. Monty spoke to her in a very adult manner and told the young eleven year old things only an adult should be hearing. He even spoke of his and Mildred’s intimate relationship with the child. Monty’s demeanor with Veda, throughout the whole series, was disturbing to me. It was hard to decide whether his connection with Veda was coming from a fatherly standpoint or a sexual one. Veda herself was very mature from a young age, but with that maturity came arrogance. Veda knew she could have Monty if she wanted him and when she came of age she knew exactly what she was capable of. It is hard to tell whether or not she seduced Monty into their intimate relationship or whether he had always had sexual, deeper feelings for her. Either way their relationship was disturbing in and of itself. In the television series there is a scene where Mildred finds Veda naked in Monty’s bed, after being in shock for quite some time an anger takes over her and she begins to choke her daughter until Veda becomes purple. While violence is not the answer, especially nearly killing your first born, a part of me felt for Mildred. All her life Veda had complained, and taken her for granted, and wanted more. Veda had taken everything from Mildred, and now she had taken her husband as well.