Another Look at Miss Veda Pierce

I came across this scholarly article that sympathetically examines Veda's actions in the context of her role in the Pierce family unit. It's a very interesting read...I still want to name my daughter Veda - is that asking for trouble?

http://www.engl.niu.edu/ojs/index.php/style/article/viewFile/107/57

Kate Winslet as Mildred Pierce

So. . . award winning director Todd Haynes, who directed that wonderful Douglas Sirkian masterpiece Far From Heaven is bringing us a faithful adapatation of James M. Cain's Mildred Pierce. This five part mini-series will air on HBO in March, and unlike the 1945 film starring Joan Crawford, this version is giving us everything the censors would not let Warner Brothers give us the first time.

I am a fan of Kate Winslet and since this film, like the Coen Brother's True Grit, is loyal to its source material I hope Winslet will not suffer from endless comparisons between her performance and Crawford's. Although, when thinking about casting I could also envision Mildred being played by Cate Blanchett, or Rachel Weisz, or even Tilda Swinton.

I am optomistic about this. Usually, I cringe when I hear that such and such classic is being remade. But, with Todd Haynes as director I have my fingers crossed. He has shown that he is very adept at period melodrama. With Far From Heaven, which could have crossed the line to either corny or camp, he produced a thoughful and beautiful women's picture in the classic model. I wonder what Ann Blyth thinks about all this. . . .

With Family Like This . . .

The movies are filled with conniving sisters that work to undermine and destroy the lives of loved ones and family members. These lovely terrors are often the family favorite and usually begin the film as the apple of their over indulgent and oblivious family's eyes. If they aren't too terrible and if they don't cause too much havoc in the end they will get some sort of comeuppance and learn from their mistakes. However, if they choose to continue with their evil ways up until the end they usually end up in the slammer or worse - six feet under.


Name: "Baby" Jane Hudson (Bette Davis)
Film: Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?
Who She Wronged: Blanche Hudson, her sister
What she did: Abuses and torments her wheelchair bound sister. Kills Blanche's parakeet and serves it to her on a plate. Kills a rat and serves it to her on a plate. Kills loyal maid Elvira with a hammer (does not serve her on a plate)- well, Elvira was loyal only to Blanche so that's why she got it.
Her Fate: Most probably institutionalized. Jane was a nut case, no doubt about that.
Important Lesson: If you are paralyzed and your sister shows signs of severe mental illness do not wait around for her to kill your parakeet before you take action.



Name: Ellen Berent (Gene Tierney)
Film: Leave Her to Heaven
Who She Wronged: Who didn't she wrong
What She Did: Kills her new husband's polio stricken little brother. She coldly watches the young boy drown a few feet away from her as she sits in a row boat (See photo above). Throws herself down the stairs to induce a miscarriage. Kills herself but makes it look like a murder in order to frame her husband.
Her Fate: Death. She kills herself.
Important Lessons: Do not dedicate your novel to your wife's sister especially if your wife is insanely jealous because that might just push her over the edge. . . edge being murder/suicide.



Name: Veda Pierce (Ann Blyth)
Film: Mildred Pierce
Who She Wronged: Her overly indulgent mother, Mildred.
What She Did: Hated her mother's pies. Even though her mother becomes a business tycoon through owning a chain of restaurants Veda looks down on her as a glorified waitress. She secretly marries and falsely claims to be pregnant then negotiates a huge settlement after an annulment. Seduces, beds and murders her mother's playboy husband and lets her mother try to take the blame for it.
Her fate: Hmm... California judicial system in the 1930s and 1940s. . .I'm thinking she got the chair.
Lessons: Do not take a murder rap for a spoiled brat daughter if you do she will never learn.