Hello again movie lovers, my review this week is about a very interesting two-disc movie called Mildred Pierce.
It stars the wonderful English actress Kate Winslet as the namesake and protagonist. She does the American accent with such ease, one would not suspect her heritage at all.
The movie portrays her journey from being a young mother, left alone to fend for her two daughters, as her husband has found another love.
She tries valiantly to find employment, ending up as a waitress in a very busy diner. There she meets an attractive man (Guy Pearce) and begins a very stormy relationship with him. Melissa Leo plays the part of a very helpful neighbour and friend and is most convincing in her role.
Evan Rachel Wood plays the part of one of the daughters, a defiant, talented young lady who is very ashamed of her mother working in a diner and throughout this film, is a constant source of anguish.
She is also a very talented singer, hoping to achieve the highest honours that this talent can bring.
This movie is taken from a novel written by James Cain and in 1945, the main role was played by Joan Crawford and she received an Oscar for her performance.
Personally, I think Winslet’s portrayal of the same woman deserves one also.
Because Mildred is a fine baker of pies, this talent eventually leads to her opening her own restaurant and becoming very successful.
There is much more in this movie, I will leave it for you to discover for yourself as it really is a very well-acted, interesting story, not to be missed.
Unfortunately I will not be able to get new movies from the video store as it has now closed its doors. All they are doing now is getting rid of inventory so I shall be finding new avenues for the most recent movies.
– Liz Martin is a film critic for the Grand Forks Gazette, movie lover, cello player and happy retiree
