Valley Of The Dolls (1967), (1981)

 

For the first time ever, I have watched Valley of the Dolls in its entirety, and...it was an experience. Just like Mommie Dearest, it has very serious subject matter about how women were and still are treated in Hollywood, Drug addiction, Mental Illness, and Suicide but the final result of the film comes off like an unintentional comedy. But first, let's talk about the book that started it all:

I have a confession: I thought the Valley of the Dolls novel was a decent read. Now I'm not saying it was some literary masterpiece or the greatest written book of all time, it was just fairly decent. My favorite aspect of the novel is how the entertainment industry changes over 20 years and how the three main protagonists cope with those changes. I like how detailed the book is regarding the trends of Old Hollywood. From the movie musical of the 1940s, The dawning age of Television of the 1950s, The eventful fall of Old Hollywood, and the rise of New Hollywood of the 1960s. Jacqueline Susann was quite the expert since she was part of the Hollywood game but never achieved the same success as her peers. She based the three main protagonists on real-life starlets that she knew such as Neely O' Hara who is a stand-in for Judy Garland and possibly Barbara Streisand, Jennifer North who is a stand-in for Carol Landis and possibly Marylin Monroe, and Anne Welles who is stand-in in for Jacqueline herself and possibly Grace Kelly. You see the dolls in the title is a code name for pills (the uppers and downers kind). This was a common thing for young starlets to get hooked on because of the amount of pressure the studio would put on them. It is in fact the studios that would prescribe these special pills to keep them floating. One notorious example is how the head of MGM got Judy Garland hooked on weight loss and speed pills on the set of The Wizard of Oz when she was a mere sixteen. So yeah, Jacqueline Susann does not hold back on what goes on behind the scenes of Hollywood, which is all too relevant today. Another controversial element of the novel is homosexuality. This is rather tame by today's standards but since the novel came out in the 1960s, this was quite a scandalous topic, even though, homosexuality was basically an open secret in Hollywood. Even Jacqueline Susann had a love affair with Carol Landis. Speaking of, Carol Landis is a real-life tragic heroine who oddly shares similarities to Marylin Monroe, both sharing the same, complicated quest for love and acceptance, despite being the most memorable Hollywood bombshells of their time. Sadly, just like her character Jennifer, Landis commits suicide after suffering from yet another short-lived love affair. So, Jacqueline wrote this in her memory to solidify her as the kind, caring person she was and not what she was known to be. Finally, we have our central protagonist Anne Welles who shares a few similarities to Jacqueline Susann. As described in the novel, she does have a natural elegance and humility much like Grace Kelly but not too glamorous, which is why she was chosen as a spokesmodel for Gillian. Susann herself was a cosmetic spokesmodel once her acting career died down and that's where the similarities end. 

But just like Mildred Pierce, the novel also has a rather, downbeat depressing ending: So Anne has been hopelessly devoted to a man named Lyon Burke. After all, she did lose her virginity to him. At first glance, you can see why Anne would fall for Lyon Burke. He comes off as a chivalrous, charismatic Englishman but the thing is, he's a notorious ladies' man, so much so that even Anne's co-workers warn her. Before Lyon, there was another suitor named Allen (sir does not appear in the film), a mild-mannered salesman who turns out to be a millionaire. Allen even goes so far as to propose to her though Anne is less than interested, fixing her eyes on Lyon. Anne and Lyon finally do get together once Anne breaks off the engagement with Allen. Everything seems swell until Anne's mother dies. Now, in the novel, Anne loved her mother but never really liked her....it's complicated. So, Anne's emotions are a bit numb at the moment, and on top of that, Lyon has dreams of becoming a novelist. He asked Anne if they could settle down in Lawrenceville while working on his upcoming novel. Anne openly despises her hometown and refuses to go back. This, however, causes Lyon to retreat and write a freakin' Dear John to Anne, announcing their breakup where he would reside in London. This should be a warning sign right here and there because when things don't go Lyon's way, he leaves you in the dust. So a couple months pass by, and Anne is still working as a secretary for Entertainment Lawyer Henry Bellamy when an old acquaintance of Henry's appears. Kevin Gilmore, founder of the popular cosmetics brand Gillian, gives Anne an offer she just couldn't refuse: Becoming the spokesmodel for Gillian. Kevin starts to have feelings for Anne and after some time, they begin a loving but passionless relationship. For a few years, Anne had been waiting for Kevin to marry her but since he was already a married man in his early to mid-fifties, he kept brushing it off. Then as fate would have it, Lyon comes back into her life. With a few unsuccessful books under his belt, Lyon works as an entertainment journalist crossing paths with Anne while she does her infomercial special. Spark flies and before you know it, Anne and Lyon begin an affair. Kevin eventually confronts Anne, thus ending their long-term relationship. So Anne and Lyon get married but not without a little scheming on Anne's part. She works with Henry to set up a loan from him to Lyon that was secretly sent from her for Lyon to give up his mediocre writing career to marry her. Talk about some heavy stuff. So Lyon is the new owner of the agency and seems to cross paths with Neely, whose career has gone down in the dumps and isn't in the best shape. When Neely's career is on the upswing, with the help of Lyon, Anne starts to become suspicious about Lyon and Neely's working relationship, insinuating that the two must be having an affair. It turns out that Anne's suspicions were right.

Not only that, Neely is the one who reveals to Lyon about Anne's secret loan which he confronts her about. He claims he feels emasculated by what Anne did. To punish her, he carelessly flaunts his affair with Neely, living a double life. What adds more salt to Anne's wound is that Neely is a close friend. Lyon could've chosen anybody in the world but Neely? How fucked up could he be? This causes Anne to go into a spiral of addiction, trying out the dolls (pills) everyone's so crazy about. Not to mention, this all happens when Anne gives birth to her daughter, Jennifer. Lyon eventually ends the affair with Neely but this doesn't stop him from seeing other women, his most recent one is a girl that old enough to be his daughter. However, Anne numbs the pain by the dawn of New Year's Eve with a bottle of her precious, precious dolls. Holy shit...this ending pissed me off so much. Lyon is a grade-A narcissistic asshole and I can't help but feel bad for Anne, who clearly made a mistake by settling down with him. Yes, she has the money. Yes, she has a husband. And yes, she has a child. But at what cost? Since this was around the 1960s, this was a sort of thing women were facing with. Yes, really messed up but those are the facts. 

It was a year later when film executives were clamoring for a film adaptation. As you may know, this was a challenging process. The first of many issues was the conflicting visions between producer Darryl F. Zanuck and his son Richard. Darryl wanted a cool, stylish 1950s melodrama while Richard wanted something more hip and contemporary. This was the battle between Old and Young Hollywood, which most likely caused the production of the Frankenstein mess, Valley of the Dolls. However, the major cause of the issues surrounding this film is director Mark Robson. The thing about Mark Robson is that he has an "old school" way of directing and would give all three of the actresses a tough time. You see, Mark Robson would have this stopwatch, and every time he films a scene, he stops it by pressing the pocket watch. It was a very annoying thing that would irritate the cast and crew and although Robson was a lauded director of his time, he was challenging to work with. 

Okay so talk about the cast and characters:

I just want to say that all three of the actresses have a star quality about them but first and foremost, I want to focus on the ultimate scene stealer. The one, the only...

Patty Duke as Neely O'Hara. In a strange twist, the filmmakers actually considered Barbra Streisand in the world but thankfully, she decided to go for Funny Girl, for which she won an Oscar. However, nobody does it like Patty Duke. It's a performance for the ages, though it does come from experience. Patty Duke was institutionalized when she accepted the role of Neely. And just like Judy Garland, Duke experienced a pretty rough childhood while growing up in the spotlight and winning an Oscar at age 16. She eventually became a teen sensation starring in her very own sitcom, The Patty Duke Show. After the show's cancellation, Duke wanted to break into more mature roles and Valley of the Dolls was just it. Although this seemed like a meaty role for her, Patty had no idea how the movie would eventually turn out, so she had to do the best she could and to me, I think she did an okay job. Sure, she was over-the-top in some scenes but I didn't think it was that bad. Besides, I want to get into the depth of the Neely O'Hara character and how she was portrayed in both mediums. In the novel, Neely is a bright, ambitious young girl of 17 who's part of a sibling Vaudeville troupe and gets a small part in a popular Broadway musical called Hit The Sky. However, the lead star, Helen Lawson, gets Neely and her vaudeville troupe out of the show for Helen to get more screen time. But with a bit of push and pull from Lyon Burke, Neely can secure her role and becomes a sensation much to Helen's dismay. Until then, Neely marries an agent named Mel, moves to California, and becomes a star of movie musicals. At this point, Neely becomes increasingly unsympathetic. She begins cheating on her husband with her costume designer, is heavily reliant on drugs (which are called "dolls" in the book), and is an overall entitled, egocentric diva. It's not to say that book Neely has her sympathetic moments when she marries her costume designer Ted Casablanca and becomes a young mom at age 22 all the while Ted is having affairs with both men and women without a care in the world. Therefore, the bright-eyed young girl at the start of the novel becomes a jaded sellout at just 28 years old, delving more heavingly into a drug-induced state. She goes to rehab, gains and loses weight, and gets a career comeback. Unfortunately, it's at the cost of her own morals. She soon has an affair with Lyon Burke, who is now married to Anne. Of course, Neely is way beyond entitled at this point and she just doesn't give a damn. But what comes around comes back around and karma bites Neely in the ass where this time a young starlet (who's also having an affair with Lyon) takes the spotlight. 

Neely in the film version is a bit tame. She is still rambunctious and full of herself but not as callous. There are only little bits and pieces of her life, which are usually done in quick montages. This time she is not part of a Vaudeville troupe because...well it's the sixties (or is it the sixties?) and Vaudeville acts at the time would be pretty outdated. So, Neely is a young upstart, maybe around 19 or 20, I'm not sure, and she's already in a relationship with Mel, who's her agent. So right off the bat, Neely gets her part cut from the Broadway play but in turn, gets a TV gig that showcases her singing talents. Thus begins Neely's rise to stardom...through a montage. The film is only 2 hours and a half so it's somewhat understandable. But during this time, Neely marries Mel, becomes a movie musical star, develops a dependency on dolls, and is already having an affair with Ted Casablanca. So yeah, the film never really recounts what year it is or what's trending in Hollywood, her career just sort of comes and goes. There is a mention of her being 26 one time, so I would think by the end of the film, she's in her late 20s or early 30s, I'm not really sure. 

Anyways, Patty Duke gave all for what she's got and she wasn't terrible, it's just the script really didn't do her any favors. I can see there is an earnesty to her performance and she really did try her best with what she's given. 

Then we have Sharon Tate as Jennifer North, who was quite good actually. Just like Patty Duke's Neely, you can see the earnesty in her performance and I can see that it came from something eternal. Mark Robson was really hard on her, which plagued her insecurities as a serious actress. But through it all, she came out golden and you really feel for her character. Raquel Welch was a runner-up for the role and she was an ideal choice but she backed out of it because she didn't want to be typecasted as a sex symbol, even though that was the grievances that her character was going through and it could've at least showed through her performance but I feel like Sharon Tate was the right actress to give Jennifer a whole new dimension. 

In the book, Jennifer is a nice girl with a lot of emotional baggage. She's a 25-year-old masquerading as a 19-year-old at the behest of her agent, has a greedy selfish mother who constantly asks her for money, and has to deal with her immature, pompous, and sex-obsessed fiance Tony Polar, and his controlling nag of a sister, Miriam. What the film left out was, that before she met Tony, Jennifer was in a romantic relationship with a schoolmate named Maria. Now given that this was the 1960s, the producers of the film weren't too keen about having a bisexual as one of the main characters. After her love affair with Maria, Jennifer gets into modeling which eventually leads her to do acting roles. She gets cast in the hit Broadway show Hit The Sky, not for her talent but for her body. So Jennifer is pressured into becoming this wide-eyed starlet who soon gets molded into a sex symbol overnight. Her agents even came up with a fake story to make her seem more exciting, which was kind of a thing in Old Hollywood. When Jennifer decides to leave showbiz behind and marry Tony, the marriage isn't quite as ideal as she imagined. Besides being unfaithful and immature, Tony also has a debilitating mental disorder that might affect Jennifer's baby. Miram urges Jennifer to get an abortion and Jennifer reluctantly obliges. After divorcing Tony, she gets involved with a French director named Claude. Claude's specialty is basically softcore erotic films with a plot and Jennifer seems to be the perfect candidate. So eventually she becomes a sensation in Europe, which leads her to get offers in Hollywood again. But to keep her appearance younger, Claude gets her hooked on plastic surgery and a certain treatment that involves some unorthodox sleep therapy. Tired of Claude's controlling ways, Jennifer moves on to date Senator Winston Adams and soon gets engaged to him. But unfortunately, Jennifer finds out that she's diagnosed with breast cancer. Thinking that Winston only wanted to marry her for her body, Jennifer sneaks out of the hospital and, in probably one of the book's saddest moments, commits suicide by sleeping pills. What makes this even sadder is that Winston genuinely loves her and is ultimately devastated by her death. 

When it comes the movie version of Jennifer, there are not that many changes except for the relationship between her and Tony. The filmmakers decided to turn it into a tragic love story, which makes the Tony Polar character much more sympathetic. 

The animosity between Jennifer and Miriam is also toned down. Yes, there is tension at first but when Tony's health worsens, they stick through the thick of it and make amends. It's one of the changes from the book that I really like, and just to mention, Lee Grant was a stand-out in her small role as well. So, Jennifer finds herself completely devoted to Tony, even going so far as to do "nudie films" (as Neely would like to call it) to support his medical bills. 

Jennifer goes through her own health crisis when she is diagnosed with breast cancer. After being Hollywood's bathing beauty and Tony's number-one girl, Jennifer feels that she has nothing left to offer. So she takes one last look in the mirror and swallows a bottle of pills. And I just have to say, Sharon Tate really sells this scene. You can't help but feel for her. 

Sharon Tate was defintely an underrated actress and she was indeed a star in the making. I mean sure, Valley of the Dolls isn't a perfect movie but this showcases her talents as a great dramatic actress and, it's that one final shot, with tears in her eyes, both longing and pleading, that is just so...haunting. It's an image that sticks with you and moves you. May she be missed. 

Last but not least, we have Barbara Parkins as Anne Welles, our lead protagonist in the film. Now, Anne isn't given much to do to be honest but at least Barbara Parkins gave what she got and she does capture the look of eloquence and sophistication that Anne embodies in the novel. There were plenty of actresses in the role of Anne such as Cancance Bergin and Julie Christie, but Natalie Wood seemed like an interesting choice. Just like Patty Duke, Wood grew up in the spotlight and became a teen sensation herself with the smash hit Rebel Without Cause. By then, she became one of the most sought-after actresses in Hollywood starring in classics such as Splendor in the Grass, West Side Story, Gypsy, and Love with the Proper Stranger. Wood could've been a perfect candidate for Neely if you look into her performance in Inside Daisy Clover but I think she would easily hold her own as the cool, sophisticated Anne. But Candance Bergin was also the go-to choice because she represented the cool blonde type and could easily mirror Grace Kelly. But the filmmakers ultimately decided on newcomer Barabra Parkins, the breakout star of the popular prime-time soap Peyton Place, in which Mark Robson ironically directed the film version. This was where Parkins was going to make her mark and show the world that she was more than just a TV actress. Well...the problem is, she's not given much to do in the movie and it's not a fault of her own, Barbara Parkins is a capable actress, however, the movie version of Anne comes off more bland than her book counterpart. 

In the novel, Anne strives to be an independent woman and desperately wants to escape her boring small town. So off she goes to New York to start a new life and eventually gets a job as a law secretary at an entertainment law firm. Anne was all about not wanting to be tied down, and although she wanted to be married with kids, Anne would rather build herself up and focus on a career. I mean she is 20 years old at the start of the novel. But then again, it was very common for women that age to get married and Anne refuses to be part of that norm. But somehow, the arrival of Lyon Burke changes everything. You see, Lyon represents the passion that Anne yearns for and very much well gives it to her...and then some.

The chemistry between Barbara Parkins and Paul Burke is very lacking and Lyon in the film version just comes off as another generic love interest. Although he was incredibly unlikable in the novel, at least Lyon had dreams and goals the same as Anne did. There is a mention of him wanting to write but it's never expanded upon. We never know if he's unhappy at his job or wants to explore new avenues in his life, he just...comes and goes. 

Anne doesn't fare much better either. Sure, she's seen as the film's protagonist but she seems bland and uninteresting compared to the more dynamic personalities of Jennifer and Neely. Anne just sticks out like a sore thumb. All we know of her is that she's a small-town girl at heart who loves her family, got good grades, is very sufficient, blah, blah, blah, blah. Anne in the novel actually had some baggage, probably more emotional baggage than Jennifer and Neely, and she wasn't this perfect cookie-cutter girl; she actually made some irrational decisions that often affected her. Anne in the book came off like a human being where as this version is so...vanilla, at least for the 1960s.

There aren't a lot of specifics on Anne's career as a Gillian girl spokesmodel nor her relationship with Kevin Gilmore. After her breakup with Lyon, the scene starts with her walking into the room while Henry has a meeting with Kevin. Kevin notices her and decides to hire her as his model. It just happens out of nowhere. Anne's start as a spokesmodel is put through montages, which means that she's a natural at what she does. I would've very much preferred her to be a bit nervous at first and then gradually get the hang of it once she started filming her commercials. Instead, we get a full array of montages, which I actually don't mind this sequence, it's very hypnotic and colorful, but, I wish there was more time spent on Anne's development as a model and feeling the pressures of fame. Kevin in this version is nothing more than a minor character and there's no buildup to his and Anne's relationship. He has a crush on her, but she doesn't reciprocate. Plain and simple. And wouldn't you know it, Lyon comes crawling back to her life. 

Once Anne and Lyon get back together, it doesn't explain if they're married or not, they're just living together. Also, Lyon's affair with Neely was very sudden and not fully explained. Neely just makes a phone call to meet up with Lyon and she has a sly look in her eye. Again, there is no buildup to this. During this time, Anne starts to develop a pill addiction. Once again, there is no buildup to this. Anne just starts to develop a pill addiction out of nowhere. I wish we got a scene of her catching Lyon and Neely in the act. Then once runs home, she would probably freak out and go searching for the pills to calm herself down. That would've been way more effective, and since this movie is so latched onto time and pacing, this scene would telegraphed everything so confusing in the final few moments of the movie. 

So by the end, Anne has hit rock bottom, drowning in a sea of addiction but once she stumbles out into the ocean and feels the water splash her face, then, all of a sudden...she's cured. Anne is cured of her drug addiction. Okay, nothing about this is realistic, especially compared to Neely who's having a really rough time recovering from her own addiction. I guess this was done on the filmmakers' part for Anne to have her happy ending.

Speaking of, Anne decides to go back to her hometown, which Anne in the novel will never ever do. Lyon suddenly pops back into her life again and wants to marry Anne, but she kindly rejects him and goes for a nice stroll in the woods, feeling like a kid again. The End. 

Even though I don't mind the happy ending, I love it for Anne, I just wish it would've gone a different way. Everything seemed too rushed, too sudden and there wasn't much development on the situation before Anne's addiction and after. 

However, Barbara Parkins did a great job. Sure, she had to work with a lot of stiff, bland dialogue, but that's not her fault. Barbara would hold her own as a leading lady if she was in a better movie. And in my opinion, Barbara Parkins is an underrated actress who has what it takes.

Finally, we have Judy Garland as Helen Lawson...I mean, Susan Hayward as Helen Lawson. Yeah, this is when things get complicated...and sad. First of all, Helen Lawson was based on Broadway star Ethel Merman who had a bit of a reputation of being a diva. When I look into this, it would be kind of odd for Judy Garland to play this type of role because she's not a diva type. Judy Garland was always the girl-next-door and even in her older age, she still played sympathetic characters. So for an unsympathetic role like Helen Lawson, it was definitely going to be a challenge for her.

I don't think Judy Garland was even a fan of the book or the script, but she was willing to take on the role because she needed the money badly at the time. But what made this even worse was how she was treated by Mark Robson. Just imagine if somebody like Meryl Streep, Cher, Glen Close, or Kathy Bates was treated the same way. Yes, I'm putting Judy Garland on that pedestal and she should be regarded as such. Sure, she was going through a rough time at this point but, still, she deserved better. 

First of all, this was a stunt casting attempt and the filmmakers only wanted Judy Garland on the film for her name only. Plus, since she was based on Neely in the novel, they said, "Why not?" But just like the screenplay, they really didn't look into how she would portray this character and whether or not, she would fulfill the challenge. On top of that, Mark Robson was a complete and utter jackass. One of the stunts he pulled involved a scheduling conflict. He asked Mrs. Garland to come in at 6 in the morning but the filming of her scene started at 4 in the afternoon. Judy was eager to come on time but Robson pulled a fast one on her, causing her to break down. What an evil dickwad. Incidents like this led Judy Garland to be pulled out of the film, which is heartbreaking because this was her last attempt at the spotlight. 

So in comes Susan Hayward, who starred in a few musicals and can sing, but since she didn't have the showy Broadway voice that Helen possessed, the filmmakers dubbed her instead. Hayward came straight out of retirement, whether or not she wanted the role was up for debate, but it was explained by the studio giving her a generous fee. There were other potential casting choices for Helen such as Ginger Rogers and Lucille Ball but Jacquline Susann was adamant about casting Bette Davis, however, I feel like Lucille Ball would've been the perfect candidate because of her natural stage presence and her experience with musicals and comedies, including her very own sitcom, I Love Lucy. But at last, Susan Hayward cemented the role. She reportedly became a Helen Lawson in real life, causing a growing tension between her and Patty Duke, strangely mirroring the rivalry between Helen and Neely.

Now there are some slight changes to her character in the book, such as when we get to figure out why Helen is the way she is. Just like Jennifer, Helen yearns for love and acceptance as she went through several marriages and had ups and downs in her career but, unlike Jennifer, Helen has talent and leeway in the industry. There is an infamous scene in the novel where Helen gets another actress fired from her show, seemingly because she's more beautiful and talented and has more scenes than normal. This was based on an incident where Ethel Merman had Betty Hutton fired from one of her shows. When Helen meets Anne, she becomes rather friendly with her...at first. You see, this is when Anne was engaged to Allen, and Allen just so happens to be the son of a notorious Playboy millionaire named Gino who Helen has an eye for. Anne is oblivious to this, seeing how vulnerable Helen came off to her. But as soon as Anne breaks it off with Allen, Helen suddenly turns on her, besides the fact that Gino wasn't even interested in her in the first place. Since there is no Allen or Gino in the movie, Helen is rude to Anne right off the bat, which establishes her nasty diva streak. The actress that she gets fired from her show turns out to be Neely, which also establishes the tension between them.

By the middle of the movie, we get the hilarious epic catfight between Helen and Neely. Neely eventually wins by grabbing off Helen's wig, revealing her silver-gray hair (in the novel, she's bald from chemotherapy).

She actually doesn't look half-bad and is quite striking with the silver-gray hair but I guess this is the moment where we get to see Helen's "vulnerable" side and just for a while her pride is a bit shattered. But Helen puts her wig back on and spouts out her sharp tongue, she's back to being the "barracuda" she's known to be. Unlike the other girls, she doesn't need pills to keep her afloat, all she has is her sheer willpower. 

Although many would consider her role to be on the hammy side, Susan Hayward handled the role in spades. Sure, she doesn't have the same singing vocals as Ethel Merman but her presence alone is what sets her character alight. Each of her dialogue is a like sledgehammer and she can even go toe to toe with Patty Duke, spitting out jabs and quips without a wink or nod to the camera. Two thumbs up.

Now, there is without a doubt that the screenplay is one of the worst aspects of the film. Most issues stem from the really confusing time frame. It would've helped if the movie started out in the early to mid-50s with our main protagonists starting out in their late teens and early twenties, all bright-eyed and hopeful, and once they reach the end of the late 60s, they become jaded and disillusioned.

There is one huge positive about the movie, however, which is the gorgeous cinematography by William H. Daniels. It has this cool, pop art feel that is distinctly 60s, giving the film a personality. The cinematography enhances the three main actresses' model-ready looks and stylishly dramatic costumes. Although Mark Robson was a competent director, I just don't think he was the right fit for this movie. I feel like a more in-touch director who has knowledge of the 60s counter-culture movement would've been a better choice, somebody who wasn't afraid to take risks and who could actually say something with their art. Therefore, the movie would capture the "feeling" that the novel was trying to convey. 

Despite the critical lashing, the film was a box office hit and still became popular through the years. A sequel was in the works called Beyond the Valley of the Dolls featuring Anne and her teenage daughter written by Jacquline Susann but was rejected in favor of a more tongue-in-cheek satirical parody that's unrelated to the previous movie but with similar themes. I might check out this movie for another day because it's quite the oddity. 

Then there was a 1981 miniseries produced by Jacquline Susann's widower Irving Mansfield. I thought I take a look at it since it was available on YouTube and...I was unimpressed. It wasn't bad or anything, I was just so bored and disengaged. Say what you will about the original, but at least the cinematography, costumes, and set designs gave it this fantastical pop-art feel while the TV miniseries fell flat. There have been some slight changes from the book and film. Of course, this is now set in modern times and the miniseries goes out of its way to reflect that with the addition of some cheesy 70s/80s soft rock. Anne and Neely are now childhood friends and since there was no backstory given to Neely in the '67 film, it's been mentioned that Neely bounced from foster home to foster home all her life, which would probably explain Neely's dependency issues. Helen Lawson is more resentful of Jennifer, a change that I found interesting since Helen Lawson is an aging starlet while Jennifer is an up-and-coming beauty. Instead of a secretary, Anne is now an entertainment lawyer and a little less naive than her book and movie counterparts. That's where I stop there. I just...I just couldn't finish it. I was so bored. I think it was trying to emulate those hit soap operas at the time such as Dynasty and Falcon Crest but this was at the time when they were still trying to get their feet wet and didn't they didn't achieve the widespread popularity they would soon gain in their later seasons. So yeah, this miniseries is kind of mediocre. It's not fun nor campy, just meh. I might return to this one day to give a full review but for right now, it's a pass.

Then there was this really obscure 1994 adaptation that was turned into a daytime soap opera. This only lasted one season and it's really hard to find now but, from what I heard about it, it's not really all that great and it's probably cheesy and not the good kind of cheesy. 

So yeah, nothing beats the original, and part of is that it's totally, unapologetically 60s. it's one of those "bad films' that has a lasting impact and when you look into it retroactively, it eerily mirrors the actresses' lives after the release of the film.

Sure, it may not be perfect but there's something about the movie that makes it a captivating, beautiful mess. 

The Two Faces of Mildred Pierce

 

Before I dive deep into the phenomenon that is Mommie Dearest, I want to discuss the adaptations of James M. Cain's novel Mildred Pierce. Now, I'm gonna say right off the bat that between these two adaptations, I definitely choose the Todd Haynes version. Now don't get me wrong, the original is one of  Joan Crawford's iconic films, but Kate Winslet really knocked this off the park for me. 

Let's talk about the novel first. Now although Mildred is a character you can empathize with, she's not exactly portrayed as sympathetic here. First, she seems to favor Veda after the death of her youngest daughter, Ray, She marries a man whom she doesn't exactly care for to please her snobby, elitist daughter, and she embezzles money from her business to please said daughter. So while adapting the 1945 film version, the filmmakers had to make some accommodations to appease the Hays Code.

So screenwriter Ranald MacDougall and director Michael Curtiz decided to take a film noir approach to the story and this is where I make the comparisons to the novel and 1945 version.

Here's the story: After separating from her husband, Bert, Mildred is to take care of her two daughters, Veda and Ray. In desperate need of financial stability, Mildred takes a job as a waitress, at the behest of Veda. But eventually, Mildred learns the ways of the restaurant business and owns a chain of her own. She soon attracts the attention of Monte Beragon, a lazy playboy who's living off his inheritance. Monte sweeps Mildred off her feet and the two begin a love affair. Unfortunately, Mildred's youngest daughter, Ray, dies of an illness, which leaves Mildred in a devastated state. From then on, Mildred grows attached to Veda who becomes increasingly vain and spoiled. Veda even goes so far as to blackmail a boy's family by pretending to be pregnant with his child to receive money from them and when Mildred forgives her after disowning her, Veda has an affair with her now-husband Monty! Talk about some heavy stuff! but I'll stop there.

The movie starts with the murder of Monte. Yes, the murder of Monte and that's one of the key differences from the book. Monte doesn't die in the book. In the end, he gets away scot-free, running off with Veda to New York, leaving a drunken and depressed Mildred and Bert to their own devices. Though judging by the Hays Code, this was unacceptable. If anything, Monte would be considered an immoral character since he does have an affair with his own stepdaughter and he has an overall unscrupulous nature when it comes to his relationship with Mildred. So the filmmakers decided to kill off Monte to shake up the plot and it actually makes the story more interesting that way. In the first few moments of the film, it becomes a murder mystery. It's made to look like Mildred shot Monte and is putting the blame on her business partner and friend Wally Fay (Burgan in the book). But the story goes deeper than that. During her interrogation, Mildred narrates her life, which starts the story proper. 

One of the most important elements of the film is the relationship between Mildred and Veda, not just in the story but in characterization as well. There is an archetypal character well-known within the film noir genre called the Femme Fatale. She represents the woman who might lead the male main character into danger. She is a woman of intrigue and mystery and you can never quite figure her out until the climax of the movie. But Mildred Pierce provides a more female perspective. In the opening moments of the film, at first, you would think that Mildred might be this type of character as it is made to look like she shot Monty and is on her way to frame Wally. But when Mildred begins her narration, we slowly figure out who the real Femme Fatale is, which turns out to be her own daughter, Veda. For those of you who haven't read the novel, Veda does have some shades of this in the original source material. It's sort of built up to how Veda became vain and manipulative and in a way just like the Femme Fatale, Veda does lead Mildred to her doom. 

On top of that, she gains fame as an opera singer but the Hays Code thinks that this is too dignified for her character and turns her into a chantese instead, which is a common occupation for the Femme Fatale character. Although singing at a nightclub would be out of character for the book version of Veda, it's totally in character for the movie version of Veda. At this point of the movie, Veda is blossoming into a young woman who becomes more stubborn and independent. And also, Veda might use this job as a way to attract possible wealthy suitors and potential managers to jumpstart her singing career. 

Just as Mildred and Veda start to reconnect again...Boom! Mildred catches Veda and Monty in a passionate kiss. Without any remorse, Veda confesses to Mildred that she and Monty have been in love all this time and they're having plans to run off and get married. Now this may be accurate in the novel, but not in the movie version. 

Monty rejects her on the spot and declares his love for Mildred, whether that may be true or not. When Mildred runs out of the house...Bang! Bang! Veda is the one who shot Monty.

Seeing her daughter for who she truly is, Mildred phones the police but her maternal instincts prevent her from doing so. To add more salt to the wound, Veda gaslights her by saying it was her fault for turning out the way she did. Holy cow!

So as Mildred finishes her story, the police take Veda into custody, and strangely she accepts her fate. After that, Mildred reunites with her ex-husband, Bert and that's where the movie ends. 

I like that they took the film noir angle that not only adds layers to the Veda character but also Mildred herself. Joan Crawford would usually star in movies where her character goes from rags to riches with a fierce determination to break out of their working-class life and into the world of the upper class. This was the perfect role for Joan Crawford and she eventually won an Oscar for her performance. Special shout out to Ann Blyth who really nails the role of Veda with viciousness and ferocity. It was a rarity that film noir was shown through a female perspective and that's what makes this an instant classic. 

But what I really, really want to talk about is the 2011 miniseries by Todd Haynes and oh boy is it great!

The miniseries goes by the same beats as the novel but in a different context. It's framed as a melodrama but it's actually a character study about a woman going above and beyond the constructs of the time while trying to maintain a relationship with her selfish, manipulative, narcissistic daughter and her lazy, prideful, self-indulgent boyfriend. 

Unlike the 1945 film, the setting takes place during the Depression. This was at a time when families were struggling to keep up heap. These boiling frustrations take a toll on Mildred and Bert's marriage, which also stems from his affair with one of their neighbors. So when Burt eventually leaves, Mildred has to go out hand and foot to look for a job, even one she considers degrading. I like how Todd Haynes portrays Mildred's struggles realistically. She literally goes hand and foot to find employment. It's not glamorous, it doesn't pass in a quick montage and Kate Winslet doesn't wear much makeup than usual. Todd Haynes really shows the realities of what people were going through during the Depression and he displayed that beautifully. 

Mildred meets up with Mrs. Forrester, a rather arrogant woman who's looking for a new housekeeper. Right off the bat, Mildred is getting bad vibes and declines the offer. Though Mrs. Forrester would become an important character later on in the story. 

As much as she tries to fight it, Mildred eventually takes a job as a waitress, however, this turns out to be a blessing in disguise. She starts off a little shaky but Mildred gets the hang of it and befriends a no-nonsense waitress named Ida, played by the very underrated Mare Winningham. Once Mildred sells her famous pies, it's legit. She is slowly climbing her way into being a legit businesswoman.

During this time, Mildred begins a relationship with Wally Burgan(played by an actor-I've-seen-in-every-movie James LeGross), who just happens to be Bert's lawyer and friend. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that they do indeed start a sexual relationship in the novel but I guess the Hays Code vetoed it and left it as a platonic relationship instead. The fling with Wally is more of a friends-with-benefits sort of thing and it's obvious that Mildred was sleeping with Wally to get back at Bert, however, at least she gets a new business proposition out of it. 

Although Mildred and Burt are separated, there is still love there. Unlike the 1945 film, Bert is very supportive of Mildred, lending her his car and even going so far as to finalize their divorce so she can jumpstart her business. The scene between Kate Winslet and Brian F. O'Byran where they agree to end their marriage is pure golden and shares that level of complexity that seems to be missing in the 1945 film. The scene is just pure golden.

Mildred's actual love interest is, of course, a debonair man-about-town named Monty Beragon played by the ever-so-handsome Guy Pearce. He arrives at the restaurant and Mildred is instantly smitten. When Monty invites her to his vacation home, things get steamy pretty quickly, showcasing how passionate their love affair is. But this newfound bliss doesn't last long, as Mildred gets a call that her youngest daughter Ray is very sick. As we all know, this doesn't end well...

The miniseries actually focuses on Mildred's grief from this, emphasizing the devastating blow she feels when the doctor informs her of Ray's death. Again, Kate Winslet's acting is phenomenal. The pain and the shock on her face without any dialogue are gripping to watch. Then when the scene ends, Mildred holds on to Veda as she breaks down crying, not to telegraph that Veda was her favorite but in the sense that she doesn't want to lose her too, therefore, her attachment to Veda is understandable.

So Mildred uses this tragedy to empower herself, honoring her late daughter's memory as a blessing to her newfound career as a restaraunter. As Mildred's business begins to boom, so does Veda's defiance. 

But beyond that, Mildred recognizes Veda's talent as a piano player, which wasn't expanded on in the 1945 film. Although Mildred sees the potential in Veda, her assigned piano teachers don't and it's up until Part 4 of the miniseries that Veda decides to do opera instead.

On one Christmas morning, Veda's ever-growing defiance takes a turn on Mildred when she doesn't give Veda the piano she wanted. Veda gets a little too big for her britches when she starts to smoke in front of her mother. When Mildred gives her a good slap on the face, Veda slaps her right back! May I reiterate this happens on freakin' Christmas of all days! Veda boastfully tells Mildred that Monty gossips to her behind Mildred's back. Yes, Veda is just shy of 14 at this point. Mildred is disgusted by this and after standing up to her vicious little brat of a daughter, she goes to confront Monty. The pair have been steady for a while, but Mildred realizes that it's beginning to be a take-and-no-give situation and whenever they do have an argument, Monty always finds a way to seduce her. But not this time. Mildred is not having it and asks him why he would even talk to her daughter about their relationship. And you know what his response is? He thinks Veda has the mind of an adult. What? Now as you all may know, Veda seems to have an infatuation with Monty and as she gets older, Monty seems to take notice of her too. You think about it, it's very weird and uncomfortable that he seems to think of her as an adult at a very young age. When Monty constantly jokes about being her gigolo, given that ever since she started her restaurant business, Monty has been a bit of a leech on her finances as his own inheritance has been drying up. So Mildred takes off in a heat of frustration leaving the relationship for good...or at least for now.

Some years have passed and Veda has grown up to be a stunning young woman played by Evan Rachel Wood. Now I'm going to say my piece about Evan Rachel Wood, she is okay in the miniseries. There are times when she is good and I do think she is a good actress, but there were times when she reminded too much of her character from True Blood, talking in an over-the-top posh tone. Anywho, let's continue the story. So Mildred's business has expanded, giving her best friend and neighbor Lucy Gessler (played by the ever-so-talented Melissa Leo) full ownership of a steak and fish restaurant.

After her piano teacher suddenly dies, Mildred goes in search of a new one in the form of Carlo Treviso, a renowned conductor. Right off the bat, he thinks Veda is a lousy piano player. Feeling detested, Veda quits and frets about her future, which eventually leads to her partying with her friends every night. She tells Mildred that she might get a casting call from a director who just so happens to be Mrs. Forrester's husband but little do Mildred know, Veda has something else up her sleeve. While opening up her restaurant, Mrs. Forrester pays her a visit with some troubling news. As we all know, of course, Veda is blackmailing Mrs. Forrester's son but being the good mother that she is, Mildred doesn't want to hear any of it and escorts Mrs. Forrester out of the restaurant. When Mildred confronts her about this, Veda pulls out the I'm Pregnant card, and Mildred, of course, falls for it. But as soon as she gets Wally on the case to have the boy put in jail or at least forced into a marriage with her daughter, Veda outright refuses and wants to take the money instead. Mildred is in utter shock and can't believe her daughter would stoop that low but Veda defiantly tells Mildred that she wants to use the money to get away from her. Appalled by her daughter's coldness, Mildred firmly tells Veda to leave...And a couple of months to a year pass. 

There's not a day that goes by where Mildred worries about Veda and begs Bert to tell her about her whereabouts. According to Bert, while she was away, Veda pursued a career in opera singing and is managed by Carlo Treviso, the same conductor who rejected her not long ago. Mildred hopes for a reunion but it just doesn't happen quite yet. However, Bert comes over to present Veda's very first radio appearance and when Mildred hears her song, she is moved to tears.

Determined to win back her daughter, she sees Carlo Treviso to discuss Veda's finances but Mr. Terviso knows better. He warns Mildred that Veda is like a Calcatta, a snake, it's nice to look at but you can't take them home with you. This might hint that Veda is a bit of a demanding diva that's difficult to work with. But Mildred's love for Veda withstands. 

While taking a drive in the city, she suddenly sees Monty and before you know it, they start reconnecting again. Their love affair is more passionate than before, to the point where Monty asks Mildred's hand in marriage. Mildred says yes...which is the beginning of the end.

During Mildred's wedding party, here comes Veda, back to her good graces again. So mother and daughter have a heartfelt reunion as Veda becomes the life of the party. She seems to have switched managers at this time and even gets offered a lucrative deal in New York but the new manager blocks her chance of doing so, to which again, Veda is boiling a plan in her head.

On the night of Veda's grand opening, she captivates the audience with her powerful singing, with one final song dedicated to her mother. Mildred cries tears of joy and for a second there it's pretty sweet. But you all know what happens.

So Mildred has been a financial hiccup because of her being distracted by Veda's singing career and also her new married life to Monty. So she has a meeting with Wally and the shareholder concerning her restaurant business when she gets the devastating news that her friend Ida has taken over her duties. She turns to Bert over her concerns about her dealings with Wally and fretting over her daughter's newfound success, which could help her out financially. It's at this point, that Bert becomes very supportive of Mildred as their relationship didn't get much development in the 1945 film. But as Mildred goes to search for Veda, she gets the shock of her life...

Mildred runs into Monty at their mansion and, he seems to be blocking their bedroom door. Put off by his strange behavior, Mildred pushes him out of the way and...

Lo and behold is Veda. And no, Mildred does not catch her in a loving embrace with Monty like in the original. Oh no, no, no, no. Veda is stark naked without a care in the world as if she's glad that her mother caught them in the act. All this time Mildred was worried that something had happened to Veda and something had happened to her alright, and Monty was the cause of it. Veda even smokes a cigarette to imply that yes, the sex was good. The complete nerve of this girl!  Monty goes on a rant about how Mildred used him to win back Veda. This is a true statement from the book,  this doesn't seem to be the case at all in the miniseries. Mildred seems to genuinely love Monty and it isn't like she was out looking for him, she just so happens to pop into her life again and, therefore, the passion in their relationship to pop into their life again. It seems to me that he was using Mildred to reel in Veda himself.

I just want to give my roses to Kate Winslet here. She absolutely owns this scene and the key to her amazing acting prowess is how she emotes without dialogue. The pain, the devastation, the repulsion, the anguish, the hurt, the betrayal. It's all detailed in her emotions. Kate Winslet, with all her hard work and talent, definitely deserved her Emmy award. 

Now Mildred doesn't go softly. She full-on attacks Veda (and rightfully so), choking her until her singing voice goes out.  Oh well, Veda, you should've never treated her mother like that.  but her knight in shining armor Monty comes to the rescue. Of course, he would defend the younger (at least young enough for him) Pierce woman. 

But this all transitions into the finale of the miniseries. 

Several months have passed by and Mildred gets a warm welcoming party from her friends after a long trip to Nevada with Bert. Ida feels guilty about taking Mildred's position and wants her to get back in the game again, signifying that there is hope for Mildred after all. But then, Mildred gets an unexpected visitor...

Veda comes to reconcile with her mother but seeing how manipulative and calculating her daughter is, Mildred is not buying it. Now let's dig deep into the main source a bit. The book kind of has a downer ending. Again, Veda uses the reconciliation with Mildred as a marketing ploy and uses her damaged voice to switch to a much more lucrative singing contract. As Veda leaves Mildred broken-hearted, Bert encourages her to say, "To hell with Veda," as they spend the rest of the day drunk and miserable.

However, the miniseries play this out much differently. Once Mildred catches onto Veda's plan, she chews her the fuck out and screams at her to never come back again. It's such a cathartic moment, which was very much well-deserved given what Mildred went through to win back the love of a daughter, who's incapable of receiving it. 

When Bert encourages her to say "to hell with Veda" and "let's get stinko", it's more celebratory and less tragic. This dialogue translates as to hell with all the hurt, pain, and betrayal that Veda has caused and now that we're finally done with her, let's give a toast to a new beginning. The ending is very poignant and although tragic, it's good that Mildred is around people who support and care for her, which leaves things on a bittersweet yet positive outlook. 

I just absolutely love this miniseries. Todd Haynes is a genius at his craft. The miniseries has the makings of a juicy melodrama, however, Todd Haynes peels into the layers of the characters and situations, adapting the psychological feel of the novel, which he does brilliantly. The cast is phenomenal with some heavy supporting players but the real star of the miniseries is Kate Winslet. She really gives it her all and, again, I give her my roses. I can't imagine any other actress playing this role but her. She got the Emmy and Golden Globe! Definitely, definitely deserved. 

So there you have it. Two completely different adaptations but with the same level of complexity.  Both are equally measured as classics of their time and go above and beyond the source material's popularity. But the true core of the story is about how far you go for the person you love, even the ones that don't deserve it.