"INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE" (1989) Photo Gallery

Below is a gallery of photos from the 1989 adventure classic, "INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE". Produced by George Lucas and directed by Steven Spielberg, the movie starred Harrison Ford, Sean Connery, Alison Doody, John Rhys-Davies, Michael Byrnes, River Phoenix and Julian Glover: 


"INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE" (1989) Photo Gallery

"PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES" (2011) Review

"PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES" (2011) Review

When the Disney Studios and producer Jerry Bruckheimer had first released news of their intention to make sequels to their 2003 hit movie, "PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: Curse of the Black Pearl", I reacted to the news with a great deal of wariness. In fact, I was against the idea. But after seeing 2006's "Dead Man's Chest" and 2007's "At World's End", my opinion had changed. I ended up enjoying the two movies just as much as I had enjoyed "Curse of the Black Pearl" . . . especially the second film. 

About two years after "At World's End" hit the theaters, the Disney people and Bruckheimer had released news of their intention to make a fourth film. Again, I expressed wariness at the idea. I thought the three movies released between 2003 and 2007 made a neat little trilogy. There was no need for a fourth movie. But Disney and Bruckheimer went ahead with their plans and a fourth movie was recently released. But unlike "Dead Man's Chest" and "At World's End", I found it difficult to enjoy "PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: On Stranger Tides".

I cannot say that I disliked the film. There were aspects of it that I genuinely enjoyed. Both Johnny Depp and Geoffrey Rush were in top form as Captain Jack Sparrow and Captain Hector Barbossa. But I noticed something odd about their characters in this movie. For once, Jack did not have a particular goal to attain in this film. In "Curse of the Black Pearl", he was after the Black Pearl. He was after the chest that contained Davy Jones' heart in "Dead Man's Chest" to be used to avoid a debt that he owned. And in "At World's End", he was still after Jones' heart in order to gain the opportunity to become master of the Flying Dutchman and immortality. In this fourth movie, Jack seemed to have become swept up in Blackbeard and the British Crown's agendas. And Barbossa seemed out of place as a privateer for His Majesty King George II and the Royal Navy. There was a scene that featured him eating slices of fruit arranged on a plate. He seemed to be doing his best to project the image of an officer and a gentleman . . . only he looked rather odd. However, both actors gave top notch performances and I could find nothing to complain about.

I could also say the same about the performances of Penelope Cruz, Ian McShane and Stephen Graham as Angelica, Edward "Blackbeard" Teach and a sailor named Scrum, respectively. All three were perfectly cast in their respective roles. Cruz did an excellent job in portraying the complex Angelica, who happened to be the daughter of Blackbeard. Although it is obvious that she is attracted to Jack - a former lover, she seemed to have this . . . need for her father's love that made her into some kind of twisted Daddy's girl wannabe. Unfortunately, McShane's Blackbeard seemed like poor father material. There were times when he conveyed the image of a concerned and loving father. And yet, he proved to be nothing more than an emotional vampire who would easily kill his daughter if she got in the way of his goal - the Fountain of Youth. And I must admit that not only did McShane made a witty and terrifying Blackbeard, he handled his character's twisted relationship with Angelica beautifully. Graham's Scrum almost struck me as a younger version of Jack's old friend, Joshamee Gibbs. And considering that the latter's appearance in this film seemed somewhat limited, it seemed just as well that Graham received more screen time.

There were other aspects of "On Stranger Tides" that I enjoyed. Or should I say, scenes? The mermaids' attacks upon Blackbeard's men and upon the H.M.S. Providence were among the most terrifying scenes I have seen in the franchise since the Kracken's attacks in "Dead Man's Chest". I also enjoyed the scene that featured Jack's mutinous meeting with members of Blackbeard's crew. Personally, I found it very funny and it brought back memories of former characters such as Pintel, Ragetti, Marty and Cotton. Jack's meeting with King George II proved to be somewhat entertaining. And it led to an equally entertaining chase sequence through the streets of mid-18th century London. But my favorite scene featured Jack marooning Angelica on a deserted island, following the death of Blackbeard. The humor not only permeated strongly in their verbal exchange, but also in director Rob Marshall's visual style. And I must admit that I also enjoyed the photography featured in the London scenes and the "island" where the Fountain of Youth was located. Cinematographer Dariusz Wolski did justice to the lush Hawaii jungle that served as one of the movie's settings.

So, if I had so much to enjoy about "On Stranger Tides", why did it fail to resonate within me in the end? What went wrong? At least for me? My main problem with the movie is that I felt it tried to repeat many aspects of the first film, "Curse of the Black Pearl". This is odd, considering that "On Stranger Tides" was allegedly inspired by Tim Powers' 1987 novel, "On Stranger Tides". The fourth film did not come off as a remake or anything of such. But there were too many aspects of the first film that seemed to be repeated in "On Stranger Tides". One, Jack's reunion with Angelica in a London tavern almost seemed like a remake of his first meeting with Will Turner in "Curse of the Black Pearl". Scrum almost seemed like a remake of Joshamee Gibbs. This is not surprising, since he had more scenes with Jack that Gibbs and the latter (along with actor Kevin McNally) seemed wasted in the movie. Two of Blackbeard's crew turned out to be zombies (if you can call them that). And they seemed like remakes (physical and otherwise) of Barbossa's first mate from the first film, Bo'sun. More importantly, the romance between missionary Philip Swift and the mermaid Syrena almost seemed like a remake of the Will Turner/Elizabeth Swann romance . . . but without the character developments. If I must be honest, Philip and Syrena's romance nearly put me to sleep on several occasions. I feel sorry for actors Sam Claflin and Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey. They seemed like two decent actors forced to work with a pair of boring and undeveloped characters.

There were other problems I had with "On Stranger Tides". The movie saw the return of Royal Navy officers Theodore Groves (from the first and third film) and Gillette (from the first film). What on earth did Terry Rossio and Ted Elliot did to their roles? Both characters almost seemed lobotomized. Well, Gillette did. Groves seemed to have lost his sense of humor. I recalled that he was a big fan boy of Jack in the first and third films. Yet, when he finally met Jack . . . nothing happened. He was too busy being a rather boring and stiff character. What happened to Jack and Barbossa's own quests for the Fountain of Youth, which was first introduced in"At World's End"? After a few years of failure, the audience is led to believe that Jack simply lost interest. And Barbossa's earlier encounter with Blackbeard and the latter's ship, Queen Anne's Revenge, led to the loss of one leg and the Black Pearl. And how did Barbossa managed to survive the loss of his leg. Apparently, Barbossa had to cut off his leg to free from Blackbeard's enchanted ship lines. So, how did he manage to keep himself from bleeding to death in the ocean? How did he manage to swim to safety with one leg? 

And then we come to the mermaids. How did the mermaids manage to destroy Barbossa's ship, the H.M.S. Providence? It was one thing to lure men from small boats or smash said boats. It was another to do the same to a large frigate. I have never heard of such a thing in the mermaid mythology. One last major problem I had with the movie dealt with the presence of the Spanish. Like the British, they were after the Fountain of Youth. Only their leader, known as the Spaniard (portrayed by Óscar Jaenada), called himself destroying the Fountain in the name of his king and the Catholic Church, as some kind of stance against paganism. Worse, he possessed the very chalices that needed to be used to drink the Fountain's water. Yet, he did not bother to smash them, until he was at the Fountain's location. Why? And what in the hell were Elliot and Rossio thinking? Why include such a storyline that proved to be irrelevant, epsecially since Jack was able to use the Fountain's water after its so-called destruction?

I hear that Disney Studios and Bruckheimer are already filming a fifth movie. I can understand this decision, considering that "On Stranger Tides" raked up a great deal of profit at the box office. Frankly, I wish they had not gone ahead with this new movie. I honestly do not care how much money the 2011 movie had made. After watching it, I realized that a fourth movie should not have been made . . . at least from an artistic point of view. It featured too much sloppy writing and characterizations for me to truly enjoy. "On Stranger Tides"might prove to be the first PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN movie that I cannot consider as a favorite.

"The Corellian Connection [PG-13] - Chapter 8

"THE CORELLIAN CONNECTION"

CHAPTER EIGHT

SARAPIN SYSTEM

The Corellian freighter sped below the Imperial war cruiser, the Agamemnon. On the warship's bridge, the Executive Officer turned to face his commanding officer. "Shall I order the tractor beam to be used, sir?" he asked.

"Not yet," Captain Hardy replied. "Let's give this . . ." He glanced at the data pad given to him by CorSec Officer Bastra. ". . . Captain Horus a chance to cooperate, first." He nodded at the other officer.

Commander Jaffe switched on the ship's communication system. "Corellian vessel, this is the Imperial starcruiser, the Agamemnon. Be prepared to be tractored."

The freighter captain's voice crackled over the com system. "This is the captain of the Javian Hawk." Hardy noted that the man did not identify himself by name. "What is the meaning of this?"

This time, Hardy replied. "We're searching for two fugitives of the Empire, last seen on Corellia. According to the Coronet port master, your ship had departed from there, five hours ago. Be prepared to be tractored."

"There are no fugitives on board my ship," the freighter captain protested. "Just me."

Hardy turned to Commander Jaffe, who checked his console. "I'm reading four life signs, Captain. Not one."

"Four?" A frown creased Hardy's forehead. "Not three?"

Jaffe confirmed his findings. "Four life signs, sir. One of them might be a child."

"Three, four . . . it doesn't matter," Hardy decided. "This ship has three too many passengers and its captain is not cooperating. Activate the tractor beam."

The First Officer nodded. "Aye, aye sir." He turned to a subordinate. "Activate the tractor beam."

----------

The Javian Hawk jolted, catching Anakin by surprise. "We've been caught in a tractor beam."

"That's it," Senator Yeb declared mournfully. "We're done for."

Thalia Yeb appeared by her brother's side, wearing an anxious expression. "What's going on?"

"An Imperial ship has caught up with us," the senator answered. "It's over for us."

Anakin tapped into the console's computer and found what he was looking for. "Not yet, Senator." He grabbed the ship's blaster and fired. The Hawk's laser blasts struck the Imperial war cruiser's starboard side. Seconds later, the Hawk found itself free from the other ship's tractor beam. "There's a gun turret near the ship's bow," he added. "Is there anyone qualified to use it?"

Thalia spoke up before anyone else could. "I am. I've used a gun turret a few times during the war." She quickly left the cockpit.

"Is there anything I can do?" Senator Yeb asked.

Anakin replied, "You and Han can take a seat and strap in, Senator. Hopefully, this will be all over before long." As the senator left the cockpit, Anakin noticed that Han had remained in his seat. "Why haven't you left?"

"You need someone to handle the ship's blaster in here," Han said. "And I'm the one to do it."

"You're familiar with starship firearms?"

A cocky smile appeared on Han's lips. "I'm probably better with a blaster than you are, Mr. Jedi," he boasted. "I've had experienced aboard Shrike's starship."

Anakin allowed himself an amused smile. "If you say so. I suggest that you make sure that your seat strap is secure. Because this is where the fun begins."

---------

Captain Hardy glared at one of his junior officers. "What happened to the tractor beam?"

"Uh . . . the um . . . the pilot disabled it . . . sir," the young officer replied nervously.

"Dis . . . Then repair it!" Hardy growled. "And tractor that ship! Now!" The young officer quickly focused his attention to his task. Hardy turned to his executive officer. "Jaffe, send out a squad to . . ." He glanced out at the bridge's viewport window . . . and inhaled sharply, as the Javian Hawk zoomed toward the Agamemnon with blasters firing. Hardy felt inclined to sneer at the smaller ship's efforts, when the war cruiser shook ominiously. "What the . . . What was that?" the captain demanded.

Jaffe replied, "Our starboard engine, sir. It's . . . just been disabled." His voice trembled anxiously.

"First our tractor beam and now our starboard engine." Hardy rubbed his throbbing forehead and roared, "Will someone please destroy that ship before it takes us apart, piece by piece?" He glared at Jaffe. "Order Zeta Squad to intercept it."

The first officer stood at attention. "Aye sir." He turned to the junior officer. "Summon Zeta Squad to intercept that freighter."

Seconds later, the junior officer made the announcement over the ship's communication system. Hardy allowed himself a satisfied smile. He felt certain that a half-decade old Corellian freighter would be no match against the Agamemnon and a squad of ARC-170 fighters. No match at all!

-------

KACHIRHO, KASHYYYK

"Romulus Wort!" Former Jedi Master Roan Shyrne regarded Darth Rasche with disbelief and disgust. "So, you've finally caught up with us, again." He turned to the young padawan who was engaged in a duel with the Sith Lord. "Step aside, Olee, I'll deal with Wo . . ."

Rasche brusquely corrected the former Jedi Master. "The name is Darth Rasche, Shryne!" He shot a quick glance at Commander Appo's decapitated head. "And you're under arrest for murder and treason.

Disgust now dominated Shryne's eyes. "We'll see . . . Lord Rasche." He turned to Starstone. "Leave now, Olee. I'll deal with this Sith scum." Slowly, the young padawan backed away from Rasche. As she and the other rebels dealt with Appo's squad, the Sith Lord's red lightsaber blade clashed with Shryne's and the fight commenced.

Just as Rasche had expected, fighting the Jedi Master proved to be more difficult than his duels with Starstone and the other Jedi here on Kashyyyk. Rasche utilized all of his speed and skills to keep Shryne off-balance and from killing him. The two combatants finally paused near one of the great wroshyr trees near the city's outskirts.

"What happened to you, Wort?" Shryne demanded. "How did you turn to the Dark Side? What made . . .?" He broke off, as Rasche swung at his head. Shryne ducked just in time.

The Sith Lord snarled, "Once again, the name is Darth Rasche! Nor do I have to answer to or any other Jedi scum regarding my actions!"

"Jedi scum?" Shryne's voice rang with disbelief. "When did the Jedi become scum to . . .?" This time, Rasche attacked in earnest before he could finish his question.

The two combatants continued their brutal duel. Rasche sensed a hint of surprise radiating from the older man. Apparently, the latter had not anticipated someone of his age being able to successfully duel against an experienced Jedi Master. Explosions rocked the ground around the pair. The Imperial Destroyers had commenced upon the aerial bombardment of Kachirho and other cities being defended by the Wookies. The Sith Lord and the former Jedi Master found themselves inside one of the wroshyr trees. There, Rasche decided to embark upon a new tactic. Using the Force, he battered Shryne with wood planks and other debris. One of the planks managed to strike Shryne directly in the face. Then Rasche elevated Shryne into the air and flung him off the bridge.

Rasche levitated to the ground, next to Shryne's body. Blood flowed from the former Jedi Master's mouth, while bruises covered his body. "I . . ." He gurgled slightly. "I . . . don't under . . . stand. Why?"

Instead of answering the other man's question, Rasche switched on his lightsaber and struck the Jedi Master directly in the heart. The latter died instantly. "Too bad you're not Skywalker," Rasche muttered. "Your death would have had more meaning."

Returning to the shuttle's landing area, Darth Rasche discovered that Starstone and some of Shryne's companions had managed to kill a good number of clonetroopers before fleeing the scene. He gathered the remaining survivors and guided them back to the Theta-class shuttle. Once inside the vessel, the Sith Lord contacted his executive officer back on the Exactor. "Commander Heth," he announced, "I will be shortly returning to the Exactor. Commander Appos is dead. What is the status of the attack?"

"All star destroyers have descended to the planet's surface, my Lord," Heth replied over the shuttle's communication system. "Kashyyyk should soon be completely secured." The officer hesitated before he continued. "However, I've just learned that a detainer interdictor cruiser has just been destroyed and many of the refugee transports have managed to escape the system."

A small sense of dread gnawed at the center of Rasche's chest. "How did this happen?" he angrily demanded.

The first officer hesitated. "Apparently, some of the enemy managed to reactivate an old damaged droid-controlled destroyer from the war and programmed it to ram the cruiser."

The report infuriated Rasche. Olee Starstone, along with some of her companions and Wookie allies must have been responsible. "Commander, I want you to contact Lord Tarkin aboard the Executrix."

"My Lord?"

Rasche continued, "I have a message for him. Tell him to order all fleet commanders to initate a full orbital bombardment of the entire planet. The entire planet, Commander!"

A long silence followed before Heth nervously replied, "Aye sir. Heth out."

Breathing heavily, Rasche turned off the shuttle's communication system and leaned back into his chair. He became aware of the silence that filled the shuttle. Ignoring the other troopers, he activated the engines and commenced upon the shuttle's ascent from the planet's surface.

--------

SARAPIN SYSTEM

Inside the Javian Hawk's cockpit, Anakin allowed himself a quick glance at the viewscreen beyond. "Oh no," he muttered to himself. Then he switched on the freighter's communication system. "Miss Yeb! Keep a sharp eye ready! We have visitors. A squad of ATC fighters!"

"Understood," the Andalian female coolly replied.

Anakin turned to Han. "Good job in dealing with that warship's engines. Are you ready to try your luck with starfighters?"

A wide grin stretched Han's lips. "Like you said . . . this is where the fun begins."

Anakin chuckled. "Is that right?"

"Yep."

At that moment, a squad of ATC-170 fighters raced toward the Hawk. Blaster fire filled the dark space between the two ships. Although a few blasts managed to rock the freighter, Anakin made sure that it had not sustained any serious damage. On the other hand, Han managed to inflict devastating damage upon the ATC fighters by destroying four of them. Anakin checked his sensors. He noticed that Thalia Yeb had destroyed at least two fighters. However, Anakin realized that shooting down starfighters would not save them from the Agamemnon. An idea came to him. "Miss Yeb, cease fire and return to your brother!" Han stared at him, as if he had lost his mind. Meanwhile, the Andalian woman managed to destroy another fighter. "Miss Yeb, please do as I say and return to your brother!"

"You want us to cease fire?" Thalia's voice crackled with disbelief over the com system.

Anakin retorted, "Yes, Miss Yeb! I want you to cease fire. Now!"

Han shot down one more ATC fighter, while Anakin waited for the senator's sister to rejoin Yeb. Then he heard her say, "I'm at my seat!" She did not sound very pleased.

"Okay," Anakin began. "Everyone, hold on!" With the ship's throttle firmly in one hand, he flew the Javian Hawk circles around the Agamemnon. The remaining three ATC fighters followed in an attempt to destroy the freighter. Anakin then guided the Hawk directly toward the war cruiser's port side. A quick glance at the sensors told him that two of the fighters were on his tail.

Han shot a nervous glance at Anakin. "Uh, you do realize that we're heading for the . . . oh!"

At that moment, Anakin veered the ship sharply to the left, causing the Javian Hawk to miss the Imperial cruiser by millimeters. The two ATC fighters on the Hawk's tail were not so lucky. They spiraled out of control . . . and slammed right into the Agamemnon's port side.

---------

Two major explosions rocked the Agamemnon. Anxiety gripped Captain Hardy, as he grabbed hold of his chair's armrests. "What was that?" he yelled at one of the junior officers. Red lights flooded the bridge, while the ship's klaxon filled his ears.

It was Commander Jaffe who replied. "Our port engine has been disabled, Captain! Along with all decks on the port side. The landing bay has been completely destroyed!"

Which meant that the remaining two ATC-170 squads assigned to the Agamemnon no longer existed. Captain Hardy struggled to suppress his growing anxiety. "Commander, shoot down that piece of junk, or we'll all end up . . ."

"Captain! The Corellian ship is returning!" a frightened junior officer cried out. "And it's heading straight toward us!"

Hardy glanced straight ahead. Sure enough, the Javian Hawk seemed to be spinning toward them, with the last remaining fighter close behind. He could not believe his eyes. Surely, this Captain Horus did not mean to . . . The Corellian ship veered a sharp right, avoiding the Agamemnon's by millimeters. The last thing Captain Hardy saw was an out-of-control ATC fighter hurtling toward the bridge.

--------

Anakin heaved a sigh of relief, as he flew the Hawk away from the Imperial war cruiser. Then the freighter rocked slightly, as a series of explosions completely destroyed the Agamemnon.

"Wow!" Han cried gleefully. "That was . . . that was incredible!"

"No kidding," Anakin murmured. He felt uneasy that the Imperial ship's destruction also spelled the end of so many lives. But he could see no other way out of their situation. He could have surrendered to the Agamemnon or attempt an escape . . . ensuring that the Empire would hunt down the Javian Hawk from one end of the galaxy to the other.

Both of the Yebs appeared inside the cockpit. "In Zaahl's name!" Senator Yeb exclaimed. "You've destroyed it! You've completely destroyed an Imperial warship!"

"I believe that all of us had contributed to its destruction," Anakin added wryly.

Thalia Yeb regarded Anakin with shining admiration. "Now, I see how you had earned the name, 'Hero With No Fear'," she exclaimed. "My goodness!"

Anakin inwardly winced at his former wartime moniker. He had never liked it and said so to the Yebs. "Right now, I'm more concerned with delivering both of you to Averam. And getting rid of those laser burns on my hull. Chances are the Imperials will catch up to me, sooner or later. I don't want to leave any evidence of our encounter with the Agamemnon." He checked the Hawks' coordinates to ensure that it had returned on course. "Is everyone strapped in?" The Yebs returned to their seats and the Javian Hawk resumed its journey toward Averam.


END OF CHAPTER EIGHT

Top Five Favorite JANE AUSTEN Adaptations

As far as I know, there have been at least twenty (20) television and movie adaptations of Jane Austen's six published novels. There may have been more, but I am unfamiliar with them. Below is a list of my five (or seven) adaptations of Austen's novels:


TOP FIVE FAVORITE JANE AUSTEN ADAPTATIONS



1. "Pride and Prejudice" (1995) - For me, this television miniseries adaptation of Austen's 1813 novel is the crème de la crème of the Austen productions. Adapted by Andrew Davies and directed by Simon Langston, this miniseries starred Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth.





2. "Sense and Sensibility" (1995) - Ang Lee directed this award winning adaptation of Austen's 1811 novel. This movie was adapted by Emma Thompson (who won an Oscar for her efforts) and co-starred her, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant and Alan Rickman.





3. "Emma" (2009) - Romola Garai and Jonny Lee Miller were delightful in this colorful television adaptation of Austen's 1815 novel. The miniseries was adapted by Sandy Welch and directed by Jim O'Hanlon.





4. "Persuasion" (1971/1995/2007) - I could not decide which adaptation of Austen's 1818 novel that I enjoyed the best. I really enjoyed all three adaptations, even though I believe all three had its flaws. Anyway; the 1971 television adaptation starred Ann Firbank and Bryan Marshall, the 1995 movie starred Amanda Root and Ciarán Hinds, and the 2007 television movie starred Sally Hawkins and Rupert Penry-Jones.





5. "Emma" (1972) - Another adaptation of Austen's 1815 novel made my list. This time, it is the 1972 miniseries that starred Doran Godwin and John Carson. Adapted by Denis Costanduros and directed by John Glenister, this miniseries is my second favorite of the Austen adaptations that aired during the 1970s and 80s.

"THE HOLLOW" (2004) Photo Gallery

Below are images from "THE HOLLOW", the 2004 adaptation of Agatha Christie's 1946 novel.  The movie starred David Suchet as Hercule Poirot:


"THE HOLLOW" (2004) Photo Gallery

"MILDRED PIERCE" (2011) Review

"MILDRED PIERCE" (2011) Review

When HBO first revealed its plans to air an adaptation of James M. Cain's 1941 novel, "Mildred Pierce", many people had reacted in some very interesting ways. Some seemed thrilled by the idea of a new version of Cain's story. But there were many who were not thrilled by the idea. And I suspect that this negative response had a lot to do with the first adaptation. 

Sixty-six years ago, Warner Brothers Studios had released its own adaptation of the novel. Directed by Michael Curtiz, the movie starred Joan Crawford in the title role and Ann Blyth as her older daughter, Veda. The movie received several Academy Award nominations and a Best Actress statuette for Crawford. Due to the film's success and lasting popularity, many fans and critics viewed it as a definitive adaptation of one of Cain's works. So, when they learned about HBO's plans for a new version, many regarded the news with scorn. After all, how could any remake be just as good or superior to the classic Hollywood film?

Was "MILDRED PIERCE" as a miniseries just as good or better than the 1945 movie? I will give my opinion on that topic later. I will say that I truly enjoyed both versions. The miniseries benefited from Todd Haynes serving as the director, one of the producers and one of the writers. Oscar winning actress, Kate Winslet portrayed the title role. The miniseries also possessed a talented supporting cast that included Guy Pearce, Melissa Leo, Brían F. O'Byrne, Mare Winningham, James Le Gros; along with Evan Rachel Wood ("TRUE BLOOD") and Morgan Turner. And I cannot deny that I found the miniseries' production designs first-rate, despite a few quibbles. But I have come across a good number of movies or television productions with everything in its favor that still failed to win me over in the end. Fortunately, "MILDRED PIERCE" did the opposite.

Todd Haynes had pointed out that his new miniseries would be more faithful to Cain's novel than the 1945 movie. And he was good on his word. The biggest differences between the Michael Curtiz movie and Haynes' new miniseries were the running times and the lack of a murder mystery in the miniseries. That is correct. Monty Beragon was never murdered in the novel and he certainly was not murdered in the new version. There were no flashbacks on Mildred's life, following her divorce from her first (and third) husband, Bert Pierce. And I am grateful to Todd Haynes for sparing the viewers that nonsense and sticking closer to Cain's plot. I believed that the murder plot unnecessarily dragged the Curtiz movie. And Haynes' miniseries was long enough. Due to the lack of a murder mystery, the miniseries retained Cain's slightly bleaker ending. Much to the dismay of many fans.

Since Haynes had decided to stick a little closer to the novel, the miniseries covered the story's entire time span of 1931 to 1940. Which meant that "MILDRED PIERCE" gave viewers a bird's eye view of the Depression's impact upon Southern Californians like the Pierce family. Part One began in 1931 with Mildred preparing a pie to sell to one of her neighbors. Husband Bert has joined the ranks of the broke and unemployed, thanks to the 1929 Wall Street Crash and the economic hijinks of his former business partner and friend, Wally Burgan. Bert seemed to spend most of his days engaged with chores like mowing the lawn or in an affair with a neighbor named Maggie Biderhof. Bert's announcement that he might spend another afternoon and evening with Mrs. Biderhof proves to be the last straw for Mildred. The couple have a heated quarrel that ends with Bert's departure from the family and eventually, a divorce. 

Mildred realizes that she needs a steady income to support their two daughters, Veda and Ray. Unfortunately, Veda lacks any experience for a position outside of customer service. And being enamored of her upper-middle-class status, the idea of being a waitress, maid or housekeeper is abhorrent to Mildred. She also knows that such professions are abhorrent to her pretentious and class-conscious daughter, Veda. After rejecting jobs as housemaid to the future wife of a Hollywood director and waitress at a tea parlor, the realities of the Depression finally leads a desperate Mildred to take a job as waitress at a Hollywood diner. Unfortunately, Veda learns about the new job, which leads mother and daughter to their first major quarrel and Mildred's decision to make plans to open a restaurant. The quarrel also marked the real beginning of what proved to be the story's backbone - namely Mildred and Veda's tumultuous relationship.

As much as I admire "MILDRED PIERCE", it does have its flaws. I would view some of them as minor. But I consider at least one or two of them as major. One of the small problems proved to be Haynes' decision to shoot the miniseries in New York, instead of Southern California. Aside from Mildred's Glendale neighborhood, most of the locations in the miniseries do not scream "Southern California" - including the beach locations. The director claimed that he had chosen the area around New York City, because it was more cost-efficient than shooting around Los Angeles. He also claimed that it would be difficult to find "Old L.A." within the city today. Speaking as an Angeleno who has spent many weekends driving around the city, I found these excuses hard to swallow. Los Angeles and many other Southern California neighborhoods have plenty of locations that could have been used for the production. And could someone explain how filming around New York was cheaper than Los Angeles?

"MILDRED PIERCE" has received charges of slow pacing and an unnecessarily long running time. I have nothing against"MILDRED PIERCE" being shown in a miniseries format. But I have two quibbles regarding the pacing. One, the sequence featuring Mildred's job hunt dragged unnecessarily long. Haynes filled this segment with many long and silent shots of a pensive Mildred staring into the distant or dragging her body along the streets of Glendale and Los Angeles. I am aware that Haynes was trying to convey some kind of message with these shots. Unfortunately, I am not intellectually inclined and the sequence merely ignited my impatience. On the other hand, the speed in which Haynes continued Mildred's story in Episode Three left my head spinning. Aside from the sequence featuring the opening of Mildred's first restaurant, I felt that the episode moved a bit too fast . . . especially since so much happened to Mildred during the two to three year time span. I would have preferred if Episode Three had a running time of slightly over an hour - like Episodes Four and Five.

Complaints aside, this "MILDRED PIERCE" struck me as truly first-rate. As much as I had enjoyed the 1945 movie, I thank God that Todd Haynes did not add that ludicrous murder mystery into the plot. Cain's novel was not about Veda getting her comeuppance for being an ungrateful daughter to a hard-working mother. The story was about a resilient woman, who was also plagued by her personal flaws - which she refused to overcome, let alone acknowledge. Some viewers and critics have expressed confusion over Mildred's continuing obsession over her older daughter. Others have deliberately blinded themselves from Mildred's flaws and dumped all of the blame for her downfall entirely upon the heads of others - especially Veda. But there have been viewers and critics who managed to understand and appreciate the miniseries' portrayal of Mildred. I certainly did.

I have never understood the complaints that "MILDRED PIERCE" had failed to explain Mildred's unwavering obsession over Veda. I thought that Haynes perfectly revealed the reasons behind her obsession. First of all, he revealed those traits that both mother and daughter shared in numerous scenes - aspirations for entry into the upper-class, desire for wealth, snobbery, and a talent for manipulating others. Mildred's refusal to consider those jobs at a tea parlor and as the pretentious Mrs. Forrester's maid struck me as signs of her ego blinding her from the precarious state of her family's financial situation. And when she finally caved in to becoming a waitress at a Hollywood diner, Mildred considered quitting, because her sensibilities (or ego) could not fathom working in such a profession. Her contempt toward others suffering from the Depression after the successful opening of her Glendale restaurant was expressed in a scene with upper-class playboy Monty Beragon. Episode Five revealed her manipulation of Monty into marrying her . . . in order to lure Veda back to her seemed pretty obvious. But one scene not only revealed the core of Mildred's character, but also the miniseries' theme. While despairing over her decision to become a waitress at the end of Episode One, Mildred said this to neighbor Lucy Gessler:

"She (Veda) has something in her that I thought I had and now I find I don't. Pride or nobility or whatever it is. For both my girls, I want them to have all the cake in the world."

Judging from Mildred's comments, it was not difficult for me to see that she viewed Veda as an extension of herself and in some degrees, better. I believe that the quote also hinted Mildred's personal insecurities about living among the upper-class. This insecurity was revealed in a scene from Episode Three in which Mildred appeared at a polo field in Pasadena to pick up Veda, who was bidding her "babysitter" Monty good-bye. So, this argument that Haynes had failed to explain Mildred's enabling behavior toward Veda simply does not ring true with me.

Despite my complaint about Haynes' decision to shoot "MILDRED PIERCE" in New York, I must admit that I found myself impressed by Mark Friedberg's production designs. The miniseries' setting did not have a Southern California feel to me, but Friedberg certainly did an excellent job of re-creating the 1930s. He was ably supported by Peter Rogness' art designs and Ellen Christiansen's set decorations. But aside from Friedberg's work, the biggest contribution to the miniseries' Thirties look came from Ann Roth's costume designs. Not only did she provide the right costumes for the years between 1931 and 1940, she also ensured that the costumes would adhere to the characters' social positions and personalities. For example, both Roth and Haynes wisely insisted that Kate Winslet wear the same dowdy, brown print dress during Mildred's job hunt in Episode One. One last person whom I believe contributed to the miniseries' look and style was cinematographer Edward Lachman. If I must be honest, I was more impressed by Lachman's photography of various intimate scenes reflecting the characters' emotions or situations than any panoramic shot he had made. I was especially impressed by Lachman's work in Episode One's last scene and the Episode Five sequence featuring Veda's betrayal of Mildred.

Along with Todd Haynes' direction, it was the cast led by the uber-talented Kate Winslet that truly made "MILDRED PIERCE"memorable. First of all, the miniseries featured brief appearances from the likes of Richard Easton and Ronald Guttman, who each gave a colorful performance as Veda's music teachers during different periods in the story. Hope Davis was deliciously haughty as the Los Angeles socialite-turned-movie producer's wife with whom Mildred has two unpleasant encounters. In the 1945 movie, Eve Arden portrayed the character of Ida Corwin, which was a blend of two characters from Cain's novel - Mildred's neighbor Lucy Gessler and her diner co-worker Ida Corwin. The recent miniseries included both characters into the production. Fresh on the heels of her Oscar win, Melissa Leo gave an engaging performance as Mildred's cheerful and wise friend/neighbor, Lucy Gessler, who provided plenty of advice on the former's personal life. Aside from a two-episode appearance in the last season of "24", I have not seen Mare Winningham in quite a while. It was good to see her portray Mildred's blunt and business-savy friend and colleague, Ida Corwin.

At least three actors portrayed the men in Mildred's life - James LeGros, Brían F. O'Byrne and Guy Pearce. Although his sense of humor was not as sharp as Jack Carson's in 1945, I must admit that LeGros managed to provide some memorably humrous moments as Wally Burgan, Mildred's business adviser and temporary lover. Two of my favorite Wally moments turned out to be his reaction to the news of Mildred's breakup from her husband and to the revelation of her romance with Monty Beragon. Brían F. O'Byrne earned an Emmy nomination as Mildred's ex-husband, Bert Pierce. What I admired by O'Byrne's performance was the gradual ease in which he transformed Bert's character from a self-involved philanderer to a supportive mate by the end of the series. But the most remarkable performance came from Guy Pearce, who won a well-deserved Emmy for his performance as Monty Beragon, Mildred's Pasadena playboy lover and later, second husband. Thankfully, Pearce managed to avoid portraying Monty as some one-note villain and instead, captured both the good and the bad of his character's nuance - Monty's friendly nature, his condescension toward Mildred's class status, his seductive skills that kept her satisfied for nearly two years, his occasional bouts of rudeness and the hurt-filled realization that Mildred had used him to win back Veda.

Two remarkable young actresses portrayed Veda Pierce, the heroine's monstrous and talented older daughter. Morgan Turner portrayed Veda from age eleven to thirteen and I must say that she did a first-rate job. In the first three episodes, Turner convincingly developed Veda from a pretentious, yet still bearable eleven year-old to an ambitious girl in her early teens who has developed a deep contempt toward her mother. My only problem with Turner's performance were the few moments when her Veda seemed too much like an adult in a child's body. Evan Rachel Wood benefited from portraying Veda between the ages of 17 and 20. Therefore, her performance never struck me as slightly odd. However, she miss the opportunity to portray the development of Veda's monstrous personality. But that lost opportunity did not take away Wood's superb performance. Despite the awfulness of Veda's character, I must hand it to the young actress for injecting some semblance of ambiguity. Aside from portraying Veda's monstrous personality, Wood did an excellent job of conveying Veda's frustration with Mildred's overbearing love and the end of her own ambitions as a concert pianist.

I have been a fan of Kate Winslet since I first saw her in 1995's "SENSE AND SENSIBILITY". There have been and still are many talented actors and actresses with the ability to portray multifaceted characters. But I believe that Winselt is one of the few who are able to achieve this with great subtlety. Her portrayal of Glendale housewife-turned-entrepreneur Mildred Pierce is a prize example of her talent for acting in complex and ambiguous roles. Superficially, her Mildred Pierce was a long-suffering and hard-working woman, who overcame a failed marriage to become a successful entrepreneur . . . all for the love of her two daughters. Winslet not only portrayed these aspects of Mildred's character with great skill, but also conveyed the character's darker aspects, which I had already listed in this article. She more than earned that Emmy award for Best Actress in a Miniseries.

Although many have expressed admiration for "MILDRED PIERCE", these same fans and critics seemed to have done so with a good deal of reluctance or complaints. I will be the first to admit that the miniseries has its flaws. But I do not find them excessive. This reluctance to express full admiration for "MILDRED PIERCE" culminated in its loss for the Best Miniseries Emmy to the British import, "DOWNTON ABBEY". I had objected to this loss on the grounds that the British drama - a television series - was nominated in the wrong category; and that I believe "MILDRED PIERCE" was superior.

Flawed or not, I believe that Todd Haynes did a superb job in adapting James M. Cain's novel. He wisely adhered to the literary source as close as possible, allowing viewers a more complex and ambiguous look into the Mildred Pierce character. Also, Haynes had a first-rate cast led by the incomparable Kate Winslet. As much as I love the 1945 movie, I must admit that this recent miniseries turned out to be a superior production. My admiration for Todd Haynes as a filmmaker has been solidified.