History Literature / MildredPierce

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* AdaptationalHeroism: Mildred of the book has plenty of classist notions herself, at one point going to vomit after she admits to becoming a waitress out of shame, and the narration admitting at one point she was glad Ray died since it meant Veda survived. To make her more acceptable as a protagonist for the 1940s, she becomes a plucky businesswoman who, although flawed and corruptible, is ultimately a good person. What's more is that the book describes a weird obsession that Mildred has with Veda, even only thinking of her during sex. The film shows she's just a doting mother who wants to help her daughter succeed..

* LegFocus: Mildred's attractive legs are commented upon by both Wally and Monte.

* AdaptationNameChange: The name of Mildred's younger daughter was changed from Ray (short for Moire) to Kay in the movie. Also, Monte's name was spelled as Monty in the book.

* BittersweetEnding: The films version of the ending. After finishing her recount of the events, [[spoiler:the police inform Mildred, who tried to pin the blame of Monty's death on Wally, that they already know Veda murdered her step-father. While Veda is arrested and taken to jail, Mildred finds Bert has been waiting for her, and the two tentatively take their first steps out of the station together, into the morning sunlight, and a possible reconciliation.]]

* BittersweetEnding: After finishing her recount of the events, [[spoiler:the police inform Mildred, who tried to pin the blame of Monty's death on Wally, that they already know Veda murdered her step-father. While Veda is arrested and taken to jail, Mildred finds Bert has been waiting for her, and the two tentatively take their first steps out of the station together, into the morning sunlight, and a possible reconciliation.]]

* BittersweetEnding: The ending of the film. [[spoiler: After finishing her recount of the events, the police inform Mildred, who tried to take the blame of Monty's death, that they already know Veda murdered her step-father. While Veda is arrested and taken to jail, Mildred finds Bert has been waiting for her, and the two tentatively take their steps out of the station together, into the morning sunlight, and a possible reconciliation.]]

* PlayingGertrude: The miniseries has a slight example and probably justified as the story takes place trough several years, but Creator/KateWinslet is only about 12 years older than Creator/EvanRachelWood, who plays the older version of her daughter Veda.

* ShesGotLegs: Mildred's attractive legs are commented upon by both Wally and Monte.
** In the movie, Ida gets some [[MaleGaze attention]] from [[HandsomeLech Wally]] while standing on a ladder, leading to this line:
--->'''Ida:''' Please, leave something on me...I might catch cold!

** In the book, Mildred favors Veda -- to the point when [[spoiler: Kay (Ray in the book) dies,]], she (guiltily) thinks to herself that she's [[TheUnFavourite glad it wasn't Veda]].

* ItIsPronouncedTropay: Mildred's younger daughter is named Moire in the novel. Her parents think that it's a French name and pronounce it as "Mwaray" (and shorten it to "Ray"). Mildred only learns the correct pronunciation [[spoiler: at Ray's funeral]].

* AmiableExes: Mildred and Bert get into an argument that leads to the former telling the latter to GetOut, and it's pretty obvious that he's gotten involved with someone else immediately after. However, he still visits for his stuff and the kids, and they're at an awkward but understanding standstill when Mildred gets the car from him, revealing that she has a job now. When it turns out Mildred's only option at buying a building for her company is to divorce Bert due to him being an incorporator, it's the last thing either of them wanted and both are in tears when they discuss it.

* YourCheatingHeart: Monte cheats on Mildred [[spoiler: with Veda]].

Mildred rebuilds her life by becoming a waitress -- though Veda sees the work as degrading -- and eventually becomes the owner of a successful restaurant chain with help from her friend and former boss Ida Corwin (Creator/EveArden) and money borrowed from callow heel Wally (Jack Carson). Mildred does anything she can to impress Veda, but the snobbish girl insists on regarding her mother as "a common frump whose father lived over a grocery store and whose mother took in washing." Mildred eventually marries Monte, a rich playboy, to impress Veda. Things go downhill from there, until we find out how Monte was killed.

Mildred rebuilds her life by becoming a waitress and eventually the owner of a successful restaurant chain with money borrowed from callow heel Wally (Jack Carson), though Veda sees the work as degrading. Mildred does anything she can to impress Veda, but the girl insists on regarding her mother as "a common frump whose father lived over a grocery store and whose mother took in washing." Mildred eventually marries Monte, a rich playboy, to impress Veda. Things go downhill from there, until we find out how Monte was killed.

One gunshot opens the film. Monte Beragon (Zachary Scott) collapses onto the floor, and chokes out "Mildred" before dying. Mildred herself is walking out to the docks, looking over the edge as if to jump. The police take her to the station and she relates her story.

Mildred rebuilds her life by becoming a waitress and eventually owner of a successful restaurant (with money borrowed from callow heel Wally (Jack Carson), though Veda sees the work as degrading. Mildred does anything she can to impress Veda, but the girl insists on regarding her mother as "a common frump whose father lived over a grocery store and whose mother took in washing." Mildred eventually marries Monte, a rich playboy, to impress Veda. Things go downhill from there, until we find out how Monte was killed.

[[quoteright:270:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mildred-pierce_320.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:270:''"And I'll do anything for those kids. D'you hear me? Anything!"'']]

** Kay, awesomely (when Veda whines about her new dress not being good enough, she drawls "oh, you're breakin' my ''heart''"). However, she [[DroppedABridgeOnHim doesn't get too many good lines.]]

** In the original ending from the novel, [[spoiler:Mildred throttles Veda after she catches her with Monty. Veda fakes being rendered mute, in order to use the "injury" to get out of her existing contract and to a more lucrative one, that would relocate her to New York. However, there is the matter of the public scandal her actions have caused: Wally uses it to force Mildred to resign from her company, while Veda fakes a reconciliation in order to salvage her career. While Bert and Mildred remarry once Mildred divorces Monty, the couple spends their days getting drunk and not noticing Veda's plot until Christmas morning, where she drops the bomb on them via speaking for the first time in months and announcing her move to New York to live with Monty. And for the final indignity, Mildred has gotten fat and ugly since strangling her daughter and Monty is physically repulsed at Mildred when he sees her as he picks Veda for the trip to New York.]]
** The mini-series takes the downer ending and turns it into a BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:Mildred loses the company, Monty, and is back-stabbed by her daughter; however, her friends are still by her side and Ida is begging Mildred to start a new company. Veda keeps her distance from Mildred as she "recovers from her injury", with Mildred calling her out on her scam within seconds of finding out that Veda was trying to get the New York job offer. Mildred disowns Veda and then gets drunk with Bert, who FINALLY convinces Mildred to renounce her evil daughter once and for all.]]
* FanService:

--->'''Mildred:''' ''[goading]'' Don't I get a [[WolfWhistle whistle]]?
--->'''Monte:''' [[DeadpanSnarker ...I'd need a police siren.]]

* IncurableCoughOfDeath: [[spoiler:Kay]] develops one right before going on vacation with her father.
* ItIsPronouncedTropay: Mildred's younger daughter is named Moire in the novel. Her parents think that it's a French name and pronounce it as "Mwaray" (and shorten it to "Ray"). Mildred only learns the correct pronunciation [[spoiler:at Ray's funeral]].
* KarmaHoudini: [[spoiler:Monte and Veda in the novel; in the mini-series, Monte gets one, but Veda at least gets one last chewing out by her mother before walking away]]
* KillTheCutie: [[spoiler:Ray/Kay, Mildred's sweet and innocent younger daughter]] dies of a sudden illness in all versions.
* MamaBear: Mildred, so much. She'll do anything for her ungrateful daughter. [[spoiler:Even taking her murder charges as her own.]]
* MayDecemberRomance: [[spoiler:Veda and Monte.]]
* ManipulativeBitch: Veda full stop. At first she mostly just uses her mother to get things she wants. Later, she does this other people. At one point [[spoiler: she gets married to a rich young man, then almost immediately demands separation in order to get money out of him. When she doesn't get much at first, she lies about being pregnant in order to squeeze more money out of him and his mother.]]

** Bert favors Kay above Veda, due to how spoiled the latter is. Mildred doesn't sway too much towards either daughter, though she is the reason Veda is way she is.
** In the book, Mildred favors Veda -- to the point where when [[spoiler:Kay (Ray in the book) dies,]], she (guiltily) thinks to herself that she's [[TheUnFavourite glad it wasn't Veda.]]
* PlayingGertrude: In the Miniseries a slight example and probably justified as the story takes place trough several years, but Creator/KateWinslet is only about 12 years older than Creator/EvanRachelWood who plays the older version of her daughter Veda.

* TheVamp: [[spoiler:Veda, much to everyone's surprise.]]

* YourCheatingHeart: Monte cheats on Mildred [[spoiler:with Veda]].

* ItsPronouncedTropay: Mildred's younger daughter is named Moire in the novel. Her parents think that it's a French name and pronounce it as "Mwaray" (and shorten it to "Ray"). Mildred only learns the correct pronunciation [[spoiler:at Ray's funeral]].