Themes in the Novel and Movie Adaptation of James Cain’s...

Themes in the Novel and Movie Adaptation of James Cain’s Mildred Pierce In contemporary film making, â€Å"Hollywood-ization† generally refers to the re-creation of a classic work in a form more vulgar and sexually explicit than the original in an effort to boost movie attendance. After all, sex and violence sell. However, from the mid-1930’s to the 1950’s, â€Å"Hollywood-ization† referred to the opposite case where controversial books had to be purified to abide by the Production Code of 1934.[1] This occurred to many of James Cain’s novels as they moved from text to the genre of â€Å"film noir.† As has been said about Cain’s The Postman Always Rings Twice, â€Å"The property, bought several years ago, was kept in the studio’s archives until now†¦show more content†¦A particularly strong theme that runs through the entire novel is the unusual power that women play over the men in their lives. Rather than simply being passive to the impulses of men, Mildred takes charge of her life and decides which men she will be with and leaves those that she no longer has an affection for. Cain dives into more controversial territory by having Mildred use men for her own sexual satisfaction. Cain also moves women into the role of successful ‘breadwinners’ during a time where men generally held financial power further blurring traditional roles of gender. However, Mildred does not completely free herself of all familial responsibilities as she is still held captive through her obsession with her daughter Veda. As with many housewives, her sense of self-identity is drawn from her role as a mother and she caters to the desires of her daughter to the point that they are almost self-destructive. It is Veda’s extravagant tastes that drive her mother to work hard and draws resources away from her business ultimately resulting in its collapse. Moreover, Mildred must deal with the lack of gratitude and outright contempt that she receives from her own daughter for working in a â€Å"blue collar† job. Madden is right stating that the book provided an unpopularized version of life in the 1930’s. However, it ultimately doesn’t not goShow MoreRelatedJames M. Cain s Mildred Pierce And The Movie Version ``896 Words   |  4 PagesThere is a common belief, in modern and traditional film industry, that almost every adaptation (loose, faithful and strict) from novel to film is considered a backslide or a disloyalty to the original author and readers. However, in 1945 Warner Bros. produced the movie Mildred Pierce based on the same name novel written by James M. Cain. This film not only became an exception in this general view, but also amazed the audience and even Cain himself by extraordinary performances and unique edit techniqueRead MoreJames M. Cain s Mildred Pierce765 Words   |  4 Pages Adapted from 300-page novel to a 2-hour movie, Michael Curtiz’s Mildred Pierce is a prime example of a loose Hollywood adaption that makes drastic changes in characters, na rrative configurations, and framing structure to conform to the standards and expectations of American cinema. Most ostensibly, the movie employs murder as a framing device and a hook to draw the audience’s attention to Mildred’s story, therefore transforming the linear, chronological plot of the novel into an episodic and achronological