"Mildred Pierce" was liberated from the two shackles of black and white films and crime thrillers. Hines also transformed the expressionist style of black and white films into new Hollywood realism. The use of natural light, real scenes, and long-distance lens applications encourage the audience to develop a kind of "observing patience."
"Mildred Pierce" shows a story from the 1930s through the lens of the 1970s. Todd Haynes described it as an era of liberalism in people's vivid memories. Todd Haynes paid more attention to the perspective of the audience during the shooting. He hoped that some of the old methods could be tried out. His idea was to use old movies, old themes, and old themes to allude to advanced society, and use this trick to warn modern people’s behavior. Todd Haynes's approach is a kind of retrospect to the classics, and at the same time a deep reflection on the society. His socio-historical perspective is admirable, which is a historical worldview that many directors cannot achieve
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