Gender/racial issues of the 'Fifties
Watched a video of Todd Haynes's 2003 movie, "Far from Heaven" last night with our visitor, John. The director, Haynes, is all the rage at the moment -- for his "Carol," a rather provocative lesbian romp, apparently. (See my recent post on the closeted-lezzie author of the book -- http://devifemme.livejournal.com/1960760.html)
Was disappointed by "Heaven," though it stars the terrific Julianne Moore: it was set in 1958, amid the kitsch and hypocrisy of that time. Her character is a suburban housewife whose husband (played by Dennis Quaid) is a deeply closeted gay -- and who is intrigued by an attractive black widower (Dennis Haysbert) she comes to know. Their fairly innocent flirtation stirs ugly gossip in the uptight Connecticut community.
The film is well done -- but the retrograde values of the era just bugged the fuck out of me. From the god-awful fashions to the martini-swilling socializing, it was all too reminiscent of those terrible movies of yore, whether some Doris Day schlock or "Peyton Place" -- just so painful to watch. Quaid's conflicted hubby, their two snotty children, and Julianne's snob girlfriends: ick! I recall them all too well from TV in the 70s!!
Was disappointed by "Heaven," though it stars the terrific Julianne Moore: it was set in 1958, amid the kitsch and hypocrisy of that time. Her character is a suburban housewife whose husband (played by Dennis Quaid) is a deeply closeted gay -- and who is intrigued by an attractive black widower (Dennis Haysbert) she comes to know. Their fairly innocent flirtation stirs ugly gossip in the uptight Connecticut community.
The film is well done -- but the retrograde values of the era just bugged the fuck out of me. From the god-awful fashions to the martini-swilling socializing, it was all too reminiscent of those terrible movies of yore, whether some Doris Day schlock or "Peyton Place" -- just so painful to watch. Quaid's conflicted hubby, their two snotty children, and Julianne's snob girlfriends: ick! I recall them all too well from TV in the 70s!!