Far from Heaven

Far from Heaven

Encyclopedia

Tutorials

Encyclopedia

Dictionary

Directory

Email this to a friend Far_from_Heaven

Far from Heaven

Far from Heaven is a 2002 film written and directed by Todd Haynes and starring Julianne Moore, Dennis Quaid, Ryan Ward, Dennis Haysbert, and Patricia Clarkson.

The film tells the story of Cathy Whitaker, a 1950s housewife, living in suburban Hartford as she sees her seemingly perfect life begin to fall apart. It is done in the style of a 1950s, Douglas Sirk film (especially All That Heaven Allows and Imitation of Life), dealing with complex contemporary issues such as race, sexuality and class.

The film was nominated for several Academy Awards: for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Julianne Moore), Best Original Screenplay (Todd Haynes), Best Cinematography (Edward Lachman), and Best Original Score (Elmer Bernstein).

Plot
Cast
Style
Awards

Notable awards

Soundtrack
See also
External links

Plot

Set in suburban 1950s Connecticut, the film is about Cathy Whitaker (Moore), the perfect wife, mother, and homemaker. Cathy is married to Frank (Quaid), a successful executive at Magnatech. The film begins with Cathy preparing for her annual party with her best friend, Eleanor Fine (Clarkson). One day, Cathy spies an unknown black man walking through her garden. He turns out to be Raymond Deagon (Haysbert), the son of Cathy's late gardener.

Julianne Moore as Cathy Whitaker and Dennis Haysbert as Raymond Deagan

Frank is soon being forced to stay late at the office, swamped with work. One evening, however, we see him enter a bar. Meanwhile, Cathy and Raymond develop a friendship. On one particular night, when Frank is working late, Cathy decides to wrap up his dinner and take it to him. She walks in on him passionately kissing another man. Frank confesses having had "problems" as a young man, and agrees to see psychiatrist Dr. Bowman (James Rebhorn) in the hope of being "converted back" to heterosexuality. His relationship with Cathy is irreparably strained, however, and he turns to alcohol. Unable to comprehend the destruction of her marriage, Cathy turns to Raymond for comfort. She sees him at an art show, where she spends much of her day talking to him, setting the town ablaze with gossip.

As Cathy sees her once idyllic world falling apart, she begins to fall in love with Raymond, and their evident relationship has unpleasant consequences for him and his daughter. At the same time, Frank, unable to suppress his homosexual desires, falls in love with another man and seeks a divorce from Cathy.

Cast

Julianne Moore - Cathy Whitaker
Dennis Quaid - Frank Whitaker
Dennis Haysbert - Raymond Deagan
Patricia Clarkson - Eleanor Fine
Ryan Ward - David Whitaker
Viola Davis - Sybil
James Rebhorn - Dr. Bowman
Celia Weston - Mona Lauder
Lindsay Andretta - Janice Whitaker
Jordan Puryear - Sarah Deagan

Style

Far from Heaven is made entirely in the style of many '50s films, notably those of Douglas Sirk. Haynes created color pallettes for every scene in the film and was very careful and particular in his choices. Haynes emphasizes experience with color, in such scenes as one in which Cathy, Eleanor, and their friends are all dressed in reds, oranges, yellows, browns, and greens. Haynes also plays with the color green, using it to light forbidden and mysterious scenes. He employs this effect both in the scene where Frank visits the gay bar and when Cathy goes to the restaurant in the black part of town.

Haynes also uses shots and angles that would have been standard in Sirk's films and era. Cinematographer Edward Lachman created the 1950s "look" with the same type of lighting equipment (incandescent), lighting techniques, and lens filters that would have been used in a 1950s-era melodrama. The script employs over-the-top, melodramatic dialogue, and Elmer Bernstein's score is reminiscent of those he had composed 40 and 50 years earlier.

In the commentary, Haynes was also influenced by Rainer Werner Fassbinder's film Ali: Fear Eats the Soul. Like Fassbinder's film, Haynes portrays feelings of alienation and awkwardness. For example, instead of cutting to the next scene, Haynes would linger on a character for a few seconds longer than comfortable to the viewer, just like the technique Fassbinder used.

Awards

Far From Heaven was nominated for 4 Academy Awards as well as winning 71 other awards and being nominated for another 30. In the Fourth Annual Village Voice Film Critics' Poll, Far From Heaven was voted the best picture of 2002.