Film Analysis: Far from Heaven
By Jennifer Verzuh
For this project, I chose Todd Haynes’ melodrama set in the 1950s, “Far From Heaven,” which I rented out from BGSU’s Pop Culture Library. I recently saw the director’s most recent film “Carol” and though it captured mood, tone, time, and characters so very well. As such, I wanted to seek out another one of Haynes’ films, and I was not disappointed with 2002’s “Far From Heaven,” a film about a 1950s housewife, Cathy (Julianne Moore), who’s seemingly perfect world begins to unravel. Like “Carol,” the film does some truly remarkable things to create a beautiful and memorable movie. Specifically, I was really impressed by what the filmmaker does in terms of direction, lighting, set and costume design, cinematography, and the script, which he also wrote.
Haynes tries to replicate the visual style of a 1950s film while juxtaposing that with the inclusion of complex contemporary issues, such as examinations of race, homosexuality, gender, and class. One way he does this is through the lighting, each scene appears to have its own color palette. Bright, vibrant colors fill the film, particularly the main character’s home, yard, and the outfits of her and her female friends and fellow housewives, signifying excitement and reminiscent of the time period and other films from that era. Cathy is mostly seen in red, which conveys her femininity, energy, and sensuality. Another key color is green. Haynes appears to have made the choice to use green to indicate ‘otherness.’ Green lighting is used when Frank (Cathy’s husband) goes to a gay bar and again when Raymond, Cathy’s new colored gardener, takes her to a predominately black restaurant, both locations that are outside the upper class white 50s norm that Cathy and Frank belong to. Also, whenever scenes are shot in night time, blue light is utilized rather than black giving the movie is a dreamy, melodramatic feel.
Some other elements Haynes successfully employees are fades. To shift scenes Haynes uses fades into the next scene, which is frankly an odd choice for a modern film. However it’s similar to the editing in a 1950s television series, which I think is the point. Interestingly, in another throwback to the fifties, when Cathy is driving her car the land rolling by in the background is a filmed scene, just like the movies used to do back then. The score, by Elmer Bernstein, who wrote the scores for many films in the fifties and sixties, is emotional, compelling, and piano based. It feels true to the era, the characters, and the overall melodramatic nature of the movie.
In terms of cinematography, the movie continues to build on tropes of the 1950s. In moments of tension or suspension canted angles are used, as was common in film noir. Many long pans and long, sweeping shots and takes also come into play to support this notion that the world in which these characters exists appears to be (at least from the outside) perfect. For the most part closeups are primarily avoided, with much of the shoots including foreground, middle-ground, and background, which allows the viewer to take in the elaborate sets and scenery. It also symbolizes the distance between the characters (especially Cathy and Frank).
All these cues to the 1950s are significant because while we are visually presented with gorgeous sets and costumes, sweeping camera motions, beautiful music, and overall idyllic world, the dialogue and narrative exist to directly oppose that. Frank is having affairs with other men and is unable to successfully complete conversion therapy and be attracted to his wife leading to him drinking excessively; Cathy’s budding attraction and friendship with Raymond is crushed by the racist and intolerant views of her society; and Raymond’s daughter is assaulted by white boys. This movie examines the ugliness and secrets that lay beyond the surface of 1950s polite suburban society, showcasing all the imperfections that movies actually made in that time were afraid or unwilling to explore. The tragic ending acts almost as a warning that hiding behind a facade that everything is fine and sweeping these issues under the rug has consequences.