Pleasantville (1998)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Gary Ross

Writer (WGA):

Gary Ross (written by)

Release Date:

23 October 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Nothing Is As Simple As Black And White.

Plot:

Two 1990's teenagers find themselves in a 1950's sitcom where their influence begins to profoundly change that complacent world.

Plot Keywords:

1950s | Television | Innocence | Sitcom | Television Set

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 15 wins & 23 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Mon. Nov. 9	10:00 AM	FX
Tue. Nov. 10	8:00 AM	FX

Cast

Tobey Maguire	...	David
Reese Witherspoon	...	Jennifer
William H. Macy	...	George Parker
Joan Allen	...	Betty Parker
Jeff Daniels	...	Bill Johnson
J.T. Walsh	...	Big Bob
Don Knotts	...	TV Repairman
Marley Shelton	...	Margaret Henderson
Jane Kaczmarek	...	David's Mom
Giuseppe Andrews	...	Howard
Jenny Lewis	...	Christin
Marissa Ribisi	...	Kimmy
Denise Dowse	...	Health Teacher
McNally Sagal	...	Science Teacher
Paul Morgan Stetler	...	College Counselor

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some thematic elements emphasizing sexuality, and for language.

Runtime:

124 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Black and White | Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:L | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Netherlands:AL (DVD rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:S | France:U | Germany:6 (bw) | Hong Kong:IIA | Italy:T | Norway:7 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:12 | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

New Line Cinema

Trivia:

The back lot street set where Bud and Mary Sue's house stands is located at Warner Brothers "Ranch" studio complex in Burbank, California. The main house was a new facade built for the movie but directly across the street, clearly seen in a number of scenes, are houses once occupied by other famous T.V. characters like Gidget, Hazel and Samantha Stevens. Margaret"s house (where Whitey drives up in his car at night) was used as the residence of Mrs. Kravitz in "Bewitched" (1964) and "The Partridge Family" (1970).

Goofs:

Continuity: When David looks through the window down at his mother loading her car there is one shutter half down. Seen from outside all shutters are up.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[David is gazing admiringly at a pretty blonde girl]
David: *Hi*
[chuckles]
David: I mean, Hi. Uh, look, you probably don't think I should be asking you this. I mean, not knowing you well and all? I mean, you know, I, I, I know you, 'cause everybody knows you. I just don't know you technically. Uh, anyhow. Uh, I don't know what you're doing this weekend, but my mom's leaving town, and she's letting me borrow the car.
[the camera pulls back to show that the girl is standing several dozen feet away and, in fact, is smiling and looking at another boy]
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Weeds: Suburban Shakedown (2005) (TV)

Soundtrack:

The Gang That Sang Heart of My Heart

Brave New World Meets The Twilight Zone

I like this film. It's different. It invites the viewer to think about, and ponder, concepts like morality and values, stereotypes, fear, and social change. Each person will come away with his or her own interpretation of the film's "meaning". And this "meaning" will be consistent, no doubt, with the viewer's own life experiences, values, and belief system.

I consider "Pleasantville" to be a quasi-sci-fi film, one that I think Aldous Huxley and Rod Serling would both approve of.

The film does seem to get bogged down in the middle. It overplays the sex angle. And I could wish for more 1950's rock and roll music. But the acting is fine, especially the performance of Joan Allen. And the lighting is very well done.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised that a film made in the last ten years could be as original, as cerebral, and as under-stated as "Pleasantville".