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Far from Heaven (2002)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writer (WGA):
Todd Haynes (written by)
Release Date:
22 November 2002 (USA)
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Tagline:
What imprisons desires of the heart? more
Plot:
In 1950s Connecticut, a housewife faces a marital crisis and mounting racial tensions in the outside world. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for 4 Oscars.
Another 73 wins
&
35 nominations
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NewsDesk:
(90 articles)
Screen Queens: Best of the Gay Aughts
(From FilmExperience. 21 December 2009, 6:00 PM, PST)
100 best films of the noughties: Nos 11-90
(From The Guardian - Film News. 18 December 2009, 2:17 AM, PST)
(From FilmExperience. 21 December 2009, 6:00 PM, PST)
100 best films of the noughties: Nos 11-90
(From The Guardian - Film News. 18 December 2009, 2:17 AM, PST)
User Comments:
Works on several levels (though some better than others)
more (348 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Julianne Moore | ... | Cathy Whitaker | |
| Dennis Quaid | ... | Frank Whitaker | |
| Dennis Haysbert | ... | Raymond Deagan | |
| Patricia Clarkson | ... | Eleanor Fine | |
| Viola Davis | ... | Sybil | |
| James Rebhorn | ... | Dr. Bowman | |
| Bette Henritze | ... | Mrs. Leacock | |
| Michael Gaston | ... | Stan Fine | |
| Ryan Ward | ... | David Whitaker | |
| Lindsay Andretta | ... | Janice Whitaker | |
| Jordan Puryear | ... | Sarah Deagan | |
| Kyle Timothy Smith | ... | Billy Hutchinson (as Kyle Smyth) | |
| Celia Weston | ... | Mona Lauder | |
| Barbara Garrick | ... | Doreen | |
| Olivia Birkelund | ... | Nancy |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
Loin du paradis (France)
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MPAA:
Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements, sexual content, brief violence and language.
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
107 min
Language:
Colour:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Portugal:M/12 |
USA:TV-14 (TV rating) |
Argentina:13 |
Australia:M |
Brazil:14 |
Canada:PG |
Chile:14 |
Finland:K-7 |
France:U |
Germany:6 |
Hong Kong:IIA |
Norway:11 |
Peru:14 |
Singapore:M18 (re-rating) |
Singapore:NC-16 (original rating) |
South Korea:12 |
Spain:7 |
Sweden:Btl |
Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) |
Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) |
UK:12A |
USA:PG-13 (certificate #39061) |
Netherlands:12
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Other considered titles for this film were "This Splendid Life", "Circles In The Sun", "The Surface Of Things", and "Fall From Splendor".
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Goofs:
Continuity: When Cathy and Raymond are talking outside the big gray building, at one stage the wind is blowing fiercely, making Cathy's hair all messed. It then appears to be perfect again, while the sound indicates that the wind is still blowing. Her hair then changes between messed up and perfect a few more times.
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Quotes:
Cathy Whitaker:
You're all man to me! All man...
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Movie Connections:
Referenced in Be Kind Rewind (2008)
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Soundtrack:
Auld Lang Syne
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FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (348 total)
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Cathy and Frank are a society couple in 1950's Connecticut. Their perfect house, perfect kids and happy marriage all contribute to making them the toast of the middle classes. However Frank's secret desire for men wrecks Cathy's image of their marriage but they manage to keep it a secret and seek help. When Cathy confides in her black gardener the rumours begin that again threaten Cathy's all-American society queen existence.
It helps when writing a review of a film like this that you can throw round all the right references and draw comparison's wit the two Sirk films from which Haynes drew inspiration from. Sadly I can't do that as I haven't seen either of the works (although have seen some Sirk films), so I'll do the best I can! From the outset this film builds a plastic perfect 50's world before revealing that everything isn't as the outside world (and even those on the inside) may perceive. This works well but the film is strong because it works on several other levels past this one.
Past the fake nature of lives we are all human after all are several other broader themes that are not as clear but still important. The place of women is society is one where Frank's indiscretion appears to still let him work etc, Cathy much smaller crime sees her condemned from all around. Her relationship with Raymond shows how women held social status only as trophies in some circles and, when this role was threatened or made redundant, they had little more standing that blacks etc.
The two fallings of Frank and Cathy are parallel and it is interesting to see the two. Frank stigma that he must hide is one of sexuality while Cathy is less lucky in that her stigma is as clear to observers as the skin on Raymond's face. This is not to say that the film works as well on each of these levels, but it does work well enough on all of them. It is slow and patient and it may frustrate some audiences who will claim `nothing really happens' if a review says this then ignore it they have clearly missed the point.
The 50's feel is bang on and very well done. I'm not sure if Haynes has lifted the touches that make it feel `50's' from Sirk directly (i.e. copied) but it really works. The colours are lush and every set and costume feel like it must be straight from the 50's. It is to Haynes credit that he has done this without being camp or wistful in the way that many films set in the period can be. He plays it straight down the line.
The cast are roundly good. Moore deversedly got her nomination for this work and she is excellent. She never goes over the top but is visibly simmering throughout. Quaid is good but has a less complex character to carry, we don't get to understand what he is going through or felling is it deep guilt, lust, love etc? Haysbert in 24 is OK but plays a stiff, morally righteous man who is so `good' as to be difficult to swallow! Here it is not quite as bad but Raymond is still a ` good, wholesome' man. Haysbert does him well but again I wanted more to the character. The support cast are good and all play the plastic socialites and professionals of 1950's well.
Overall this film is very lush nothing but praise can be given to director, costumes and set designers etc. The cast are all good even if they must act with decorum and patience throughout and the emotion and drama of the story (although stilted and controlled) is still very involving. A very good film if it had been made in the 50's it would be held as a classic today.