Pleasantville-It’s just around the corner! This is a simple, yet very well done movie that addresses bigotry, anti-semitism, liberalism, and many other ’’isms’’ with great simplicity and complexity at the same time.
The movie is set in black and white in suburban America. The Parker family is the catalyst, from conservatism to breakout liberalism. Tobey Maguire is Bud Parker, who is a Pleasantville officianado. What is Pleasantville? It is just as it sounds-Pleasant. All smiles, no trash, no conflict. It is around the corner from Stepford. Pleasantville is also the name of a tv show. Who could be more perfect to play this role than Tobey.
In the beginning of the movie, Bud is excited about watching the 24 hour marathon of the TV show, Pleasantville (There is actually a mistake in the movie. The announcer says the marathon is 24 hours and ends at 6pm the following day). Bud is ready to assume his spot at the TV when his sister, Mary Sue (Reese Witherspoon) challenges his spot because her boyfriend is on his way over and they have other plans. They fight and in the struggle, the remote control breaks into a lot of pieces. The two are ’’transported’’ into TV land and they are now part of Pleasantville.
Pleasantville is shown in simple black & white and quite a clever stage for the story to unfold. What transpires from here is the metamorphosis of the conservatism to liberalism and along the way the black & white changes to color, all or in part as each character changes.
Noteworthy were a few scenes: JT Walsh, who is quite the antagonist and tries at all costs to keep Pleasantville’s status quo gives a memorable speech at the Bowling Alley which is very remeniscent of George C. Scott’s Patton in front of the American Flag. Also, in the segregated courtroom where the Concept of Pleasantville is imminent and remeniscent of the scene in To Kill a Mockingbird. It is clear as those who oppose change are on one side and those who are in favor of change (and in color) are on the other. Another reminiscent scene is that of Bud in the rain , spinning around in circles (like in Shawshank Redeption). The movie uses these great scenes as parody.
I was particularly amazed with Joan Allen’s performance. She is married to William H Macy (George), the parents of Bud and Mary Sue. Betty (Joan) is one pivotal character and as she redefines who she is artistically and sexually changing from black and white to color in the bathroom, quite obviously now sexually free and aware. I have to say that I was quite amazed and against the backdrop of conservatism, I think I blushed.
This is a timeless movie and one that may be on my list of all time favorite movies. If you have not seen it, do! It is very pleasant.