Far From Heaven

By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 5 cats
Director: Todd Haynes
Starring: Celia Weston | Dennis Haysbert | Dennis Quaid | Julianne Moore | Patricia Clarkson | Viola Davis

Country: france, united_states

Year: 2002

Running time: 107

IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Details?0297884

Diane says: “Well, after 400 miles of driving I got to see FAR FROM HEAVEN! This is my second real movie in Montana. Both times I was completely disoriented when I came out of the theater–where am I?

“The only review I saw of FAR FROM HEAVEN on cancdis was Peg’s. I did love it–the look, the performances. I particularly liked how the colors of Raymond’s clothing emulated Steve Martin’s in my favorite movie, BOWFINGER. But I am still wondering about Moore’s character. A friend told me she thought she was very selfish. I had been seeing her the opposite. Have to give some more thought to how aware she should have been…”

 

Laura says: “Haynes (SAFE, VELVET GOLDMINE) walks a fine line in his exploration of 1950’s American sexual and racial discrimination and repression, reviving the melodrama to the very edge of camp, yet attaining a real emotional wallop. Haynes has achieved perfection in every aspect of filmmaking here, displaying a confident maturity far beyond his earlier works. His homage to such films as ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS and IMITATION OF LIFE transcends them. Simply put, FAR FROM HEAVEN is a masterpiece.

“Cathy’s first warning that her world is not what it seems comes when Frank fails to appear in time for a dinner engagement. Called to the phone by their maid Sybil (Viola Davis, TRAFFIC), Cathy is shocked, but rises to the task of having to bail her husband out of jail. She believes his explanations and the very next morning is presenting her household to Mrs. Leacock (Bette Henritze), Hartford’s society columnist. Distracted by a stranger in her yard, Cathy meets Raymond (Dennis Haysbert, LOVE AND BASKETBALL), the son of her former gardener, with a warmth that’s noted in Leacock’s article, much to the amusement of Cathy’s circle. Cathy, it appears, is viewed as a bit of a liberal. ‘I’m not prejudiced, we support the NAACP,’ says she.

“Indulgent affection begins to sour at a local art show when Cathy greets Raymond and his young daughter like old friends. Yet Cathy’s annual party, prepared with the help of best friend Eleanor (Patricia Clarkson, WENDIGO), is still a success, albeit one where marital cracks begin to show publicly
when a drunken Frank embarrasses his wife.

“Raymond discovers Cathy distraught at her home shortly afterwards and he talks her into a refreshing outing, but they’re seen entering a restaurant by town gossip Mona Lauder (Celia Weston, IN THE BEDROOM). Frank’s relieved to be on the offensive for once and Cathy tries to resuscitate the marriage with a New Year’s trip to Miami, but once there a young man breaks Frank’s resolve and wins his heart. Cathy’s confides her feelings about Raymond to Eleanor and is shocked to find herself rebuffed.

“Haynes complex script encompasses the strata of an entire society in a specific time and place. Housewives twitter over the unseemliness of a husband who wants sex more than once a week. Doctors discussing the ‘disease’ of homosexuality list shock treatment as an option. Children are admonished to watch their language after uttering ‘Jeez.’ Perfectly made up women outfitted in heels and pearls deliver elaborate silver serving pieces for their friends’
soirees. A little girl is pummeled with stones by a group of little boys simply because she’s black.

“This is a world where what is unsaid is often louder than the spoken word. Haynes realizes this most powerfully when Cathy goes to Raymond’s house and Raymond ‘consummates’ the unrequited love affair by running his thumb throughout the center of a pink rose.

“Moore is perfection as the idealistic woman whose perfect world crumbles. The transformation of her smiling kind face into a mask of disillusionment by film’s end is heartbreaking. Haysbert is the essence of gentility. His quiet, educated manner and decency make him the ideal match for Moore’s Cathy, although he’s played this part before with Michelle Pfeiffer in LOVE FIELD. Quaid captures the 1950’s businessman, showing his chinks by slipping in subtle effeminate touches. He remains sympathetic with displays of sincere confusion and anguish. Clarkson is once again top notch, here as an elegant country club gal. Davis provides a stabilizing influence on the Whitakers’ turbulent household. Henritze is a real find as Leacock.

“Mark Friedberg’s (POLLOCK) autumnal production design and Sandy Powell’s (THE END OF THE AFFAIR) color-coded costuming are magnificently lush and evoke not only the period, but the filmmaking of the period. Cinematographer Ed Lachman’s stylistic framing also recalls Sirk’s era, mostly amusingly when rear projection is used for vehicle exteriors. Composer Elmer Bernstein’s (THE AGE OF INNOCENCE) score is another vintage touch.

“FAR FROM HEAVEN is cinematic paradise. ” 5 cats

 

Michael says: “Todd Haynes has created a masterpiece on many levels with his gorgeous and powerful film FAR FROM HEAVEN. Meticulously recreating the stylistic splendor of the 1950’s melodrama, Haynes goes a step farther by creating a multi-layered portrait of a family’s drama led by the stunning performance of Julianne Moore.

“Moore’s Cathy is the perfect housewife, with a successful salesman hubby (Dennis Quaid), two sometimes adorable kids, and a housekeeper. She plans fabulous soirees with her best friend El (Patricia Clarkson), and even has time for her liberal-minded social causes. When a devastating secret emerges to tear her family apart, she finds herself seeking solace in the friendship of her gardener… who also happens to be (gasp) colored!

“It’s easy to mock such a storyline now given our new millennium ‘sophistication,’ yet it’s the very fact that Haynes so convincingly creates the ”50’s melodrama’ in his film that allows us to truly understand the impossible situations the characters find themselves in. Haynes and Moore walk a fine line and do so with elan. Moore, while forward-thinking for her time, behaves exactly as you would expect a woman from the 1950’s (even a socially liberal one) to behave. Each facial expression, each carefully modulated word rings true to Cathy. It’s a phenomenal performance in a long career of such performances.

“Visually and aurally, Haynes pulled out all the stops and the result is truly impressive. Elmer Bernstein’s original score is startling in its appropriateness. Haynes and cinematographer Edward Lachman do some amazing things with light in FAR FROM HEAVEN. The gold, autumnal light bathing Cathy in the first half to three-quarters of the film was almost edible in its richness. As the storyline progresses, the light changes, putting Cathy
in a slightly harsher, more realistic lighting. Costume design is so much fun. Truly, this is 2002’s IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE when it comes to fabulous dresses.

“The acting is great all around. Dennis Quaid as Cathy’a tormented husband Frank; Dennis Haysbert as the noble gardener Raymond Deagan, Patricia Clarkson as Eleonor Fine, the perfect matriarch of the neighborhood and a delightful turn by Celia Weston as the town gossip, Mona Lauder. (Weston
has had a string of terrific small roles in recent films from IN THE BEDROOM back to DEAD MAN WALKING.)

“I could go on, but I’ll stop here. Thanks to the large crowd who joined Chlotrudis Monday Night at the Movies for FAR FROM HEAVEN. And thanks for
the post-film discussions which yielded a range of takes and feelings toward the film. If you want my opinion, don’t miss FAR FROM HEAVEN… although SAFE is still the Haynes/Moore collaboration to beat.” 5 cats

 

Peg says: “Todd Haynes’ new film (which opens this week) is a must see! If you are a fan of Haynes you know that his films are vastly different from each other, and yet his visionary approach to filmmaking is stamped indelibly upon each one, his painterly eye, his ability to imbue shots with emotion
even when no living thing appears in the frame. (okay start formal review here!)

“Steeped in rapturous color, tensive and provocative, FAR FROM HEAVEN is an artful etude that follows a straightforward story of a woman in a New England suburban town whose life and marriage are falling apart. Julianne Moore’s portrayal of the picture-perfect 1950s Hartford housewife is as fine as any work she has ever done. Dennis Quaid, as the husband undergoing a severe identity crisis, gives a powerful performance as well, his repression and rage and impulsive self-destruction often terrifying to watch. The third impressive performance, and the other point in the triangle, is from Dennis Haysbert (who was excellent in the little seen and prematurely canceled sci-fi thriller series ‘Now and Again’) as their gardener with whom Moore develops a friendship seen as scandalous in the racist environment of a post-war Connecticut town. (I once heard there were more members of the KKK per capita in Connecticut than in any other state). The story, a seemingly simple one, acquires and maintains its tension and subtlety from the film’s excellent direction; each moment, each shot, seems significant but not precious, and Haynes’ skill with wordless visual transitions has never been better.

“Moore, pregnant when this picture was shot, is not her usual gaunt but rosy self: she is filled out, all full skirts and red-gold carefully-set curls, an earthy goddess cut from Waterford crystal. Her opalescent face reflects the glints of autumnal color that seem Haynes’ paean to Moore’s beauty from the first frame: a tree exploding with flame-hued leaves, wind-blown and shimmering in the sun, opening out to manicured lawns in a perfect neighborhood. Haysbert moves easily among all the film’s locations, despite his being the character least welcomed in them; his warmth and solidity ground Moore’s fragile brightness, and their costumes in their scenes together, believe it or not, tell this story nearly as effectively as any of the dialogue or action. Haynes’ masterful and intricate color structure has the presence of an additional major character, and the script contains moments which, perhaps too slyly at times, comment upon this. The clothing, cars, furniture, food, buildings and even the natural landscapes you’d think Haynes wouldn’t have much control over, meld together in a seamless and surprisingly-sensual mise en scene. If not for the stunning performances (including a nice supporting turn from Patricia Clarkson), this film could stand on its visual artfulness alone. As it is, FAR FROM HEAVEN is that rare film that appears simple, even formulaic, on its surface, yet houses infinitely-layered depths and chambers, drawing us in as gently, surely and mysteriously as a forest moves from autumn to spring.” 5 cats

 

Robin says: “During the 50’s director Douglas Sirk made his name as the master of melodrama with such classics as WRITTEN ON THE WIND and IMITATION OF LIFE, as he examined romantic relations and intrigues that showcased leading man Rock Hudson. In what can only be called heartfelt homage, writer/director Todd Haynes captures the interpersonal angst of Sirk and updates it to the new millennium in FAR FROM HEAVEN.

“Sirk propelled Rock Hudson to movie icon status as a regular player in many of the director’s popular flicks using, I think, the actor’s secret sexual preference to create characters that had a certain ambiguity about them. With FAR FROM HEAVEN writer/helmer Todd Haynes seems to be doing the same for Julianne Moore. This is the second film that Haynes and Moore have worked together, the first being SAFE, and in this latest collaboration we see a professional relationship that may not be so far from heaven.

“Moore plays Cathy Whitaker, an upper middle class housewife who tends to her beautiful home in Hartford, Connecticut for her hard-working TV sales
exec husband, Frank (Dennis Quaid), and her two young kids. Life is idyllic with Cathy able to demonstrate her liberal attitudes and voice her mind on the time’s civil rights issues. She is startled one day, though, when she sees a stranger, a black man, looking around her yard. She soon learns that he is the son of her gardener who has recently died and the son, Raymond Deagan (Dennis Haysbert), the owner of a gardening business, has taken over for his late dad. A friendship soon blooms between the two.

“Cathy takes for granted that husband Frank is, as usual, working overtime when he’s late for a dinner party or drunkenly abuses her verbally in front
of friends. But his increasingly surly behavior isn’t because he is working long hours. It’s because Frank has doubts about his sexual orientation. When Cathy decides to drop off dinner at the office one evening when Frank is working late she catches him in the arms of a man! Suddenly, the solid foundation of her marriage and life starts showing some pretty significant cracks. Frank breaks down and promises to go into therapy then takes her
on a vacation, just themselves and no kids, to Miami. Of course, we the audience see that Frank isn’t cured of his homosexual sickness. Not by a long shot. Cathy’s life, as she has known it, is quickly falling apart.

“Controversial filmmaker Haynes, considered by some as a leader in queer cinema, has never drawn back from producing provocative films such as SUPERSTAR: THE KAREN CARPENTER STORY, his three-part AIDS allegory POISON and his first Julianne Moore vehicle, SAFE. Throughout his career his gay-themed works have always garnered interest, debate and a solid following. But these films have been a learning experience for the writer/director leading up to his latest, most fully drawn effort in FAR FROM HEAVEN. Haynes has transcended his previous works in what can be considered a masterpiece of modern cinema that reps the maturing of an artist into world-class filmmaker.

“Haynes shows an incredibly detailed understanding of the films by Douglas Sirk, taking the ambiguity that the social mores of the 50’s required of such filmmakers and opening it up in an honest, sometimes painful way through his central character, Cathy. Instead of leaving such controversies as racial prejudice and homosexuality in the closet, so to speak, writer Haynes lays them bare for our examination. FAR FROM HEAVEN starts out light and perky as Cathy leads her perfect, liberal life with her perfect husband and kids. She sees nothing wrong as her friendship with Raymond blossoms but there are storm clouds gathering on the horizon as personal and public events unfold.

“Cathy’s heartfelt feelings for good and kind Raymond, as innocent and chaste as they are, represent a threat to her white bread society. When they are seen together visiting a black-owned restaurant and bar by Hartford’s foremost gossip, Cathy’s secure life begins to fall apart. Her shocked discovery of husband Frank’s alternative lifestyle furthers the breakdown in her life and we watch the always pleasant Cathy begin to lose the security that she had taken for granted.

“Julianne Moore gives her best performance to date as she gives dimension and feeling to Cathy. You understand and respect her liberal feelings, but the society of the day decidedly does not. This realization shatters her images of what her life really is. There is no turning back for Cathy as the die has been cast and the ugliness of prejudice, rumor mongering and malicious gossip shape her future. Moore performs brilliantly.

“Her costars also give full-fledged measure to their individual roles. Dennis Haysbert (a superb though underutilized acting talent) makes Raymond a believable, likable and very human character. He sees the warmth and love that emanate from Cathy’s heart and soul and offers her the friendship and respect she deserves. Haysbert establishes Raymond as a gentle and kindred spirit who struggles against the stigma that white society has placed upon
him and his people – keep in mind that the period of the film precedes the upheaval of the civil rights movement that the country would soon face.

“Dennis Quaid, who has made a career as a handsome ladies’ man, departs from his usual persona and delves into the desire and guilt that make up Frank Whitaker’s life. He is honestly ashamed of what he is doing to his marriage and tries to make things right for his wife and partner, Cathy, but his unrequited desires take hold and he, quite literally for the time, seeks love in all the wrong places. It’s a tough, unsympathetic role but Quaid gives his all.

“The rest of the supporting cast also help give depth to the characters of FAR FROM HEAVEN with Patricia Clarkson noteworthy as Cathy’s best friend Eleanor Fine. Eleanor fervently declares that she is Cathy’s ‘dearest and closest friend,’ but shows her true colors as the story, and Cathy’s plight, unfolds. Viola Davis, as the Whitaker family maid, comes across as both a loyal friend to Cathy and a member of the family. Bette Henritze, as Hartford gossip columnist Mrs. Leacock, is dead on as the ever-present eyes and ears of the town’s white community.

“Acting, alone, does not always make a film great (though it does not hurt) and first class production values also contribute to a film’s overall quality. The behind the camera crew that Haynes gathers provides exemplary craftsmanship to FAR FROM HEAVEN. Lenser Edward Lachman provides high quality camera work that equals the onscreen talent. Production design and art direction, by Mark Friedberg and Peter Rogness respectively, help create the mood and tone that are the film’s period hallmark. Costume design, by Sandy Powell, is brilliant, especially in clothing the star, Moore, in a series of fashionable dresses that smack of the 50’s. Think of June Cleaver in color and with a big budget.

“FAR FROM HEAVEN is as near perfect a film that has graced the big screen this year and richly deserves all the attention it should garner come year’s
end. Rarely does there come along a movie of such quality on so many levels.” 5 cats