Pleasantville film analysis
Practice analysis of ‘Pleasantville’ ‘Pleasantville’ is an expertly crafted film in which one can appreciate and be exposed to the social issues America faced during the 1950’s. The courtroom scene towards the end of the film successfully encapsulates the essence of the film: a characters transformation from repression to enlightenment. While the costumes present a distinction between the ages, the contrasting colours express various emotions of each character. Each character possesses a differing level of awareness about their true roles which become apparent as the film progresses.
The use of colour in ‘Pleasantville’ signifies both personal and political change. The colours associated with each character are evocative of their personal attributes and self-discovery. Mary Sue is seen wearing blue, a colour which connotes wisdom and understanding. This can be contrasted with how Mary Sue was depicted previously in the film; she embodied all that was ‘wrong’ during the 1950’s, a socially repressed era. The black and white characters reflect a far more conservative and traditional take on the world, in their eyes women’s only role is to bear children and to take care of the home. Despite the discrimination against those who are coloured, one cannot deny upon watching the film that they are clearly more liberated and alive. David’s blue shirt mirrors his assertiveness, control, and genuine determination to save all those who had not yet discovered their true selves. Bill’s coloured skin contrasted with his white clothing demonstrates an alternate approach to achieving a ‘coloured’ world to David, for he remains fairly impartial throughout the court case, emphasising his desire for compromise.
The attention to detail of the use of colour throughout the film highlights the racial discrimination and the civil rights movements of the 1950’s. It is interesting to remark upon the fact that during the court room scene it is all the coloured characters sitting in the
The use of colour in ‘Pleasantville’ signifies both personal and political change. The colours associated with each character are evocative of their personal attributes and self-discovery. Mary Sue is seen wearing blue, a colour which connotes wisdom and understanding. This can be contrasted with how Mary Sue was depicted previously in the film; she embodied all that was ‘wrong’ during the 1950’s, a socially repressed era. The black and white characters reflect a far more conservative and traditional take on the world, in their eyes women’s only role is to bear children and to take care of the home. Despite the discrimination against those who are coloured, one cannot deny upon watching the film that they are clearly more liberated and alive. David’s blue shirt mirrors his assertiveness, control, and genuine determination to save all those who had not yet discovered their true selves. Bill’s coloured skin contrasted with his white clothing demonstrates an alternate approach to achieving a ‘coloured’ world to David, for he remains fairly impartial throughout the court case, emphasising his desire for compromise.
The attention to detail of the use of colour throughout the film highlights the racial discrimination and the civil rights movements of the 1950’s. It is interesting to remark upon the fact that during the court room scene it is all the coloured characters sitting in the