ABC had the courage to show this movie last night (and cut into it again). Pleasantville
stars Tobey Macquire and Reese Witherspoon as a brother and sister who
end up in a 1950’s black and white sitcom called ‘Pleasantville’. Where
everything is perfect: pleasant parents, pleasant neighbours, pleasant
schools and even pleasant firemen. However, the more they (brother and
sister) try to blend into their pleasant life, the more they add
colours to Pleasantville: something that is not appreciated by the more
‘old-fashioned’ people.
Written and directed by Gary Ross, the movie
develops into a complaint against society, where at the end the ‘black
and white’ people start to attack the ‘coloured people’ and the
‘coloured’ buildings. All instigated by the Chamber of Commerce,
which apparently is also the only official body that awards medals to
students. There are more highlights, resembling attacks on
conservatism: the Code of Conduct, the Trial, the Library and the
Bowling Hall, the Fire, the Apple. There are some flaws in the
storyline (why is sexual active sister suddenly studying or reading?),
but it’s still amazing to see the colours slowly drip into the movie.
Adding colour to a black and white movie has been done before
(Schindler’s List?) but in this movie it is extremely effective: Nothing is as simple as Black and White.
Impressive, but not spectacular (I don’t like Jeff Daniels) but
the message comes out clearly: there is no One American Way. And is
that part at the end of the movie a tribute to Lynch’s ‘Blue
Velvet’?