Director
Todd Haynes
Leading Actors/Actresses
Julianne Moore
Supporting Actors/Actresses
Dennis Quaid as Frank Whitaker and Dennis Haysbert as Raymond Deagan.
Genre
Racist Movie, Tragicomedy.
Language
English
Awards
At the 2002 Venice International Film Festival, the movie was honored with the Coppa Volpi Award for Best Actress to Julianne Moore and the Individual Contribution Award was given to cinematographer Edward Lachman. The movie won many other awards as well.
Date of Release
2002
Producer
Christine Vachon
Setting and Context
The setting of the film is set in Connecticut during mid 20th century. The movie has been made in the context of racism, marriage, homosexuality and gender roles in 1950's.
Narrator and Point of View
The narrative shifts from one character to another but the main narrator is Cathy and it has narrated from first person's point of view.
Tone and Mood
Tragic, Comic, Solemn, Pensive, Unveiling, Harsh.
Protagonist and Antagonist
The protagonist of the film is Cathy while the antagonist in the move is the society which holds racist attitudes towards African Americans and compel Raymond to move away.
Major Conflict
The major conflict in the story is between Cathy and her husband. Her husband was homosexual and she tries to stop him for the sake of their relationship. Frank doesn't give away his visits to gay bars and their marriage ends in divorce. Another conflict in the story is between Cathy and Raymond. She wanted to go with him but he denies her. There is a conflict between Raymond and the American society as well because he wanted her daughter to study in America but the society does not allow him to live a normal life there.
Climax
The climax in the movie comes when Cathy catches her husband kissing a man in his office.
Foreshadowing
The spring blossom at the end of the story foreshadows a new beginning in Cathy's life.
Understatement
The understatement in the story is the pathetic condition of women who are trapped by both society and marriage in a unhealthy relationship. Another understatement is the brutality towards African Americans in America.
Innovations in Filming or Lighting or Camera Techniques
N/A
Allusions
There are allusions to homosexuality, unhappy marriage, intra-racial relationship, violence, racial discrimination, gay bars, betrayal, African Americans, conservative societies, divorce, prejudice in schools and separation.
Paradox
The paradox in the story is that although Frank was culprit but he punishes Cathy by humiliating her and showing his anger. Another paradox in the story is that Cathy gets all the love and care that she expected from her husband, from an African American man. Despite of his good nature, Raymond is persecuted by the society instead of Frank.
Parallelism
There is a parallelism between the deterioration of Frank relationship with Cathy and her love for Raymond. As she feels averse towards her husband, she comes close to Raymond and starts loving him despite of African American identity. Another parallelism has been drawn between Cathy's separation from her husband and Raymond. As she gets divorce from her husband she also loses Raymond because he leaves with his daughter.
