Far from Heaven (2002)

In 1950s Connecticut, a housewife faces a marital crisis and mounting racial tensions in the outside world.

Director:

Todd Haynes

Writer:

Todd Haynes

Stars:

Julianne Moore, Dennis Quaid, Dennis Haysbert

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 102 wins & 92 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Julianne Moore	...	Cathy Whitaker
Dennis Quaid	...	Frank Whitaker
Dennis Haysbert	...	Raymond Deagan
Patricia Clarkson	...	Eleanor Fine
Viola Davis	...	Sybil
James Rebhorn	...	Dr. Bowman
Bette Henritze	...	Mrs. Leacock
Michael Gaston	...	Stan Fine
Ryan Ward	...	David Whitaker
Lindsay Andretta	...	Janice Whitaker
Jordan Nia Elizabeth	...	Sarah Deagan (as Jordan Puryear)
Kyle Timothy Smith	...	Billy Hutchinson (as Kyle Smyth)
Celia Weston	...	Mona Lauder
Barbara Garrick	...	Doreen
Olivia Birkelund	...	Nancy

Storyline

Cathy is the perfect 50s housewife, living the perfect 50s life: healthy kids, successful husband, social prominence. Then one night she stumbles in on her husband Frank, kissing another man, and her tidy world starts spinning out of control. In her confusion and grief, she finds consolation in the friendship of their African-American gardener, Raymond - a socially taboo relationship that leads to the further disintegration of life as she knew it. Despite Cathy and Frank's struggle to keep their marriage afloat, the reality of his homosexuality and her feelings for Raymond open a painful, if more honest, chapter in their lives.

---

Plot Keywords:

gossip | african american | 1950s | homosexual | gay kiss | 

---

Taglines:

What imprisons desires of the heart?

---

Genres:

Drama | Romance

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements, sexual content, brief violence and language

Did You Know?

Trivia

Due to Julianne Moore's pregnancy, Sandy Powell commissioned a duplicate of Cathy's party dress, with the pattern modified to fit her, after shooting of the party scene was pushed back to later in the schedule. However, due to budget constraints, duplicating the dress was not an option. The dress was carefully shaded by a member of the wardrobe department to disguise Moore's pregnancy.

---

Goofs

When Cathy is shown from behind ascending the stairs into Dr. Bowman's building, she has a hat pin in her hat. When she is shown leaving the building after her husband's appointment, there is no hat pin.

---

Quotes

Cathy Whitaker: That was the day I stopped believing in the wild ardor of things. Perhaps in love, as well. That kind of love. The love in books and films. The love that tells us to abandon our lives and plans, all for one brief touch of Venus. So often we fail at that kind of love. The world just seems too fragile a place for it. And of every other kind, life remains full. Perhaps it's just we who are too fragile.

---

Crazy Credits

The first end credit reads "for Bompi"

---

Connections

Referenced in 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown: Episode #19.6 (2020)

---

Soundtracks

Eagan's Jukebox
Composed by Max Avery Lichtenstein (as Max Lichtenstein)
Performed by Camphor
Courtesy of Tin Drum Recordings
Published by Departure Music Publishing (ASCAP)

User Reviews

Splendid

I'm telling you, everybody's just falling in love with all the wrong people in this flick, but it's extremely captivating and the characters are perfectly engaging. I'm a bit shocked at some of your reviews here because I don't think many of you know much about the period. I do. To boot, I'm gay. Julianne Moore is excellent and deserving of the acclaim she's received for this role, as well as Quaid in the supporting role. The thing I think most people missed (or haven't made much comment on) is that both Kathleen and Frank are victims of heart-felt emotions at a time when expressing them is unthinkable. They are equally challenged by simple and earnest desires to "fill the void" in their lives: Kathleen with her giant colorblind heart in a cold society of bigots and Frank in his corporate supremacy and his "It's a different kind of love, Charlie Brown" headache. One reviewer said Frank was abusive, closeted (sure, obviously, duh) and an alcoholic. I guess if you'd ever been through that type of situation you might be a bit more forgiving because it is hell and I came from the 50s so trust. Each of these obviously well-developed characters is simply doing the best they can in a world where their ground-breaking feelings are out of place. I loved it. I own it. And I, clearly, do not advise that slim minds or socially challenged people attempt it. However, if you can watch a movie and not be a judge, if you can accept things not from your time and not about you but about very, very grand new ideas, it's an extremely well-made, well-acted and accurate film. I personally forgot we had so much orange and green furniture. And Moore is to be also commended on how well she wore those giant skirts :)

Details

Country:

USA France

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 January 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

Far from Heaven

Filming Locations:

Oakland, New Jersey, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$13,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$211,279, 10 November 2002

Gross USA:

$15,901,849

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$29,027,914

Company Credits

Production Co:

Focus Features, Vulcan Productions, Killer Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1