Directed by Todd Haynes
Screenplay by Todd Haynes

Julianne Moore .... Cathy Whitaker
Dennis Quaid .... Frank Whitaker
Dennis Haysbert .... Raymond Deagan
Patricia Clarkson .... Eleonor 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 Puryear .... Sarah Deagan
Kyle Timothy Smith .... Billy Hutchinson
Celia Weston .... Mona Lauder
Barbara Garrick .... Doreen
Olivia Birkelund .... Nancy
Stevie Ray Dallimore .... Dick Dawson
Mylika Davis .... Esther

Produced by
Declan Baldwin .... co-producer
George Clooney .... executive producer
Jean-Charles Levy .... associate producer
Jody Patton .... producer
Eric Robison .... executive producer
Bradford Simpson .... co-producer
John Sloss .... executive producer
Steven Soderbergh .... executive producer
Christine Vachon .... producer
John Wells .... executive producer

Original Music by Elmer Bernstein
Cinematography by Edward Lachman
Film Editing by James Lyons

MPAA: Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements, sexual content, brief violence and language.
Runtime: 107 min
For rating reasons, go to FILMRATINGS.COM, and MPAA.ORG.
Parents, please refer to PARENTALGUIDE.ORG

Far from Heaven marks the second teaming of leading lady Julianne Moore with writer/director Todd Haynes and producer Christine Vachon, following the trio’s collaboration on the acclaimed 1995 drama SAFE. At the 2002 Venice International Film Festival, Far from Heaven was honored with the Coppa Volpi Award for Best Actress (Julianne Moore) and the Individual Contribution Award (given to cinematographer Edward Lachman).

Far from Heaven tells the story of a privileged housewife in 1950s America, and is inspired by the great Hollywood dramas of that era. Haynes lovingly depicts the gorgeous and placid surfaces of mid-century suburban family life, even as his story breaks them open to reveal a repressed world of limitless emotions and life-shattering desires that cross the boundaries of racial and sexual tolerance with tragic results.

It is the fall of 1957. The Whitakers, the very picture of a suburban family, make their home in Hartford, Connecticut. Their daily existences are characterized by carefully observed family etiquette, social events, and an overall desire to keep up with the Joneses. Cathy Whitaker (Julianne Moore) is the homemaker, wife and mother. Frank Whitaker (Dennis Quaid) is the breadwinner, husband and father. They have two pre-teen children, a boy and a girl. As the story unfolds before us, Cathy’s pristine world is transformed. Her interactions with her gardener, Raymond Deagan (Dennis Haysbert); her best friend, Eleanor Fine (Patricia Clarkson); and her maid, Sybil (Viola Davis), reflect the upheavals in her life. Cathy is faced with choices that spur gossip within the community and change several lives forever.

Far from Heaven takes us back to the late ?50s to see the model family. At least, they seem to be the model family. The children are well behaved and call their parents ?Mother? and ?Father?. Frank Whitaker is an on-the-rise executive. Cathy Whitaker is the perfect hostess and wife. Their home is immaculate and tasteful. Their friends are the cream of the community. Life must be good.

But instead we find people trapped by the conventions of the time. As always seems to be the case, as we look back at ?the good old days? they aren't always as good as we'd like them to be.

I'm sure that when Academy Award nominations are announced, Far from Heaven will be well recognized -- certainly for fine acting performances and likely for its beautiful cinematography.

Far from Heaven is designed to have the feel of a ?50s movie. The coloring, the score, even the credits are what you would expect from a movie of that era. Actually, Far from Heaven can be seen as a ?50s movie that couldn't have been made in the ?50s.

The film does not openly critique the values of that era, but it does show them plainly and allows the viewer to note the differences -- whether for good or ill -- between then and now.

Frank and Cathy are trapped in their marriage. It seems like a happy one. But before long Cathy (and we) discover Frank in an amorous embrace with another man. Frank (as would most gay men of that time) is disgusted by such behavior and seeks psychiatric help. But in time he falls in love with someone he can fully share his love with. Even if it is a ?love that dare not speak its name? in that time.

As Cathy struggles with all of this, she too discovers her own ?love that dare not speak its name.? She becomes friends and is obviously falling in love with a black man. They are attacked by both the black and white communities. A most telling scene of how strong this ?sin? is, is when Cathy reveals to her closest friend about Frank, and mentions the black man she is friends with, her friend is more upset about Cathy's revelation about herself than Frank's homosexuality.

Viewers in 2002 have a much different perspective on what was going on. Through film and books and television, we have been desensitized to gay and interracial relationships. (On HBO's Six Feet Under there is a relationship that is both.) Homosexuality is no longer seen by the psychiatric community as a disorder. Even many churches are open and affirming of gays within the church. As we look back at this world that was so hidden, we may wonder how people could have struggled in such times. As difficult as it may be for gay people or for interracial couples today, it was something that couldn't even be spoken of not that long ago.

Of course that doesn't mean that things are all better now. For one thing, discrimination because of race or sexual orientation still goes on, even if it is to a lesser extent. There are still many people who have to keep hidden so much in their lives -- who cannot let the world (and maybe even themselves) see who they really are. One wonders in years to come, what a film set in our day would reveal about our society now.
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