MovieChat Forums > Far from Heaven (2003) Discussion > Symbolism in This Film

Symbolism in This Film

posted 20 years ago by Nirannah
5 replies | jump to latest

Some symbols, patterns, connections, and ineresting things I found:
* In one scene, Cathy and all her girlfriends are wearing red dresses that look exactly the same. The only thing that separates her from her girlfriends and makes her look unique is the color of her scarf, which is a light lavendar color. When her scarf blows away and Raymond finds it, she asks him how he knew it was hers and he replies, " Just the color of this scarf...it fits you somehow." And remember I said it was the color of the scarf that made her unique...So it's like right from the start he sees the unique part of her, the part that creeps out even when she tries so hard to fit in. I've been paying a lot of attention to the colors of things in this film, because apparently ever color has a meaning, or at least that's what Moore said in an interview.
* The leaves on the trees. They often show the leaves on the trees in this film. What is the meaning of the whole tree-thing?
* The camera often shows (and lingers on) the names of of the shows that are playing at The Ritz. Why do they do this? They do it twice. I wish I knew the names of those shows...I know one is The Three Faces Of Eve. What is the meaning of this+anyone know the names of other shows?
* The music is very similiar when Frank is secretly meeting up with his gay lover, and when the whole town knows Cathy has gone out w/ Raymond. What is the meaning of this, the connection it draws?
I think that's pretty much it. Thank you for reading my very very long post, and have a nice day; any thoughts or comments would be most appreciated.

[–] Nagime 20 years ago

That was simply a homage. Haynes probably is a movie buff. The only movies I saw was Eve and Hilda Crane, about a strong woman in the 50's. All the movies probably are about strong women in the 50's later I will rewatch those parts and look for more information about the other movies.

[–] AliciaHuberman59 15 years ago

Thanks for sharing your observations, Narannah. I believe you're spot on about the scarf. I don't know what to make of the leaves, but I think that specifically showing those movies makes sense: 1) "The Three Faces of Eve" relates to Frank's double life, and for that matter Cathy and Raymond's, as they both venture into the other's worlds; 2) I've never seen "Hilda Crane", but since it deals with a strong (career) woman faced with the choice of independence vs. tradition, this may be prescient to Cathy's situation...she may have to enter the workforce after her divorce.

[–] c7c7c7r 15 years ago

Yes--I agree the '3 Faces' of Eve can relate to the 3 main characters who have to hide their feelings.

[–] loislane490 15 years ago

* The leaves on the trees. They often show the leaves on the trees in this film. What is the meaning of the whole tree-thing?

___________________________________________________________________________

In the beginning it's autumn leaves we see.

During the tumultuous middle of the movie, the trees are winter bare.

At the end, the trees have started new life by budding.

In the beginning of the film, the leaves symbolize a dying of a season therefore the "dying" of Cathy and Frank's marriage and the life they have known and trusted for years.

The winter months are disastrous for this family. Including the trip to Bermuda - remember Quaid meeting what turns out to be his future partner? The marriage is officially dead.

In the spring, Cathy has become a new person. Changed forever by her experiences.

[–] bjnevin 14 years ago

IN relation to the films being shown, one is "Miracle in the Rain" which stars Van Johnson and Jane Wyman- though the film has a different theme (treating a romance between a soldier and a girl- that's all I'll say!), Wyman starred in "All That Heaven Allows", a film whose cinematography, symbolism and story undoubtedly influenced this film.