Nonconformity In Pleasantville

Words: 1481
Pages: 6

The film is set in a small town in France near the end of World War I. The locals flee as the Germans trap the whole town to explode and, left to their own devices, a gaggle of cheerful lunatics escape the asylum and take over the town ,thoroughly confusing the lone Scottish soldier who has been dispatched to defuse the bomb. Throughout the movie, the lunatics dressed in clothing that suited different positions of community seem to carry on a lifestyle no different to the norm. This illustrate the idea that social identity is
The asylum inmates discover that the doors they have been locked behind are suddenly open upon the chase of Plumpick. The Germans who were chasing Plumpick, apparently afraid that mental illness is contagious, run off
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In Pleasantville, both David and Jennifer are forced to take on the roles of Bud and Mary-Sue, respectively. However, as they play along in the perfect and pure little town of Pleasantville, their presence soon influences drastic changes. As the citizens of Pleasantville discover sex, art, books, music and the concept of nonconformity, color erupts in their black-and-white world. Color spreads throughout the town, threatening the Mayor to rid of the sinful/tainted colors, and change Pleasantville back to what it once was. Pleasantville was a perfect example on how the 50’s society looked like. There is a definite standard intended for everything throughout this time and this standard must be maintained. Everything has to be uniformed. If this standard is not followed, the society will go against the offender.
In the film, color has a much deeper meaning behind it. It did not dwell on its literal attributes as for its ornamental purposes and beauty. Color highlighted a development in art during the 50’s where paintings of Picasso and other famous artists during his time were shown in some clips. The characters in the film portrayed people in the 50’s where some get to agree with the new art while others dwell on the same old style resulting in violence and