All That Heaven Allows Film Analysis
All That Heaven Allows
Subverts the 1950’s Woman’s Film
A widow named Cary Scott, the protagonist of All That Heaven Allows (1955), shows forbidden desires for a much younger gardener presenting many female topics that would usually go unrecognised, such as fantasy, wistfulness, desire and unconventional romance and this is perceived remarkably well with the narrative.
Douglas Sirk, an auteur directs this melodrama giving this genre of film a new meaning. He enjoyed working for many studios as director but his last studio ‘Universal-International’ where All That Heaven Allows was made; his individual style was crafted into the film. Steffen (2013: Para. 4) states, “ [They] didn 't interfere with either my camerawork or my cutting--which …show more content…
meant a lot to me.”
Sirk was defined by, Klinger, (1994: p. xi) “as a significant political auteur and subversive master of melodrama.” In the 1950’s woman’s film he enriched the story with deep, hidden meanings leaving a lot to the imagination. He did this by providing the audience with fantasy, desire and giving a slight erotic notion by taking the films to a higher level whilst still keeping within the Hollywood Production Code. But as stated by Jacobs (2013 Para. 4) “In the 1950s a few filmmakers and distributors started to defy the code (especially with foreign imports), and by the 1960s many of the codes restrictions were loosened.”
Before being introduced to the main characters, I feel Sirk had gone quite deep with all of his props and all of them having meaning. The first thing I noticed was the time on the clock. It shows to be twelve o’clock, perhaps a Cinderella (1950) story followed by the pigeons. – There are two white pigeons, showing two being love and then dark pigeons being the disapproval siblings i.e. family and friends.
When the gardener played by Ron Kirby is first seen up the ladder he is wearing beige. This has a meaning, which I will later explain. The unconventional connection between Cary and Ron begins when she is carrying a box of crockery from her friend’s car and Ron offers to carry them to the house for her. Afterwards, Cary offers him some tea and food. Before Cary sits down, Ron is waiting to pull out the chair for her. Cary is shocked and the desire for his friendliness, good looks and charms had begun in more depth. This scene ends with Ron cutting off a branch from her tree saying that it is special and only thrives in your home when there is love and proceeds to give it to her. The subversion begins with the unconventionality of an older woman courting a man who is not only a great deal younger than her, but of a lower class in the 1950’s as this was unheard of and if it was, it was criticised by others.
In the next scene, her desire is placed in her bedroom where she is getting ready for a cocktail party. Cleverly, Sirk has used a lot of mirror imagery and in this particular scene Cary is seen in the mirror with her fantasy as her children call her. Instantly she looks somewhat worried, yet at the same time still glancing at the branch and yet knowing her desire is that of a fantasy.
The camera focuses on the family through the mirror with her desire now gone. Back in the real world Cary greets her children away from the other dimension a mirror can give.
Cary explains Harvey will be taking her to a party. Ned, Cary’s son, makes his way downstairs to make cocktails for all of them. Cary continues to get ready in the company of her daughter and materializes wearing a stunning red dress. This instantly says she wants attention. Kay, her daughter comments saying, “its about time you wore something besides that black velvet.” Then she went on to say about the Egyptian custom was to Wall up the widow alive in the funeral chamber along with all his other possessions after he had died. We see Cary feeling like that by her remark towards Kay.
That evening she wasn’t short of attention, even acquiring a wedding proposal from Harvey exclaiming that he wants companionship but is not “romantic or perpetuous” and suggests Cary isn’t after that. We see straight away that she is yearning again for her desire. The next scene we see just that. She is staring at her desire in a vase whilst caressing it. Sirk cleverly used lighting to enhance the colour of the autumn leaves to a greener look, showing, the longing for love. Meanwhile, her daughter is outside having her desire by kissing the man she wants to be with, then seeing Cary without a man.
After all the unwanted attention, she reverts back to wearing, brown, beige and grey, however from now on Ron has discarded the dull colours that is first seen wearing changing them to red. He even wears a red tie and red scarf when he goes to a party with Cary. This is showing his desire for Cary, wanting her attention.
In another scene, Ron invites Cary back to his home. After looking round his nursery, she spots a rustic old mill and wants to look inside. She begins rushing around enthusiastically and spots a fireplace saying, “perfect.” This shows that she wants this country life, however, she then back tracks and suggests it could be turned into a home for when he finds the right girl, as he can’t continue to live in the small room with his plants. He said he has met plenty of girls, showing his desire for an older woman. Not long before this scene she spots a broken Wedgewood teapot and enthusiastically tells Ron how much she loves Wedgewood.
She is curious about what’s up the stairs. We all know what is up the stairs, - it’s usually a bedroom. Just then, a pigeon flies in her direction forcing her into Ron’s arm showing their physical connection. Dating back many years it is said that pigeons are homing birds, always coming home. - The very first scene, the pigeons are shown in the very respected hometown where Cary lives. Now, the pigeon forces her in to Ron’s arms, showing that he is her home. They exchange glances with one another showing chemistry. He calls her Miss. Scott, (not Mrs. Scott) like he had done before. - The impression is given that he no longer sees her as married, but as a single lady. They kiss and she leaves bewildered whilst the pigeon sits on the stairs cooing. Showing the audience that this should be her home.
Soon after Cary is seen instantaneously racing to Ron’s after she’d been invited.
He greets her outside leaving a bucket of food with the deer. The old mill is now restored and livable. Cary is surprised and notices the Wedgewood teapot has been fixed. He subsequently tells her he’s found the one and proposes marriage. She declines and picks up her things knocking the teapot off the table. It shatters. Ron says it doesn’t matter and throws it into the blazing fire. She appears to leave but before she does, she breaks down sobbing because she wants to marry him and end up hugging with a lingering kiss. The Deer is then seen running off, as if it was disturbed. Next Cary and Ron are lay together on the sofa, with his shirt button undone and the fire burned down. This shows an elapse of time. They had clearly made love, then to subvert this more, she gets up and then opens the shutters, showing they’ve had privacy.
Next Scene at the butcher’s, it is known by conversation that Cary had spent the whole weekend at Ron’s. This shows Sirk at what he does best. - Giving the viewers the subverted woman’s 1950’s film by changing the way films were shown whilst staying inline with the Hollywood Production …show more content…
Code.
However, Cary unfortunately finishes it with Ron for the sake of her children’s feelings and is shown to be a lonely widow once more but still wanting that desire that she has now had.
Cary thought Ron had met someone else. However, soon found out he hadn’t and decided to go to Ron’s and tell him that she wanted him. He was out shooting and so she leaves. Again Sirk put it across to the audience that he has no pleasure anymore as he cannot shoot straight, putting that edge to what the woman desires without crossing the Code.
As Cary leaves, Ron see’s her and falls trying to get her attention giving the suspense that he could be dead. Cary is notified of his accident and she rushes to his side waiting till he wakes up telling Ron she is now home.
Conclusion
I really enjoyed the film and all of Sirk’s ways in which he subverted the 1950’s woman’s film.
I do believe that Sirk had a lot to do with the HPC relaxing with content that was shown on the screen. I liked the way he added ornaments, such as the two gold statues where one is stabbing the other. At the time of the conversation I felt it was very appropriate. Sirk was very clever in this film and others. He put more into this film than other directors would. He was very specific with the colour of clothing people wore, where they stood, as well as lighting and mirror imagery. Everything placed in this film was Sirk and so it is known “Rentschler (2013 para. 1) He was in fact the master of
subversion.”
Word Count: 1609
Referencing
1) Steffen, J. (2013) [Online] Available from: http://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/76265%7C0/All-That-Heaven-Allows.html [Accessed 20 November 2013]
2) Klinger, B. (1994) Melodrama and meaning. History, Culture, and the films of Douglas Sirk. Indiana University Press, Bloomington and Indianapolis. 3) Rentschler, E. (2013) Sierck in the Light of Sirk: Of Revision and Backlash [Online] Availavle from: http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fisites.harvard.edu%2Ffs%2Fdocs%2Ficb.topic101953.files%2FSirk_Revisited.doc&ei=VXyxUobwNtTT7Ab594CYAw&usg=AFQjCNET4RdrbhFqvg8Ekhr5MOGFMN6I4w&sig2=0yofyxBSnYtZYLFq-pTdsA&bvm=bv.58187178,d.bGQ [Date accessed 21 November 2013)
Bibliography
1) Morris, G. All tht Heaven Allows & Written on the Wind DVD Review. [Online] Available from: http://www.imagesjournal.com/issue10/reviews/sirk/ [Date accessed 20 November 2013]
2) Graham, J. (2010) All That Heaven Allows: No 11 best romantic films. [Online] Available from: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/all_that_heaven_allows/ [Date accessed 20 November 2013]
3) Mertz, W (1993) POMP(OUS) SIRK-UMSTANCE: INTERTEXTUALITY, ADAPTION, AND ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS. [Online] Available from: http://www.academia.edu/530946/_Pomp_ous_Sirk-umstance_Intertextuality_Adaptation_and_All_That_Heaven_Allows_ [Date accessed 21 November 2013] 4) Watts, C. (1996) All That Patriarchy Allows: Gay Figures and Female Desire in All That Heaven Allows. [Online] Available from: http://www.cmn.hs.h.kyoto-u.ac.jp/NO1/SUBJECT2/ATPA.HTM [Date accessed 21 November 2013]
Subverts the 1950’s Woman’s Film
A widow named Cary Scott, the protagonist of All That Heaven Allows (1955), shows forbidden desires for a much younger gardener presenting many female topics that would usually go unrecognised, such as fantasy, wistfulness, desire and unconventional romance and this is perceived remarkably well with the narrative.
Douglas Sirk, an auteur directs this melodrama giving this genre of film a new meaning. He enjoyed working for many studios as director but his last studio ‘Universal-International’ where All That Heaven Allows was made; his individual style was crafted into the film. Steffen (2013: Para. 4) states, “ [They] didn 't interfere with either my camerawork or my cutting--which …show more content…
meant a lot to me.”
Sirk was defined by, Klinger, (1994: p. xi) “as a significant political auteur and subversive master of melodrama.” In the 1950’s woman’s film he enriched the story with deep, hidden meanings leaving a lot to the imagination. He did this by providing the audience with fantasy, desire and giving a slight erotic notion by taking the films to a higher level whilst still keeping within the Hollywood Production Code. But as stated by Jacobs (2013 Para. 4) “In the 1950s a few filmmakers and distributors started to defy the code (especially with foreign imports), and by the 1960s many of the codes restrictions were loosened.”
Before being introduced to the main characters, I feel Sirk had gone quite deep with all of his props and all of them having meaning. The first thing I noticed was the time on the clock. It shows to be twelve o’clock, perhaps a Cinderella (1950) story followed by the pigeons. – There are two white pigeons, showing two being love and then dark pigeons being the disapproval siblings i.e. family and friends.
When the gardener played by Ron Kirby is first seen up the ladder he is wearing beige. This has a meaning, which I will later explain. The unconventional connection between Cary and Ron begins when she is carrying a box of crockery from her friend’s car and Ron offers to carry them to the house for her. Afterwards, Cary offers him some tea and food. Before Cary sits down, Ron is waiting to pull out the chair for her. Cary is shocked and the desire for his friendliness, good looks and charms had begun in more depth. This scene ends with Ron cutting off a branch from her tree saying that it is special and only thrives in your home when there is love and proceeds to give it to her. The subversion begins with the unconventionality of an older woman courting a man who is not only a great deal younger than her, but of a lower class in the 1950’s as this was unheard of and if it was, it was criticised by others.
In the next scene, her desire is placed in her bedroom where she is getting ready for a cocktail party. Cleverly, Sirk has used a lot of mirror imagery and in this particular scene Cary is seen in the mirror with her fantasy as her children call her. Instantly she looks somewhat worried, yet at the same time still glancing at the branch and yet knowing her desire is that of a fantasy.
The camera focuses on the family through the mirror with her desire now gone. Back in the real world Cary greets her children away from the other dimension a mirror can give.
Cary explains Harvey will be taking her to a party. Ned, Cary’s son, makes his way downstairs to make cocktails for all of them. Cary continues to get ready in the company of her daughter and materializes wearing a stunning red dress. This instantly says she wants attention. Kay, her daughter comments saying, “its about time you wore something besides that black velvet.” Then she went on to say about the Egyptian custom was to Wall up the widow alive in the funeral chamber along with all his other possessions after he had died. We see Cary feeling like that by her remark towards Kay.
That evening she wasn’t short of attention, even acquiring a wedding proposal from Harvey exclaiming that he wants companionship but is not “romantic or perpetuous” and suggests Cary isn’t after that. We see straight away that she is yearning again for her desire. The next scene we see just that. She is staring at her desire in a vase whilst caressing it. Sirk cleverly used lighting to enhance the colour of the autumn leaves to a greener look, showing, the longing for love. Meanwhile, her daughter is outside having her desire by kissing the man she wants to be with, then seeing Cary without a man.
After all the unwanted attention, she reverts back to wearing, brown, beige and grey, however from now on Ron has discarded the dull colours that is first seen wearing changing them to red. He even wears a red tie and red scarf when he goes to a party with Cary. This is showing his desire for Cary, wanting her attention.
In another scene, Ron invites Cary back to his home. After looking round his nursery, she spots a rustic old mill and wants to look inside. She begins rushing around enthusiastically and spots a fireplace saying, “perfect.” This shows that she wants this country life, however, she then back tracks and suggests it could be turned into a home for when he finds the right girl, as he can’t continue to live in the small room with his plants. He said he has met plenty of girls, showing his desire for an older woman. Not long before this scene she spots a broken Wedgewood teapot and enthusiastically tells Ron how much she loves Wedgewood.
She is curious about what’s up the stairs. We all know what is up the stairs, - it’s usually a bedroom. Just then, a pigeon flies in her direction forcing her into Ron’s arm showing their physical connection. Dating back many years it is said that pigeons are homing birds, always coming home. - The very first scene, the pigeons are shown in the very respected hometown where Cary lives. Now, the pigeon forces her in to Ron’s arms, showing that he is her home. They exchange glances with one another showing chemistry. He calls her Miss. Scott, (not Mrs. Scott) like he had done before. - The impression is given that he no longer sees her as married, but as a single lady. They kiss and she leaves bewildered whilst the pigeon sits on the stairs cooing. Showing the audience that this should be her home.
Soon after Cary is seen instantaneously racing to Ron’s after she’d been invited.
He greets her outside leaving a bucket of food with the deer. The old mill is now restored and livable. Cary is surprised and notices the Wedgewood teapot has been fixed. He subsequently tells her he’s found the one and proposes marriage. She declines and picks up her things knocking the teapot off the table. It shatters. Ron says it doesn’t matter and throws it into the blazing fire. She appears to leave but before she does, she breaks down sobbing because she wants to marry him and end up hugging with a lingering kiss. The Deer is then seen running off, as if it was disturbed. Next Cary and Ron are lay together on the sofa, with his shirt button undone and the fire burned down. This shows an elapse of time. They had clearly made love, then to subvert this more, she gets up and then opens the shutters, showing they’ve had privacy.
Next Scene at the butcher’s, it is known by conversation that Cary had spent the whole weekend at Ron’s. This shows Sirk at what he does best. - Giving the viewers the subverted woman’s 1950’s film by changing the way films were shown whilst staying inline with the Hollywood Production …show more content…
Code.
However, Cary unfortunately finishes it with Ron for the sake of her children’s feelings and is shown to be a lonely widow once more but still wanting that desire that she has now had.
Cary thought Ron had met someone else. However, soon found out he hadn’t and decided to go to Ron’s and tell him that she wanted him. He was out shooting and so she leaves. Again Sirk put it across to the audience that he has no pleasure anymore as he cannot shoot straight, putting that edge to what the woman desires without crossing the Code.
As Cary leaves, Ron see’s her and falls trying to get her attention giving the suspense that he could be dead. Cary is notified of his accident and she rushes to his side waiting till he wakes up telling Ron she is now home.
Conclusion
I really enjoyed the film and all of Sirk’s ways in which he subverted the 1950’s woman’s film.
I do believe that Sirk had a lot to do with the HPC relaxing with content that was shown on the screen. I liked the way he added ornaments, such as the two gold statues where one is stabbing the other. At the time of the conversation I felt it was very appropriate. Sirk was very clever in this film and others. He put more into this film than other directors would. He was very specific with the colour of clothing people wore, where they stood, as well as lighting and mirror imagery. Everything placed in this film was Sirk and so it is known “Rentschler (2013 para. 1) He was in fact the master of
subversion.”
Word Count: 1609
Referencing
1) Steffen, J. (2013) [Online] Available from: http://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/76265%7C0/All-That-Heaven-Allows.html [Accessed 20 November 2013]
2) Klinger, B. (1994) Melodrama and meaning. History, Culture, and the films of Douglas Sirk. Indiana University Press, Bloomington and Indianapolis. 3) Rentschler, E. (2013) Sierck in the Light of Sirk: Of Revision and Backlash [Online] Availavle from: http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fisites.harvard.edu%2Ffs%2Fdocs%2Ficb.topic101953.files%2FSirk_Revisited.doc&ei=VXyxUobwNtTT7Ab594CYAw&usg=AFQjCNET4RdrbhFqvg8Ekhr5MOGFMN6I4w&sig2=0yofyxBSnYtZYLFq-pTdsA&bvm=bv.58187178,d.bGQ [Date accessed 21 November 2013)
Bibliography
1) Morris, G. All tht Heaven Allows & Written on the Wind DVD Review. [Online] Available from: http://www.imagesjournal.com/issue10/reviews/sirk/ [Date accessed 20 November 2013]
2) Graham, J. (2010) All That Heaven Allows: No 11 best romantic films. [Online] Available from: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/all_that_heaven_allows/ [Date accessed 20 November 2013]
3) Mertz, W (1993) POMP(OUS) SIRK-UMSTANCE: INTERTEXTUALITY, ADAPTION, AND ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS. [Online] Available from: http://www.academia.edu/530946/_Pomp_ous_Sirk-umstance_Intertextuality_Adaptation_and_All_That_Heaven_Allows_ [Date accessed 21 November 2013] 4) Watts, C. (1996) All That Patriarchy Allows: Gay Figures and Female Desire in All That Heaven Allows. [Online] Available from: http://www.cmn.hs.h.kyoto-u.ac.jp/NO1/SUBJECT2/ATPA.HTM [Date accessed 21 November 2013]