History Film / Pleasantville

* AntiEscapismAesop: The film ends with the town being in color and learning to work with their problems.

* CulturePolice: Utilized as the presence of two kids from the real world starts making a small town from a sitcom set in an idealized version of TheFifties more and more real. One particularly non-subtle scene visually features an angry mob breaking into a store and tearing paintings apart -- then moving on to burn books. The town establishes a Code of Conduct prohibiting all recorded music except "Pat Boone, Johnny Mathis, Perry Como, Jack Jones, the marches of John Philip Sousa or 'The Star Spangled Banner'."

* CharacterDevelopment: David starts out the film as an introverted loner who thinks of the show as escapism. Halfway through the film, he begins to display more assertive leader traits and earns his color by punching out a thug who was attacking his TV mom. Likewise, Jennifer starts as a shallow, promiscuous fashionista whose original intent is to shake things up, but when given a fresh start, she realizes the value of education and earns her color by breaking a date to study.

* MonochromeCasting: Not a single racial or ethnic minority resident in Pleasantville. Not one. Not even a FunnyForeigner. 50s sitcoms were in fact lily-white, but one couldn't be faulted for thinking a movie so concerned with racism and culture change could have found a way around this.

* PrecisionFStrike:

* RuleOfSymbolism: The movie makes an [[Literature/TheBible Adam and Eve]] allusion twice [[spoiler: the first time when Jennifer sleeps with Skip, setting into motion Pleasantville becoming more "realistic." The second time is less subtle, with Margaret giving an apple to David.]]

--> '''George:''' Do you know what's going to happen now?
--> '''Betty:''' No, I don't. Do you know what's going to happen?
--> '''George:''' (''chuckles'') No... I don't. [''Camera pans over to Betty, then back to where George sat'']
--> '''Bill:''' [''Sitting in George's chair''] I guess I don't either.

* MonochromeCasting: Not a single ethnic minority resident in Pleasantville. Not one. Not even a FunnyForeigner. 50s sitcoms were in fact lily-white, but one couldn't be faulted for thinking a movie so concerned with racism and culture change could have found a way around this.

** What's the name of the sweet, perfect girl in ''Pleasantville''? {{Mary|Sue}} [[InvokedTrope Sue]].

A deliberately {{troperrific}} 1998 dramedy film written and directed by Gary Ross, starring Creator/ReeseWitherspoon, Creator/TobeyMaguire, Creator/JeffDaniels, Creator/JoanAllen, Creator/WilliamHMacy, Creator/JTWalsh, and Creator/DonKnotts.

* MarySue: {{Invoked}} in the form of the perfect, sweet sister character named Mary Sue -- although once Jennifer assumes her role, this quickly ends.

* MaybeEverAfter: The film ends with [[spoiler:Betty and Bill sitting on a bench, completely uncertain of what the future holds for them for the first time in their lives. [[TrailersAlwaysSpoil This scene is used near the end of the trailer.]]]]

** The Chamber of Commerce's logo seems vaguely menacing (reminiscent of fascist symbols), especially coupled with the angry atmosphere when it meets later. It starts invoking the RedScare (appropriately for a '50s based show) with their quite repressive Code of Conduct which bans all art or music they feel goes against Pleasantville's traditions, and also the KangarooCourt-like trial later.

* JerkassHasAPoint: Jennifer was originally a very selfish snob, and her decision to shake up the world is for less-than-noble reasons. However, even David comes to realize that his sister has a point.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: What happened to the old Bud and Mary Sue? You'd think that even the old Bud would come back once David leaves. It can be safe to assume, sadly, that they’re gone forever.

* HumansAreWhite: In-universe. Not a single ethnic minority resident in Pleasantville. Not one. Not even a FunnyForeigner.

* MonochromeCasting: 50s sitcoms were in fact lily-white, but one couldn't be faulted for thinking a movie so concerned with racism and culture change could have found a way around this.

* DramaticThunder: When George returns home to an (unknown to him at the time) empty house, devoid of his wife, his kids and his [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking dinner]], he announces "Honey, I'm home!". The heavens immediately respond with a loud crash.

* CatUpATree: The only thing the firemen do at first is rescuing cats from trees. There are no fire or emergencies in the idyllic world of Pleasantville.

For an oddly similar experience in book form, try ''Literature/TheGiver''. Also see ''Film/MidnightInParis'' for a similar story dealing with escapism, and ''Series/WandaVision'' for a [[PsychologicalHorror Psychological]] [[SurrealHorror Surreal]] SuperheroHorror-based take on the premise, which is set in not only the 50s, but in the following four decades as well.

For an oddly similar experience in book form, try ''Literature/TheGiver''. Also see ''Film/MidnightInParis'' for a similar story dealing with escapism, and ''Series/WandaVision'' for a [[PsychologicalHorror Psychological]] [[SurrealHorror Surreal]] SuperheroHorror-based take on the premise.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: What happened to the old Bud and Mary Sue? You'd think that even the old Bud would come back once David leaves.

For an oddly similar experience in book form, try ''Literature/TheGiver''. Also see ''Film/MidnightInParis'' for a similar story dealing with escapism, and ''Series/WandaVision'' for a [[PsychologicalHorror Psychological]] SuperheroHorror-based take on the premise.

** Jennifer again when she tries to claim the good TV for her date. She is trying to watch a live concert with someone she wants to impress, for which a larger screen and stereo sound would be essential. David is alone, watching reruns of a black and white show that he has already seen each episode of likely a dozen times. Picture and sound quality would be rather unimportant.

For an oddly similar experience in book form, try ''Literature/TheGiver''. Also see ''Film/MidnightInParis'' for a similar story dealing with escapism, and ''Series/WandaVision'' for a [[PsychologicalHorror Psychological]] SuperheroHorror-based take on the TrappedInTVLand premise.

For an oddly similar experience in book form, try ''Literature/TheGiver''. Also see ''Film/MidnightInParis'' for a similar story dealing with escapism.

A deliberately {{troperrific}} 1998 dramedy film written and directed by Gary Ross, starring Creator/ReeseWitherspoon, Creator/TobeyMaguire, Creator/JeffDaniels, Creator/JoanAllen, Creator/WilliamHMacy, J.T. Walsh, and Creator/DonKnotts.

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A deliberately {{troperrific}} 1998 dramedy film written and directed by Gary Ross, starring Creator/ReeseWitherspoon, Creator/TobeyMaguire, Creator/JeffDaniels, Joan Allen, Creator/WilliamHMacy, J.T. Walsh, and Creator/DonKnotts.