Anti-American??

I took it to be anti American but in an allegorical way. Not due to the depression era setting at all. Some of these criticisms could be relevant to other nations too but some things were right on the money when it comes to American immigration and foreign policies.

Grace had never worked a day in her life. She had never needed to. She was in a position of power in her own (country) community. On entering (the US) Dogville she was required to "fit in" and to pay for the privilege of being there. There was a required period of adjustment before she would be accepted. This is a very accurate description of the Work Permit to Green Card scenario in the US. The meetings with the townspeople were very reminiscent of US immigration meetings. You have to make us like, and believe, you in order for you to stay. The town put her to work in service industry jobs that are very typical for immigrants in the US. She looked after the Gooseberries as so many Mexican immigrants who become gardeners in the US. Nannies, cooks, cleaners, etc. The seven porcelain figurines that would have looked tacky to her a week ago suddenly became appealing. I feel that this is a direct comparison with the consumer culture of the west and in particular the US.

After she has been accepted by the community she is still under scrutiny and is not permitted to leave the town. Another trait of INS. Immigrants are permitted to leave but under somewhat draconian and often unclear conditions. Her transgressions were ultimately unclear to her. This could represent any clash of cultural ideologies.

I couldn't shake the feeling that the destruction of the town was a representation of the 9/11 attacks. Foreign forces that felt corrupted by a country that had once been an ally. But this could take us down a rabbit hole of conspiracy theories that I'm not ready to delve into.


"Never eat yellow snow" 

...but so what if it is? Is nobody allowed to critique the USA? If anything a subtext of criticism adds a layer of depth to the story that just makes it more interesting.

"Never eat yellow snow" 

Even if this was criticizing USA, who cares? America is not perfect and that ending was a breath of fresh air.

I agree with you. I see it as being about the nature of humanity.

Yes, those are Depression era photos. One of them is very famous. Not sure what they had to do with the film. Unless maybe the poor people who suffered in the depression were representative of Grace, and American society that caused the depression was representative of the inhabitants of Dogville. American society being the financial people, who caused the depression through greed and unethical and illegal behavior.

Or maybe the depression era people were supposed to represent the inhabitants of Dogville, the implication being that poverty will drive people to do awful things.

Not sure what the Bowie song has to do with it. It seems to be about a foreign woman, or some woman, who keeps getting used by men, all the while she's looking for "where have Papa's heroes gone?" All she wants is a "young American," I guess implying she's foreign.