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A horrific glimpse into American Domesticity

posted 16 years ago by zurichpoet
7 replies | jump to latest

The horror of middle class American Domesticity which occurred post WWII is on full display in this terrifying movie; it’s trying to make it seem otherwise. Some kind of subversive savant genius was involved in the pop aesthetic of the movie.

Anyway, right from the title “Prize Winner” you get the social/ family relationships solely exist around a business winner take all mentality; and feature parents unable to separate business from a personal life and the terrible consequences soon to befall them.

Where the War of the Roses showed similar characters, but in that movie they were able to articulate their rage at the fate.
In this movie, it's subtle and unknowing violence people take out on each other. There is no malice; as I don't think these people are really aware of their motivations (or what does motivate them making it so much more deadly); but the same goal:
King of the Castle

Every scene is some form of race, then some strife at someone else's expense. And the kids become collateral damage. Truly tragic.

A foreshadowing of the blanket of nihism running currently in the country today can be in a scene in which the children pray to a company (!!), Dr. Pepper, for their mother win a contest.

The totality of feminity it's spirit being at the whim of a company took my breath away with it's sadness. I had to pause the movie and get a cold class of water and wash away the bad taste in my mouth.

The culmination of emotional and mental warfare leads out to the front steps and you have the greatest scene where she takes out all the emotional belittlement of her words, soul being used for silly jingles:

Woody Harrelson’s dad with a baseball mit, fixing it ... she’s got him sewing! He's trying to offer peace by relating. Nope. She won. Now with his balls gone, she scorns him; as she conquered him, the look on her face at the moment is priceless! Because she doesn't want to have to win. It's brutal. She's still human. But in some ways she comes to understand she can't be to survive.

A great movie to watch after the show Mad Men.
One facet of society putting a spell on the other. A deadly cocktail.

[–] martykel 16 years ago

Over analysis.

A great inspiring story of love, improvising and survival. Nothing more, nothing less. The marriage survived in spite of all the setbacks, and the TEN kids grew up and flourished.

The movie was also an excellent look back into the 50's and early 60's - right down to the clothes, toys, TV's, toy pistols, appliances, and eyeglass frames.

The phrase "The horror of middle class American Domesticity" is more relevant today (there is no "domesticity). The kids didn't grow up on the streets or in a gang. At least they stayed together, raised the kids, and interacted with them (as opposed to aborting them).

Although the dad had a drinking/self-esteem problem (how well could someone today cope with working in a machine shop & supporting 10 kids?) they weren't lazy no-accounts and they didn't use or sell drugs. Nor did they blame anyone else for their predicament - or expect the government to subsidize laziness and stupidity.

What's next? - Someone moaning because the kids played with evil (toy) guns?

[–] Noir-It-All 16 years ago

Living and enabling an alcoholic is something that is difficult to get over alone. Becoming lazy and/or criminal is not the only byproduct. I do agree that the family did not blame anyone else.

"Two more swords and I'll be Queen of the Monkey People." Roseanne

[–] mrliteral 16 years ago

What kind of moron thinks they were praying to Dr. Pepper? Duh, they were praying to win a Dr. Pepper contest...not actually "to" the company...sh!thead.

http://moviesonthemind.blogspot.com/

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] alithre 14 years ago

LOL MrL! I'm with you! Old thread by now, but made me laugh out loud!

Indeed, no one was praying to "Dr. Pepper", good grief some people are so gullible :) As for praying in the closet, that's merely a scripture that this film and others have given literal meaning to. The scripture says to go to your closet and pray, which simply means to have your privacy between God and you. Nobody I know has ever prayed in their literal closet - other than that creepy mom from "Carrie" yeesh. In this same literal manner people take too far, I hope they don't think "closeted" homosexuals stay cooped up in their closets all day long either. Uhm, newsflash, they DON'T.

Folks have GOT to stop reading too much into these films, I swear. They are an artistic expression and nothing more. This whole movie (that I love) is an over-dramatized glimpse into the 1950's housewife and a nation transforming. It's SUPPOSED to look like an Arm & Hammer baking soda commercial out of a 1950's magazine ad, sheesh! Learn to know the difference.

PS ~ If you liked this film, you will LOVE "Revolutionary Road." Much darker film, not a whole lot of humor AT ALL, but again a glimpse into the modern housewife of the 1950's trying her damnedest to portray her life like it was a 1950's girdle commercial, but humanly impossible to achieve.

[–] GaelicLass 12 years ago

Well said althire. I didn't see where someone literally praying in a closet. Another good one I heard was an older woman who always thought a passage in the bible that referred to a city of children literally meant little kids that made up a whole city when it was a metaphor of God's people being his children,,,I never laughed so hard.

IMDb; where 14 year olds can act like jaded 40 year old critics...another poster

[–] 12 years ago

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