Far From Heaven is a drama set in the 1950s about
the perils of interracial friendship and flirting. Slow moving but excellent, with
strong dramatic structure.
Structural Analysis
Hook
The protagonist's husband is late for dinner. He's been arrested.
Complication
The husband is gay. The family gardener died, replaced by his handsome black son.
Call to Action
The wife convinces her husband to see a doctor to cure his "disease." She goes out of
her way to befriend the black gardener.
Act One Plot Point
She and the black gardener are seen in public together, starting vicious rumors about
their relationship.
Midpoint Plot Point
The husband announces his love for a man and wants a divorce. The wife fires the
gardener.
Act Two Plot Point
The gardener's daughter (he's a single parent) is attacked by school kids. The wife goes
to see him and learns he is leaving town. No, she can't visit -- interracial friendship between
the sexes, and their mutual attraction, is too dangerous.
Climax and Resolution
She rushes to the train station to see him off. And he still leaves. They cannot
transcend their times.
Notes
Ruthlessly honest, with a refusal to embrace the Hollywood ending. A fantastic film -- but it
sizzles beneath the surface, in its subtext, and is not for everyone.
MODULE 4: SCREENWRIGHT: the craft of screenwriting