Thanks All!
Have always had a soft spot for the 1950's (am loving the "Mad Men" effect), and it is great to see the era depicted in colour. For the longest time whilst young thought Mrs. Ricky Ricardo and such actually LIVED in black and white! *LOL*
As for the film itself, found it comical, and not that true to life, but then again what movie is?
Regarding the television, Mrs. W did not seem that keen on the appliance, regardless of what her husband did for a living. One scene has her telling off her son (something she seems to do alot of), to "turn that thing off", so perhaps she felt like many parents of the era that televison was not a good thing for children.
As for the gay theme, well was not around during the 1950's but know enough who were, many living the sort of surburban lifestyle of that era in two countries, and both North and South parts of the United States. Quite frankly the idea that in the late 1950's a white, middle to upper middle class corporate man leaving his wife and children to shack up with a boy nearly half his age (or any other man for that matter)at a Howard Johnsons, just wouldn't have happened.
Nor for that matter would a society matron such as Mrs. W ever have been caught running around with a "negro". Riding around in broad daylight and going into a bar with a black man, especially after she was already a bit too open with the same man at a public function before (the art gallery), would have been against everything.
Will give you that the film played upon the common theme of 1950's wives being rather dim when it came to their husbands activities. I mean the man is picked up for "loitering", and Mrs. W. swallows his story hook line and sinker. In the 1950's the only loitering police were mainly interested in was tarts and men creeping or lurking about in bushes. Add this to the fact the man is out at all hours, drinks too much and hasn't touched her in ages. When a man stops eating dinner at home, it most always means he had a rather large lunch elsewhere.
However in the end one felt sorry for Mrs.W, as she is the only one who does not get what they want, and is left alone. The woman also has to cope with the total break down of everything she once knew to be stable. Perhaps a portent of things to come with the arrival of the 1960's.
Still that house was gorgeous. A bit too many levels though. I mean all those steps on the ground floor. However the area is perfectly laid out for parties and such as one simply goes around and around. No doors to block off the living and dining rooms from each other. Oh that large bar was right on the money for the era.
