The Prettiness of Colour in "All That Heaven Allows" (1955)

In Rosalind Galt’s “Pretty as Troublesome Image”, Galt discusses the concept of the “pretty” in melodrama, arguing that despite commonly being disregarded as secondary and unimportant, the pretty is not useless (pp.2). By the pretty, she is referring to aesthetic elements that are common in melodrama, but are often excluded from categories of “serious, real” film due to their use of visual aesthetic elements (pp.3). Rather than being unimportant or used simply as spectacle, Galt argues that the pretty in melodrama functions as a formal element in order to create meaning and that the common treatment of the pretty as secondary comes from its association with the feminine (pp. 4-5).

Galt’s arguments regarding the function of the pretty as a formal element is evident in Douglas Sirk’s 1955 film, All That Heaven Allows. The story follows the romantic relationship between widow Cary (Jane Wyman) and her gardener Ron (Rock Hudson), and the hardships they experience at the hands of both their peers and Cary’s children, who unfairly accuse Cary of being interested in Ron only for appearance based reasons. The film’s style works to create melodrama by having the formal elements mimic the events and emotions occurring on screen. These elements not only work to create meaning by reflecting the events on screen, but in the context of All That Heaven Allows, it also creates a style of melodrama that both illustrates and questions the issue of maternal self sacrifice. In discussing the film, and more specifically, the scenes in which Cary is confronted about her relationship with Ron by her children, and using Galt’s discussion of the pretty, I argue that the use of colour through lighting, setting, and costuming creates meaning by reflecting the events, emotions, and relationships occurring on screen and, in doing so, questions the issue of the feminine “pretty” within the narrative of the film as well as the issue of the maternal self sacrifice melodrama.

In this scene when Cary is confronted by her children about her relationship with Ron, the use of colour through lighting of both the characters and settings is incredibly important in translating meaning and events of the scene in visual ways.  The element of lighting is evident before Cary even enters her house and before she is even with her children. At the beginning of the scene, Ron is driving Cary home after a night out with their friends; when Cary and Ron are in the car together, they are lit in very warm yellow orange tones, whereas the area surrounding them, that is what is shown of the exterior of Ron’s car and the world outside of it are lit in cool, blue hues. Before Cary exits the car, there is a shot of the front of her home, with the exterior being lit in the same cool blue as the rest of the outside and what can be seen of the interior through the house is the same warm yellow as Cary and Ron in the car. In this way, colour theory is used through the lighting to create meaning; just as cool colours and warm colours, blue and orange, are opposite to one another on the colour wheel, Cary and Ron’s relationship is opposed by those outside of it (that is, by her peers and her children). Further, the placement of colour and lighting is important here as well; only inside Ron’s car when the couple is together and inside Cary’s home do we see these warm tones. These warm yellow tones become representative of the warmth and peacefulness felt within Cary and Ron’s relationship and this is reflected by only seeing it when they are alone together and inside Cary’s home, and this is further illustrated with the opposing cool blues outside surrounding them; together and in the safety of the car and the home they are at peace and safe from the judgment of those outside of the relationship.

This use of colour is once again seen later in the scene when Cary enters her home and is confronted by her son, Ned (William Reynolds). When Cary enters her home, both she and the home remain in the yellow lighting. This changes, however, during her conversation with Ned. While the conversation begins fairly calmly, Ned progressively becomes more aggressive with his mother and as he does so, he becomes framed in the same blue hues that were seen outside of the home until finally he storms out of the house, going out and fully immersing himself in and joining the cold blue judgmental outside that was shown previously. 

The element of lighting and colour is also used in the following scene when Cary’s daughter, Kay (Gloria Talbott), comes home in tears because of what her friends were saying about her mother and Ron’s relationship and Cary tries to comfort her. Unlike the previously discussed peaceful yellow and judgmental blue, this scene is instead lit with a kaleidoscope of  colours. While it may appear to be simply a moment of spectacle and visual aesthetics, there is once again a deeper meaning to be found; while the previously discussed colour representations are very clear and explicit, this scene with Kay is not and may raise confusion about the colours’ true meaning. However, after Kay’s explanation of what has happened, it becomes clear: Kay states that she is confused about what to do and how to feel about her mother’s relationship with Ron. Unlike Ned who was very clear about his distaste for his mother’s relationship, as was visually represented by the blue lighting, Kay does not know how to feel and consequently the way she is lit represents this by incorporating many colours to show these many emotions, rather than one specific colour to show one specific emotion. Cary herself is also lit in these various colours, implying that she has changed from her previous peacefulness in her relationship with Ron, to confusion likely stemming from the conflict between her love for Ron and her love for her daughter.  

In these ways, the functionality and importance of the pretty, as argued by Galt, is proven true. The visual aesthetics through the lighting of both characters and settings become associated with the events on screen and the emotions of which they light. Cary and Ron’s relationship and the judgment and opposition they face from those around them is mimicked through the oppositional ways in which they, the children, and the world around them is coloured. Here, the pretty functions through the lighting and works to create meaning along with the narrative by symbolically illustrating where each character is in regard to their emotions and feelings towards one another. 

The issue of the pretty may also be seen through costuming in previous scenes, most notably, Cary’s iconic red dress, as well as simply in the narrative of the film itself. In this scene, Cary just wants to go out with her partner and her intentions appear completely pure. However, the bright red of her dress raises concern from her children and others around her, who look down on her due to her dress. Galt argues that feminine films, such as melodrama, are often dismissed due to being viewed as fake and simply cosmetic (pp. 25). Similarly, those around Cary use her bright red dress as justification for dismissing her love for Ron by assuming that she is superficial, caring only about her appearance. It is also assumed, as is revealed in various instances, including the previously mentioned scene when Kay comes home crying, that Cary is only interested in Ron due to his youth and his looks. Just as the pretty, feminine melodramatic film is dismissed due to its cosmetics, Cary’s love for Ron is dismissed as a result of these assumptions; both Cary and melodrama are viewed negatively by outsiders due to their assumed superficiality. Once again, the pretty functions as an important creator of meaning, both through the dress and through the narrative of the film itself, as its common judgment and dismissal mirrors the judgment and dismissal of Cary’s love for Ron. 

These uses of the pretty further create meaning through their connection to the sub genre of melodrama known as the maternal melodrama, which is typically marked by the mother’s sacrifice of her connection to her children and the punishment of the mother should she possess any vices ie: not sacrifice herself for her children  (Williams, pp. 3-4). Cary wishes to make her children happy at the expense of her own happiness - that is, the expense of her relationship with Ron. Throughout the course of the film, and her relationship, she is punished by her children and others in her town, for choosing to date someone (and this is especially so due to the age difference and the previously discussed assumption of superficiality). These punishments that come in the form of judgment increase in frequency and aggression, as seen through her argument with Ned, the longer her relationship continues. The transgression and breaking of connection between her and the children is evident in the difference of lighting colour in the scene when Cary is confronted by her children. These moments are arguably one of the peaks of her conflict with her children, as it is when both Ned and Kay express their feelings towards their mother and Ron most explicitly, and this is reflected through the aforementioned oppositional coloured lighting. This difference in lighting illustrates the conflict and loss of connection in a visual way in order to separate mother from child despite them still being physically together on screen. Ned being washed in cool blue hues against Cary’s warm yellows further illuminates the complete loss of connection between them in addition to his aggressive way of speaking. Kay, on the other hand, represents the slowly fading connection between her and Cary, as the multitude of colours demonstrates her confused feelings. While she is not coloured the complete opposite to Cary, she is also not coloured in the same previous yellow, showing that while she is not completely against her mother, she is not completely with her either. The loss of connection has not yet come for Kay, but it is arguably on its way, as illustrated through this scene. 

In an attempt to mend her relationship with her children, Cary breaks off her relationship with Ron, effectively fulfilling the sacrificial prophecy of the maternal melodrama. However, instead of being rewarded for her virtuous actions (Williams, pp. 3), she is further punished when Kay reveals she has gotten engaged and that she, and Ned, will be moving away. Despite Cary’s sacrifice for her children, she still must face the loss of her children. The speed at which Cary sacrifices her own happiness for children’s and when the children move on and leave her despite this, not only illustrates the maternal sacrifice in melodrama, but further complicates it as it explicitly shows the extent to which Cary is willing to go to in order to make her children happy, only to be further ‘punished’ when she is left alone once again. It is made clear how unfair the situation is for her, as it was her children that insisted she stop dating Ron, and it is them who choose to leave her and force her to be fully alone, despite the fact that she sacrificed her own happiness for them, effectively calling into question the self sacrifice expected in motherhood and the devaluing of the mother herself. Cary points this out herself as well, saying that it has all been completely pointless; that is, her sacrifice has been pointless, as she has lost her children regardless.

In the scene when Kay and Ned reveal they will be leaving, the use of colour through lighting and costuming is once again evident. Cary’s clothing has changed from her bright red to a black, with Kay sporting the bright red instead, potentially illustrating Cary’s loss of love and happiness, which Kay now possesses as a result of both her own engagement and the sacrifice made by her mother. This use of colour illustrates the closeness between Cary and Kay and propels Williams’ argument that because of this closeness, they are destined to lose one another, which is precisely what is occurring in this scene (pp. 3).  The use of colour is further used when the television is introduced and Cary is framed within it in black and grey tones. The loss of her previous peaceful warm tones illustrates the lost relationship with Ron as well as the lost relationship with her children, neither of which were positioned within the television with Cary, further reinforcing the severed connection between Cary and her children. This severed connection, despite her sacrifice, both helps to create a maternal sub genre of melodrama and brings attention to this aspect of the maternal melodrama and the unfairness of the expectation of self sacrifice. 

This use of the pretty - that is, the use of vibrant colour - in All That Heaven Allows supports Galt’s claims that the pretty in melodrama is not simply superficial. Rather, it works as a formal element to help create meaning through the use of colour in lighting of characters and settings, as well as through costuming, by reflecting the events, emotions, and relationships shown on screen. The pretty and its dismissal due to assumption of superficiality is further demonstrated through the narrative and the assumptions and dismissal of Cary’s love for Ron. This use of colour also works to create and question the sacrificial element of the maternal melodrama by explicitly portraying the unfairness between Cary’s sacrifice and the continued punishment she receives for her “vice” (her relationship with Ron). All of these elements involve the use of the pretty, as described by Galt, and work to challenge the common dismissal of the pretty within the film, as it creates important meaning in various ways within the film.