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Pleasantville (1998)

PG-13 | | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy | 23 October 1998 (USA)
Pleasantville Poster
Trailer
0:31 | Trailer
Two 1990s teenage siblings find themselves in a 1950s sitcom, where their influence begins to profoundly change that complacent world.

Director:

Gary Ross

Writer:

Gary Ross

Stars:

Tobey Maguire, Jeff Daniels, Joan Allen | See full cast & crew »
71
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Popularity
1,355 ( 1,180)
Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 18 wins & 42 nominations. See more awards »

Videos

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Photos

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
William H. Macy ... George
Joan Allen ... Betty
Natalie Ramsey ... Mary Sue
Kevin Connors ... Bud
Jeff Daniels ... Mr. Johnson
Tobey Maguire ... David
Heather McGill Heather McGill ... Girl in School Yard
Paul Morgan Stetler ... College Counselor
Denise Dowse ... Health Teacher
McNally Sagal ... Science Teacher
Jane Kaczmarek ... David's Mom
Giuseppe Andrews ... Howard
Reese Witherspoon ... Jennifer
Marissa Ribisi ... Kimmy
Jenny Lewis ... Christin
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Storyline

David Wagner is a kid whose mind is stuck in the 1950s. He's addicted to a classic 50's sitcom television show called "Pleasantville". Pleasantville is a simple place, a place where all of its citizens are swell and simple-minded folks, a place where the word "violence", and life outside of Pleasantville, is unbeknownst to its inhabitants; things are perfect down in Pleasantville. One evening, the life of David and his obnoxious sister Jennifer take a bizarre turn when an eccentric repairman hand them a supposed magical remote. After a quarrel between the siblings, they inexplicably zap themselves into the world of "Pleasantville". Now, David and Jennifer must adjust to a 50s lifestyle of repressed desires and considerably different societal values while trying to find their way home. Written by Kyle Perez

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

1950s | trapped in tv | censorship | symbolism | rebellion | See All (138) »

Taglines:

Pleasantville - It's Just Around the Corner See more »

Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some thematic elements emphasizing sexuality, and for language | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

While David answers questions in the diner scene, the music in the background is Take Five from Dave Brubeck's album Time Out. Almost all jazz is written in 4/4 time, but the Time Out album consists solely of tracks with non 4/4 time signatures. The Take Five cut, for example, is 5/4. Thus, with the song and in the movie, we are invited into a new world of possibility. See more »

Goofs

The flag outside the school has 48 stars, the correct number for 1958. The one atop the fire truck has 50 stars. By 1958, it was well known that the 50-star flag would be introduced soon, and 50-star flags were available, but it still seems unlikely that an official vehicle would be flying an unofficial flag (especially since the official flag in 1959 had 48 stars until July 3rd, and 49 stars from July 4th until the end of the year). See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
[David is gazing admiringly at a pretty blonde girl]
David: *Hi*
[chuckles]
David: I mean, Hi. Uh, look, you probably don't think I should be asking you this. I mean, not knowing you well and all? I mean, you know, I, I, I know you, 'cause everybody knows you. I just don't know you technically. Uh, anyhow. Uh, I don't know what you're doing this weekend, but my mom's leaving town, and she's letting me borrow the car.
[...]
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Crazy Credits

The New Line logo plays in complete silence. See more »

Connections

References Last Action Hero (1993) See more »

Soundtracks

(Let Me Be Your)Teddy Bear
Written by Kal Mann and Bernie Lowe
Performed by Elvis Presley
See more »

User Reviews

 
Anyone Remember this One?
13 January 2019 | by socratesadamo – See all my reviews

This is an old film from my childhood. It is about a boy who magically travels into the wonderful world of his favorite black and white TV show. There is plenty of fun to be had here and even a fun later performance from the late Don Knotts, co-star of one of MY favorite black and white TV show.

Overall it's a good classic from the nineties, although sadly it seems to be mostly forgotten by now. Recommend.
9 of 14 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you? | Report this
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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Won't Jennifer's real mother wonder where her daughter is when she is gone for a long time?
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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 October 1998 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

Pleasantville See more »

Filming Locations:

Petaluma, California, USA See more »
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Box Office

Budget:

$60,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,855,063, 25 October 1998

Gross USA:

$40,584,421

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$49,805,462
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

Production Co:

New Line Cinema, Larger Than Life Productions See more »
Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
See full technical specs »
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