A film that could be used for this class is Revolutionary Road. This film depicts many underlying political and social messages of its time. In the film April Wheeler (Kate Winslet) is living in the suburbs of New York City in the 1950s with her husband, Frank Wheeler (Leonardo DiCaprio), and their children. It appears as though they are the perfect couple, living the American dream. This, however, is merely a façade that does not reflect the real issues that are taking place within their home and their lives. These issues mirror the greater political and social issues of the time.
The film deals with several topics relating to women and their rights. The first is abortion. April and Frank want to live out their dream life in France but are held back because April is pregnant. She is desperate to rid herself of the child but is unable to do so because Frank will not allow it. This reflects the patriarchal nature of the American family as well as that of American society. This idea is especially present in the film due to the time period in which it was set. It was in the 1950s that Americans really see a change starting to occur in the roles of women. But the struggle was not one that could be won easily. The inequality between men and women is portrayed in Frank’s office. There are no women present in the power wielding positions. In addition, Frank objectifies a woman in his office and uses her for his sexual needs.
The film also addresses the idea of the American Dream. The Wheelers are supposedly living the dream but it seems to be destroying them. Instead of living out their lives the way they want to, they conform to social norms and give up on their real dream in search of a false one. This eventually destroyed their family and any hopes of living out the American Dream.
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