October 26, 1998 -- "Pleasantville" is quite an achievement for first-time director Gary Ross (who wrote "Dave" and "Big"). It is not only an entertaining film comically and dramatically, but it is thought-provoking as well. Ross, who also wrote the screenplay, has achieved one of the best films of the year.

"Pleasantville" tells the story of two modern-day teenagers, David (Tobey Maguire, known as "Bud" in Pleasantville he previously appeared in "The Ice Storm") and Jennifer (Reese Witherspoon, known as "Mary" in Pleasantville who formerly appeared in "Fear" and "Freeway") are transported into the black and white world of an old television show set in the 1950's similar to "Father Knows Best."

The characters in this peculiar universe are doomed, like the Flying Dutchman, to repeat the changeless course of their daily lives over and over without ever getting anywhere. Their lives are controlled by a mindless conformity. Women are virtually chained to the kitchen. Social strata are rigid. There isn't a black, Chicano, Oriental or any other ethnic person to be found in Pleasantville. It is pure WASP country. It is the nightmare world of the 1950s.

Bud is an expert on Pleasantville, having watched the show many times. He is convinced they have to maintain the plot lines of the show to get back to their own universe. His sister, Mary, is not interested in maintaining the plot line. She wants to live her life. Her decision, and eventually Bud's decision to follow suit, changes the entire universe of Pleasantville.

Things begin to change from black and white to color. People who once blindly followed their narrowly defined roles in life begin to question those roles. A soda jerk, Mr. Johnson (Jeff Daniels of "Dumb and Dumber") discovers he's not happy with what he's doing. He wants to be an artist. Housewife Betty Parker (Joan Allen of "The Ice Storm" and "Face/Off" and "Nixon") discovers she's not happy at home and leaves her husband, George (William H. Macy of "Fargo" and "Boogie Nights." ).

The mayor of Pleasantville, Big Bob (the late J.T. Walsh of "Breakdown") tries to get things back to normal black and white by holding town meetings. He advocates a return to conformity. Soon, signs go up around town saying "no coloreds allowed," referring to the non-conforming people who are in color, as opposed to black and white. The same signs, of course, used to keep blacks out of businesses. The battle lines are drawn.

The film is a stunning visual achievement with black and white images often sharing the screen with vivid color. The acting is superb with wonderful performances by Joan Allen, Daniels, Macy, Walsh, McGuire and Witherspoon. The story is a marvelous combination of humor, drama, wistfulness, wonder and beauty. It is a wonderfully mythic tale of the tensions between conformity, humanity and inner truth. It rates an A.

Click here for links to places to buy this movie in video and/or DVD format, the soundtrack, books, even used videos, games and lots of other stuff. I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.