Journal of Applied Communications
Volume 99 | Issue 1 Article 3
The aP storal Fantasy on the Silver Screen: The Influence of Film on American Cultural Memory of the Agrarian Landscape Annie R. Specht
Tracy Rutherford
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Recommended Citation Specht, Annie R. and Rutherford, Tracy (2016) "The asP toral Fantasy on the Silver Screen: The nflueI nce of Film on American Cultural Memory of the Agrarian Landscape," Journal of Applied Communications: Vol. 99: Iss. 1. https://doi.org/10.4148/ 1051-0834.1038
This Research is brought to you for free and open access by New Prairie Press. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of Applied Communications by an authorized administrator of New Prairie Press. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The aP storal Fantasy on the Silver Screen: The nflueI nce of Film on American Cultural Memory of the Agrarian Landscape
Abstract Entertainment media are a powerful source of cultural influence. Films are especially adept at capturing and preserving for posterity the attitudes, actions, and landscapes of historical events and eras, making them part of cultural memory — society’s shared recollection of past events as depicted in cultural artifacts. Nowhere is this ability better demonstrated than in cinematic portrayals of American agrarian life. In 2001, the Kellogg Institute found Americans recall agricultural landscapes as a sort of pastoral fantasy of rolling green hills, forests, and pristine fields crisscrossed by dirt roads. These images, which constitute Americans’ shared cultural memory of agrarian existence, may have been influenced by film portrayals of agriculture. For this study, nine films that met criteria for inclusion of agricultural imagery, cultural significance, and release at least 10 years prior to the Kellogg study were content-analyzed for their visual and thematic adherence to the pastoral fantasy described by Kellogg respondents. Of those f ilms, only two presented agrarian imagery that did not conform to the pastoral fantasy, including depictions of a West Texas cattle ar nch at the height of summer and a Midwestern farm muddied by fall harvest. The er maining films contained imagery strongly associated with the pastoral fantasy, indicating they may serve as vehicles for traditional agricultural themes.
Keywords Agriculture, cultural memory, film, visual imagery
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This research is available in Journal of Applied Communications: https://newprairiepress.org/jac/vol99/iss1/3 Published byNewPrairiePress, 2017 Research Abstract Agricultural Communications Section. Communications Agricultural Scientists – Agricultural Association of waspresented theSouthern This manuscript atthe2014meeting of ofAmeri occupation of themajority once reigned as theprimary and fiberthough thefood industry phenomena (Chadwick, 2002). media, therefore, specific interpretations ofsociocultural toalterandnaturalize liesintheir ability byframed screenwriters, directors, and producers (Caldwell, 2008). The real power of entertainment successive for generations theattitudes, alsopreserve they actions, ofbygone andlandscapes as days lection, contextualization, rehabilitation: andeven era, capture theoeuvre Asmovies ofaparticular comedies, (Eley, anddocumentaries 2001; Steveker, 2009). recol provides ameansofhistorical Film beingrecreatedconstantly andrepackaged successive for generations infilm dramas, andtelevision on the planet” system the most influential ideological is arguably entertainment (p. 3). is History isby now ofourexistence[that]…tertainment woven sothoroughly intothefabric theculture of isembeddedinhumanity’s understandingofculture.Entertainment Per Stromberg(2011), “en Introduction Agriculture, memory, cultural film, visualimagery Key Words associated withthepastoral themes. fantasy, as vehicles traditional agricultural for may serve they indicating strongly contained imagery muddiedby farm fallharvest. andaMidwestern summer films The remaining tothat didnotconform thepastoral fantasy, a including depictionsof West Texas ranch cattle attheheight of presented imagery the pastoral agrarian onlytwo fantasy describedby respondents. Kellogg thosefilms, Of to content-analyzed theirvisualandthematicadherence least 10yearsto for were prior study theKellogg andreleaseat imagery, agricultural cultural inclusionof significance, for thatmetcriteria study, ninefilms agriculture. For portrayals of existence, agrarian of this cultural memory mayhave been influencedby film by roads. dirt crisscrossed hills,These images, forests, fields which andpristine constitute Americans’ shared pastoral landscapes of agricultural asasort recall fantasyrollinggreen of InstituteAmericans logg found better life. agrarian this ability demonstrated In2001, American thanincinematicportrayals of theKel —society’s culturalof memory past events recollection of asdepicted shared incultural artifacts. is Nowhere posterity theattitudes, for actions, andlandscapes historicalevents anderas,preserving of makingthempart cultural of source influence. and especially are atcapturing Films adept Entertainment apowerful mediaare Landscape Agrarian American the Cultural Memory of Screen: Filmon TheInfluence of The Pastoral ontheSilver Fantasy Agricultural production islimitedtoafraction ofthenation’sAgricultural intheUnitedStates population, Specht andRutherford:ThePastoralFantasyontheSilverScreen:InfluenceofFilm Annie R. Spechtand Tracy Rutherford Journal ofApplied Communications, Volume99, No.1• 21 - - - - 1 DOI: 10.4148/1051-0834.1038 https://newprairiepress.org/jac/vol99/iss1/3 Research threat offreed Blacks, screen. on setthestage continued the silver for mythmaking Hansen (2001) protected the Ku Klan innocent white women inwhich Klux and children from society the Southern (Hansen, 2001, p. viewing 128)after “discover apast thatmakesthepresent more tolerable” (Anderson, 2001, p. 23). to theiraudiences: individual’s experiences, knowledge, beliefs, andvalues. commonsense world”everyday (Wekesa, 2012, p. 235; Werner, 2003)—astore dependentupon the may bedefined as “the store ofbackground knowledge upon the wheninterpreting thatone calls (Sturken, 2008, p. 74), artifacts. historical thansemi-permanent rather Inshort, memory cultural redefines as memories “narratives, andpersonal as fluid andmediated cultural tracesofthepast” thought(Sturken, ofnarrative toshapehistorical the ability 2008). conceptually memory Cultural questions ofidentity, studying increasingly themselves ars found ofimagery, thepoliticization and ofsocial, boundaries traditional scholarly material, andmentalaspectsofhumanlife. (Erll, 2008a, p. 2). memory,”“Cultural therefore, isabroad conceptual thattranscends framework traditions,’ tothehostoftransnational lieuxdemémoire andfinally …acts ofremembering inasocialcontext togroup memory withits ‘invented tonational memory inception, awide array ofphenomena has been used to describe the term “ranging from individual the collective mind—howcome memory. they toconstitute —iscultural social reality its Since in andpreserved throughThe mechanism visualandnarrative discoursesare which crystallized Literature Review 1: andPolicy Public MakerUnderstandingofAgriculture andNatural Resources (Doerfert, 2011). infulfillment life ofNational American Researchreified Agenda Priority ideal ofrural thepastoral agriculture, American portray how films toexplicate have created thisstudywasundertaken and 2005). media texts that describe, of a larger endeavor As part to aggregate and analyze discuss, or production andtheirinfluenceson publicperception (Holt&Cartmell, 2013; Ruth, Lundy, &Park, and fiber of food media portrayals research entertainment and catalog has been done to describe glean their knowledge throughand fiber about the food Americans which industry. To date, little ofU.S.derstand society’s construction cultural agriculture, we must first understandtheapparatuses images of “a fresh green … landscape avirgincontinent!” (p. 3). culture centuries, for American haspervaded replete symbols with portrayal culminatingincultural America. ofpre-industrialrural (1964)notesthisfantastic yearning —thebucolicimagery for Marx foundations, U.S. oftheagrarian ofmythology asort hasemerged, hearkening to—andeven back (Conkin,cans 2008; Hurt, 2002; Kolodny, 1975). Asthe nation hasmoved away from itsagricultural In 1915, President Woodrow inlightning” filmmaking history tobe declared Wilson “writing toward and allowaudiencesto norms sociocultural These mediamainstream memory cultural be retained by wholegenerations. (Erll, 2008b, p. 389) …historian) [possessing]thepotentialtogenerate andmoldimages will of the pastwhich the for alarming (andsomewhat scholar theliterary fascinatingfor past inaway thatistruly media…Fictional by theirpower are toshapethecollective imagination ofthe characterized version of a culture’s and sentimentalized tend to present and television an idealized Film history schol 1990s as traditional memory grew in the late 1980s and early Interest memory in cultural This “agrarian myth” (Appleby, media; shapedby entertainment 1982)hasbeeninpart toun- Journal ofAppliedCommunications,Vol.99,Iss.1[2016],Art.3 Birth of aNation of .Birth The film, depictedanantebellum which Journal ofApplied Communications, Volume99, No.1• 22 such as the Holocaust and9/11” astheHolocaust such - 2 Published byNewPrairiePress, 2017 Research the W. K. Foundation’s Kellogg life. studyof perceptions rural of American study,The Kellogg con contexts (Thibault, 1991; Bernstein, 1981). basedon The selectedtexts were codedintoatypology relationships andframe among meanings, semioticcodesclassify Social theirrealizations, and their Coding using the Similar pling effected “Find Titles” command. ofkeywords wereety used, including “farm,” “farmer,” “agriculture,” and “rural,” withsnowball sam DatabaseStatistics,” (“IMDB characters 2012). To asubstantive analysis, develop samplefor avari relatedinformation tofilms, programs, television performers, production personnel, andfictional base (IMDB), anonline resource thatcompiles development, distribution, box office, andthematic that grounds ofthisstudy. thesemioticframework theirrelease;until 10years after 1990marks approximately 10years tothecollectionofdata prior Board statesfilmsbeconsidered Preservation National (NFPB) cannot Film “culturally significant” were agriculture —and1990. produced between 1950—thedawnofmodern anddistributed The defined bytionally theresearcher asreceiving recognition excellence and/orwideviewership; for and and/orsetting;plot device fulfilled therequirements tobeconsidered “culturally significant,” opera For inthisstudy, inclusion textsmetthree criteria: agriculture asa post-industrial incorporated They Text Selection contexts sociocultural (Crawford, ofparticular texts asartifacts 1988). istointerpret prove ordisprove ofcontent analysis whetherornotatextreflects thepurpose reality; without first asking, by Interpreted whom, andinwhatcontext?” (p. 138). cannot Content analysis (2001) notes, is no way attempt to understand how that we a text might be interpreted can “There matter) tothecontexts oftheiruse” (p. 18). The term “context” specialattention: deserves AsMcKee as “a research making replicable and valid inferences for from technique texts (or other meaningful a semiotic, orvisualsign-based, content analysis. isdefined (2004) by Content analysis Krippendorff artifact; cultural haslong beenstudiedasanimportant thisstudytreats featureFilm films astextsfor Methods compared tegral toculture,tegral economy, oftheUnitedStates: agriculture. andhistory issues, ofsociocultural portrayals events, andepochs. in industry on This studyfocuses aparticular ofthevictimsthemselves. characterization picture whileatthesametime failing torefutepresent event ofanappalling the negative anidealized ing theinhumantreatment (2001, ofthosesamecharacters p. 132). Inthisway, thefilm attemptsto — stereotypes petuates anti-Semitic “money-grubbing Jews, Jew-as-eternal-victim”- — while decry history” for claims (2001, itsown truth to assert p. 132). subsumes the tropes,not only themes, but also movies and images them of previous Holocaust “uses (p. 131). Spielberg’s work, Hansenargued, from suffers aBarthesian “reality effect,” thefilm inwhich (p. 127). towhatandhow anation remembers” tolayand unequaldiscursive claim arenas intheireffort but… contesting pointsofview aged to catalyze makevisiblethecontestation they among various Texts were identified asagriculture-related usingkeyword searches Data on Movie theInternet Cultural memory provides aflexible, memory Cultural media thestudyofentertainment for innovative framework of Schindler’sIn her analysis List, the film Hansen (2001) described as a product”“Hollywood to Steven Spielberg’s opus toSteven 1993Holocaust Birth Specht andRutherford:ThePastoralFantasyontheSilverScreen:InfluenceofFilm Schindler’s List, Hansencontended, alsoper Journal ofApplied Communications, Volume99, No.1• 23 Schindler’s List, statingbothfilms “man------
3 DOI: 10.4148/1051-0834.1038 https://newprairiepress.org/jac/vol99/iss1/3 Research from theopeningcredits. destinationnumbers.) Curley’s isthehomeandherAunt ofLaurey Eller, the picturesque homestead dancesequencesandlargeshots andtocompensate themovement oftheactors musical for during inwide two widescreenthat allowed thefilmmakers formats totakeadvantage scenery ofthenatural thanks tothefilm’s screen ratio: blue skyandapasture ofwell-fed, full bald-faced cattle. effective shots are tracking especially (These pastafield ofwavinggreen asherides silhouettedagainstabrilliant corn Curly ing shotfollows Curly, greeting theday on tothetuneof horseback “Oh, aBeautifulMornin.’” What Along track the landscape, andatidyyellow (see farmhouse shotofatraditional scene:over astill farm ared surrounded barn by whitefence, dotting haystacks cowboys whohave andthefarmers more settledtheterritory. recently the romantic ofthecommunity’s foibles young peopleisacurrent oftension between thefootloose by thepresence ofJudFry, thelecherous Laurey’s hired farm. handwhoruns small Underscoring (Gordon MacRae) and his headstrong amour, Jones), (Shirley Laurey is complicated Williams which homa Territory circa 1906. romance McClain The plot details the turbulent between cowboy Curly stage play andfilm communityinOkla providehomage aslice-of-life toatightknitagricultural was directed by Fred (“Oklahoma!”, with cinematography Zinneman n.d.). bySurtees Robert The genre. The film, adapted from theRodgers andHammersteinstage production ofthesamename, Oklahoma! (Hornblow, Jr., & Zinneman, film 1955) is considered of the movie-musical a classic Rodgers andHammerstein’s Oklahoma! commodities, from tomassive ranging farms produce livestock small operations. nating with1989’s selection for inthestudy,Nine textsmetthecriteria beginningwith1955’s Results dream world: to thebucoliclandscape. asafarm-filledpastoral America ofrespondents rural described Amajority Based on theresults study, oftheKellogg are themostcommon tied America perceptions ofrural The pastoral fantasy. on thefirst ofthese: by studyrespondents. fantasyasdescribed Kellogg thepastoral rural landscape, thatare connected directly tothenation’s UnitedStates the rural andfiber food system: thepastoral Americans.and urban themesrelated toperceptions of three primary studyunearthed The Kellogg ducted inlate2001, withrural, theresults reported ofmore than200telephone interviews suburban, Oklahoma! to as “the country.” (Kellogg, 2002, p. 4) roads.banks anddirt Taken together, whatmany comprises respondents this landscape refer in thebackground are broad brushstrokes ofrolling hills, openspace, abundanttrees, ditch pastures … Family standatthecenterofpainting, farm memberstoilingover asmall but Respondents’ are dominated America by farm, images notions ofthefamily ofrural crops and is rife with imagery related to the agrarian ideal. related totheagrarian withimagery is rife The film’s openingcredits fade in the traditionalfamilyfarm . Dreams Field of These films ofproduction represent and varieties awidevariety Journal ofAppliedCommunications,Vol.99,Iss.1[2016],Art.3 was shot simultaneously inCinemascopeand Oklahoma! wasshotsimultaneously Todd-AO, , and (1955) the decline of the agrarian tradition theagrarian the declineof Figure 1).Figure Following the credits, pansto the camera Journal ofApplied Communications, Volume99, No.1• 24 Oklahoma! andculmi- . This paperfocuses - - 4 Published byNewPrairiePress, 2017 Research large part to the contemporary film of technologies tothecontemporary large part Technicolor 2). andCinemascope(seeFigure photography Ted McCord’s saturated, paletteisdeeply thecolorslush, theexpanseswide, thanksin itself: paradise of green fields a rich where mankind may flourish. As Crowther noted, director of Elia Kazan’s filmmaking: virtuosic army. Adam by isfelled astroke, andCalremains hisfather. behindcare for profiteering; inretaliation, secret Calshares withAron, anupsettingfamily whodecidestojointhe the profits gift. tohisfatherasabirthday Adam rejects Cal’s money, opposedtowar beingmorally themarket raise valueofhiscrop.cipient warwithGermanywill off,The gamblepays andCalgives loses his investment. his father’s Seeking approval, Cal invests in bean production, the in- believing hisproduce toNew York tocarry to create car arefrigeratedtrain City. theproject fails, When he JamesDean)andAron (Richard Davalos). Adam,( wholongs tobeamanof “great ideas,” attempts nia, ofprosperous Adam farmer thestory andtells Trask sons, andhistwin Massey) (Raymond Cal Eden,of Steinbeck’s tale ofCainandAbel, oftheBiblical variation issetin1917Salinas, Califor tion ofJohn Steinbeck’s Eden ,” novel ofthesamename(“East of Prize-winning Pulitzer n.d.).East In 1955, Warner Brothers releasedEden(Kazan, anddirector Eastof EliaKazan 1955), anadapta - Elia Kazan’s EastofEden 1955). andAunt 1.Laurey Figure Eller’s homestead from thefilm Like Steinbeck’s intoEden novel, countryside theCalifornia transforms thefilm allegorically with atmosphere. (Crowther, 1955, para. 5) famous Salinas “salad bowl,” inthesunshine, tothehorizon focused sharply fragrant are fairly settingsisalmostbeyondin hisCalifornia compare. ofverdant Hisviews inthe farmlands The usethatMr. expanseandmood andcolorincapturing hasmade ofCinemaScope Kazan of In hisreview Specht andRutherford:ThePastoralFantasyontheSilverScreen:InfluenceofFilm East of Eden East of (1955) , New YorkNew Crowther filmBosley remarked Times critic upon director Journal ofApplied Communications, Volume99, No.1• 25 Oklahoma! (Hornblow, Jr., &Zinneman, - 5 DOI: 10.4148/1051-0834.1038 https://newprairiepress.org/jac/vol99/iss1/3 Research Figure 4). to laterscenessetatReata(seeFigure wooden (see barns are akaleidoscopeofverdant hues, and anddottedwithfarmhouses linedwithwhitefence thehills pay homage America. topopularperceptions ofrural The openingscenes, filmedVirginia, inrural atoddswith that issomewhat by George Stevens, odetothe stateof oversized Texas basedon thenovel ofthesamenameby EdnaFerber. Helmed In 1956, audienceswere American introduced to George Stevens’ Giant(1956) 2.AdamFigure Trask inthelushfields intheSalinas Valley oversees harvest (Kazan, 1955). the turbulent sociocultural changes of life in20 changes oflife sociocultural the turbulent handJettRinkbuildsanoilempire, ranch wildcatter three raise children andface andLeslie Bick Leslie’s (Elizabeth Taylor) 1920stotheoilboom ofthe1940sand intheearly marriage ’50s. While Hudson) ofReata from andhisEast-Coast-bred (Rock ofscion wife Benedict family thedays Bick The pastoral fantasy is traditionally associatedwithrolling green andcopioustrees: fantasyistraditionally hills The pastoral imagery Figure 3).Figure isastark contrast oftheEastCoastcountryside gentility The agrarian Giant wasfilmed oninMarfa, location Texas (“ Journal ofAppliedCommunications,Vol.99,Iss.1[2016],Art.3 Giant’s more desolate West Texas setting. However, thefilm does th Century Texas.Century Giant (Ginsburg & Stevens, 1956), asweeping, Journal ofApplied Communications, Volume99, No.1• 26 Giant,” n.d.). the Giantfollows burg &Stevens, 1956). (Gins- horsefarm Maryland oftheir take inthescenery 3.Figure andherfather Leslie 6 Published byNewPrairiePress, 2017 Research farm buildings,farm green forests, roads 5). andwindingdirt (seeFigure is apatchwork offields —areflection, perhaps, ofheroine Fern Arable’s —peppered surname with ground, directors designedby Aragon, Ray art Paul Julian, (“ andBobSinger subjectmatter. advantage andagrarian taking full ofthebucoliclandscape The film’s visualback new.”and busybrand into blossoms. Eggshatch. Young are born. offtoafresh Everything’s start, isgood andeverything more inspringtime, wonderful thanafarm … on theskyline whenthesunisjustlifting Budsswell landscape’s therural inthespringtime: describes Allen) flushofbeauty is thefilm’s (Rex thatthenarrator life adherence agrarian totheconventional ofAmerican portrayal toCharlotte’sthanks inlarge part on ingenious hisbehalf. campaign fair, (BobHolt)tothecounty Zuckerman ishonored where hisexceptional for qualities,Wilbur owner Homer fateatthehandsofnew ofhisinevitable teen daughter—andsubsequentdiscovery — where farm the Arable he has been spoiled by Fern (Pamelyn Ferdin), John farmer Arable’s pre Gibson) from andherporcineWilbur’s (Henry from companionDebbie Reynolds) arrival Wilbur 1990s. on inthe1980s, aNewEnglandfarm Set theaters inMarch 1973, Charlotte’s Web ofitseponymous novel. thepublication years after Though not abox-office hitwhenitdebutedin n.d.), Produced anddirected Nichols by andIwao by Hanna-Barbera Charles Takamoto (“ Charles NicholsandIwao Takamoto’s Charlotte’s Web 1956). 4.Figure Reata’s houselooms above itsdesolate ranch West Texas setting (Ginsburg & Stevens, Charlotte’s Web represents anamalgamofelementsinherent fantasy. tothepastoral powerful So Charlotte’s Web (Barbera, Hanna, Nichols, & Takamoto, 1973) reached theaters more than 20 Specht andRutherford:ThePastoralFantasyontheSilverScreen:InfluenceofFilm
Befitting achildren’s film, theanimation’s andvibrant, colorpaletteisrich became a family classic upon itsrelease on classic afamily VHS intheearly became Charlotte’s Web thetitularspider(voiced follows by Journal ofApplied Communications, Volume99, No.1• 27 (1973) “But tome, there’s noplace Charlotte’s Web, ” n.d.), Charlotte’s Web,” - - 7 DOI: 10.4148/1051-0834.1038 https://newprairiepress.org/jac/vol99/iss1/3 Research Canby (1984)wroteofN in Waxahachie, Texas, inthe1930s(“ on withEdna,life thefarm hertwo children, andMoze. kovich), who, alone whenhearrives, thoughhewantsnothingmore thantobeleft adapts to quickly profitable bankersatbay. businessandkeepthelocal John Mal alsotakesinablindboarder ( She incotton production, hisexpertise Glover) offers intoa thefarm toturn Ednajumpsatthechance (Danny farm. asshefights on foreclosure thefamily namedMoze Field) adrifter (Sally When intheHeart (“Places the Heart (Donovan &Benton, anddirected Benton by Robert 1984)waswritten Oscar-nominee inrural Set Texas theGreat during Depression andfilmed onin location Waxahachie, Benton’sRobert Nichols, & Takamoto, 1973). 5.Figure (Barbera, through drives thescenicNewEnglandcountryside Hanna, Homer Zuckerman in small townsin small andlarge” (para. 7). theDepression,subsidies during ofpublicbuildings, thewalls covering traveled around thecountry look oftheworkized by some ofthebetter, now-anonymous painterswho, by Federal supported rugged splendor oftheharvest. rugged taskahead ofthegroup, theSisyphean intendedtoemphasize is clearly buttheshotalsodepicts 6)toreveal theremaining (seeFigure acreage totend. picking left children feverishly The moment fields bloom withsnow-white bolls, away ofEdna, pulls from thecamera aclose-up Moze, and the birds score andlowing complemented cattle. by ofchirping arural horizon AstheSpaldings’ cotton totheforefront. closer even over the sunrise The day ofMoze’s abright dawnsbeautifully: arrival was based on writer-director Robert Benton’s Robert intheHeart was based onPlaces writer-director growing own experiences up (1984) Places intheHeart ,” n.d.). The film faced revolves around by the struggles widow Edna Spalding Journal ofAppliedCommunications,Vol.99,Iss.1[2016],Art.3 éstor Almendros’s cinematography:
As thefilm progresses, ofEast thebeauty Texan agriculture comes Places intheHeart Places ,” n.d.). Journal ofApplied Communications, Volume99, No.1• 28 They have“They given thefilm theideal New YorkNew Times film critic Vincent Vincent critic film Places in Places - - 8 Published byNewPrairiePress, 2017 Research Distributed byDistributed Touchstone Pictures, William Witliff’s 1984). cotton intheblazing topick struggle 6.Ednaandherfamily Figure Texas heat(Donovan &Benton, busy unloading seed corn from a rusting combine into an aging truck (see busy unloading from combine seedcorn intoanagingtruck arusting toherhusband,taking lunch son, toilinthecornfields andfatherasthey oftheirfarm. The menare and,is treated toanIowa harvest later, ableakMidwestern winter. The film Ivy openswithJewell have long past by the Ivy farm. Instead of the blazing sun and heat of a summer setting, the audience Country’ shots” cliché (para. 1). areThe landscapes notgreen andsumptuous; andsummer spring is spare, (1984b)notes: asEbert to tried The filmmakers seemingly “avoid into back pulling ‘Big America. inrural life farm andDavidM. Roger Shearman Walsh’s cinematography (“ againstthegovernment administrators,turn reunites tofight andtheIvyfamily theirproperty. for ever, by inspires harassed farmer thecommunity to FmHAofficials thesuicideofalocal eventually tions. the land tears at thefamily, for The struggle from toseparate leading Jewell herhusband. How Administration (FmHA)loansandthelossoffarm, hasbeeninJewell’s which genera for family crop, oftheircorn ter atornadodestroys part faces thedefault oftheirFarmers theIvyfamily Home Shepard), herfamily’s withthehelp of heraging father, sheepfarm runs Brimley). Af (Wilford Otis Lange, withJessica the movie Ivy, whostarsasJewell whosehusband, anIowawife farm Gil(Sam liam D. Readlyn, inrural Iowa (“ andfilmed primarily Witliff grime of production andpuddles. asitsinksinto tiregrime life but highlightsthemessinessoffarm ruts motif lateremployed by 1989’s cund butnotlush, bowingthanreaching thecornstalks totheelementsrather sky—avisual for is one of the few agriculture-themed filmstobucolicdepictions of isone thatdoesnotcater ofthefew Country Specht andRutherford:ThePastoralFantasyontheSilverScreen:InfluenceofFilm (1984) Country . Dreams Field of winterarrives, When thesnowfalldoesnotcover the (Lange,Country Witliff, &Pearce, by 1984)waswritten Wil Journal ofApplied Communications, Volume99, No.1• 29 ,”Country n.d.). co-produced Witliff Figure 7).Figure The landis fe ,”Country n.d.) - - - - - 9 DOI: 10.4148/1051-0834.1038 https://newprairiepress.org/jac/vol99/iss1/3 Research breeze; even the oft-terrifying river occasionally deigns to trickle peacefully through thelandscape. peacefully deignstotrickle occasionally river breeze; theoft-terrifying even approaches; colorasharvest green withfall tall wave stalksofcorn inthesummer blaze nessee hills withgolden farm light(see butpicturesqueand sunsetscaress theramshackle Garvey beauty. Zsigmond (“ ofcinematographer Vilmos Underthesupervision agriculture depictedin ferences in their cinematography are glaring. Unlike the stark, realist representation of Midwestern vest, floodsonce againthreaten theGarveys’ livelihood. entrepreneur tolocal thefarm selling Joe Wade Glenn), (Scott har butwhen he returnsthefall for are offoreclosure.discover they atrisk Tom toavoid travels southtowork inasteelmill asascab ing flooding, Mae andherhusband, Tom (MelGibson), seekhelpfrom bank, thelocal where they Spacek). (Sissy - plantingtodevastat strong-willed corn woman losingaspring isMae Garvey After adversity” andastrong-willed during womancracy who binds herfamily (para. 4). In ments ofafamily’s devotion totheirfarm, force ofnature, adevastating bureau anunsympathetic YorkNew Times by Mark Rydell (“ The River (Cortes, Lewis, &Rydell, 1984), anddirected Dillon andJulianBarry by Robert written Mark Rydell’s Pearce, 1984). day Midwestern fall (Lange, 7. onFigure achilly intheharvest Ivybring GilandCarlisle Witliff, & a number of thematic and even narrative a number elements,of thematic and even The River shares with Country but the - dif The River (1984) writer EstherB.writer Fein (1984)wroteofthethree films: “All three contain movies ele The River,” n.d.), ofagriculture-themed films completes thetrio released in 1984 Journal ofAppliedCommunications,Vol.99,Iss.1[2016],Art.3 , Country The River the turns Tennessee Valley intoapicture postcard ofrural Journal ofApplied Communications, Volume99, No.1• 30 The River,” n.d.), sunrises Figure 8);Figure Ten- The River, that - - - . 10 Published byNewPrairiePress, 2017 Research Amish homestead 9 ). (seeFigure isrepeated inthefilm family as Book andthe Lapp This imagery buildings inthedistance—buildings fashioned farm bywhitewashed thefilm crewtorecreate an faces”clean (Kael, 1985, para. 1). oftheAmish fromto takeitsview aquaint dreamland, golden aBrigadoon oftall wheatandshiny- the renowned the for reviewer Pennsylvania.eastern thatPauline beautiful were Amish Kael, country So thesedepictions of idyllic n.d.]) ahighlight, farmland, emphasizing asitdidthepristine roads, dirt of andundulatinglandscape andBook’s thedenouementofcase spells farm buddingrelationship Lapp. with Rachel Amish community, eludestwo crooked thetrio policeofficers gunfight untiladramatic attheLapp homicide,gruesome andhismother, McGillis). (Kelly Rachel AsBook adjusts among tolife the Pennsylvania Haas),travels torural (Lukas toprotect Lapp Samuel theyoung Amish witnesstoa thefish-out-of-watertells taleofJohn Book Ford), (Harrison policedetective aPhiladelphia who Anabaptists, sectofGerman conservative inhisfilm In 1985, director Peter Weir (“ Peter Weir’s and toolshungjustso, residing thecattle inindividualstalls, freely. thegoats roaming theproperty of authenticity vision thework. for The finished product seems incomplete, however, compared to the especially para. 14). tofulfill boththefilm’s hadThe farm tobefabricated narrative andthedirector’s dramatic the property, homesteads inthevalley” would sothatthey blendinwiththecentury-old (Fein, 1984, aged [sic]lumbertobuildthefarmhouse, coops, chicken andvarious barn andpigstieson corrals farm. intotheGarvey landwasturned Workers“The combined old, worn wood withartificially- the Tennessee is Nature’s wilderness own, themselves: farm butthe filmmakers fashioned the Garvey & Rydell, 1984). 8.Figure Despite recent flood damage, isa beautiful sight (Cortes, at sunrise farm theGarvey Lewis, Critics consideredCritics thefilm’s cinematography (by,” director ofphotography [“Witness John Seale Perhaps mostinteresting elementofthefilm’s visualmagnificence isitscreation. of The beauty Specht andRutherford:ThePastoralFantasyontheSilverScreen:InfluenceofFilm Witness (1985) ’sCountry setdecoration. The barn, thoughantiqued, orderly, feels theoldharnesses New Yorker, wrote ofthefilm’s life: depiction of rural “‘Witness’ seems ,”Witness film n.d.)introduced audiencestotheAmish, American a
Wide shotsdepictgreen fields drenched insunlightsurroundingWide (FeldmanWitness & Weir, 1985). The movie Journal ofApplied Communications, Volume99, No.1• 31
11 DOI: 10.4148/1051-0834.1038 https://newprairiepress.org/jac/vol99/iss1/3 Research of agrarian life:of agrarian the film’sLiotta) andRay second-most famouspieceofdialogue, metaphorthe grandeur atelling for 10). (seeFigure decades To punctuatethefilm’s finale, JoeJackson(Ray Robinson affords Shoeless for memorialized idyll standasmonuments tothesmall-farm andoutbuildings paintedbarns neatly fantasy of most filmmakers: fields, In the midst of the fertile the Kinsellas’ and white farmhouse The farm, (“ shotby cinematographer John Lindley Kinsella,Ray looks across his mirage”cornfield and sees a vision that glimmers like a desert (para. 1). film, themes:with agriculturefantastical ghosts, precognition, andtimetravel. ofthe Inherreview Busfield),(Timothy intoforeclosure. falls before whowantstobuythefarm theproperty named Moonlight Graham. athome, Back Ray’s Annie wife (Amy Madigan) dealswithherbrother Jones),Earl androad-trips with Terence player Minnesotatown ball toasmall insearch ofaformer diamond,a baseball travels toBoston insearch novelist named of areclusive James Terence Mann( ofevents:famous linessetsoffaseries acres plows Ray underseveral ofvaluablecropland andbuilds hears avoice whisperfrom hisIowa cornfield: you“If buildit, come.” hewill Oneofcinema’s most film wasreleased. Costner), (Kevin Kinsella Ray fanatic, aBerkeley graduateandlifelongbaseball Dyersville,,” Dreams Iowa (“Fieldof n.d.); the attraction after thetitularfield amajortourist became don, Gordon, &Robinson, 1989). and towns wasfilmed infarming Dubuque The movie largely In 1989, the “mortgage melodrama” genre added anotherfilm toitsranks: Robinson’s Phil Alden 9. Figure (Feldman represents farm locale The Lapp thequintessentialagrarian & Weir, 1985). raising, abarn for farm travel toaneighboring anAmish celebration ofcommunity andhard work. Ray: No,Ray: it’s Iowa. Joe: Hey, isthis heaven? As anarrative work, critic Caryn James(1989)wrote:York New Costner, Caryn critic “Kevin Times asanIowa named farmer Journal ofAppliedCommunications,Vol.99,Iss.1[2016],Art.3 Field of Dreams Field of Field ofDreams (1989) is a literal pastoral fantasy, pastoral isaliteral associated combining imagery ,” Dreams Field of n.d.), itself fulfills thepastoral Journal ofApplied Communications, Volume99, No.1• 32 (Gor- Dreams Field of 12 Published byNewPrairiePress, 2017 Research hills dotted withacreshills offorest roads. andcrisscrossedby dirt con America ofrural The symbolism Foundation researchers: small, replete farms withcrop family fields andpastures; storybook rolling by according fantasy life as described of the pastoral the Kellogg to the principles ent agricultural snowfall ispresented withoutembellishment. The landisbare from harvest, theskiesgray andovercast, andthemuddy disorder a thatfollows provides the audience a realistic, depiction of the Midwest and winter. in fall almost documentary inthefilm. shown early landscapes , agrarian tothemoretrast idealized Country on theotherhand, in West Texas, ofReatainhighsummer, thebleached-out prairies illustrates truthfully astark con 2002) andinstead show rural, form. inless-than-stellar America agrarian Foundation, (Kellogg report representation intheKellogg described wonderland ofthepastoral farmer. oftheAmerican depictthestruggles thanothers—to more realistically fully thatendeavored melodramas the spateofforeclosure-centered —some agricultural more success numbers, offarm decline brought theproblems totheforefront, facing agriculturalists resulting in to epicproportions. 1980s, Bytheearly contentious agriculture policies, coupledwiththegradual toincrease ofagriculture-centered andformats thevisualscale texts cinematechnologies tage ofnew and thepeopleinvolved intheprocess. as such Films fantasyand,pastoral indoingso, cinematoitspropagation. linkAmerican thevisual elements ofwell-known the filmsof thisstudy was toidentifyand describe thatsupport andfiber offood production lifestyle. andtheagrarian constitute memory ourcultural The purpose fantasy.the pastoral These perceptions, depictions of events, and often-sanitized based on recycled continue life tobedominated by romanticized visualtropesagriculture andrural associatedwith Based on theresultsFoundation, study(Kellogg oftheKellogg 2002), Americans’ perceptions of Discussion nature tothefantastical ofthefilmcontributes (Gordon, Gordon, &Robinson, 1989). 10.Figure Working inhisfields attwilight, envisions Kinsella Ray thefield build. hewill This mirage Despite some attemptsatrealism, mostofthefilms produced inthistimespanaspire topres Of theninetextsexaminedinthisstudy, two — only Between 1950and1980, andfiber food production ofagriculture tendedtoidealize portrayals Specht andRutherford:ThePastoralFantasyontheSilverScreen:InfluenceofFilm Oklahoma!, Journal ofApplied Communications, Volume99, No.1• 33 Giant Giant, and Country Country and Giant, filmed on location East of Edentook advanEast of — subvert the idyllic theidyllic — subvert - - - - - 13 DOI: 10.4148/1051-0834.1038 https://newprairiepress.org/jac/vol99/iss1/3 Research .”“Country (n.d.). Database InTheInternet Movie . from Retrieved http://www.imdb.com/title/ Cortes, R., Lewis, E. (Producers), &Rydell, M. (Director). (1984). Theriver [Motion picture]. Conkin, P. K. (2008). since Arevolutiononthefarm: down agriculture American of The transformation “Charlotte’s Web.” (n.d.). Database. TheInternetIn Movie from Retrieved http://www.imdb.com/ Canby, V. (1984, December19). Film: Farmers’ River.’ plightin ‘The York New . Times Retrieved Caldwell, J. T. andtelevi - practice (2008). andcritical infilm reflexivity culture: Industrial Production Bernstein, B. (1981). Codes, modalitiesandtheprocess re-production: ofcultural Amodel. Lan- Barbera, J., Hanna, W. (Producers), &Nichols, C. A., & Takamoto, I. (Directors). (1973). Appleby, J. (1982). Commercial andthe farming “agrarian myth” Republic. intheearly of Journal Anderson, S. (2001). History andpopularmemory.TV InG. R. &P. Edgerton C. (Eds.), Rollins References and HoltCartmell’s (2013)studyofthedocumentary arship: To date, Ruth, only Lundy, andPark’s program ofreality (2005)analysis gest that mediatextshave played role akey acceptance inthecultural ofthisparadigm. inthefilms tothefindings researchers studiedandtheirparallels oftheKellogg sug imagery such responsible are thepropagation solely for fantasy, archetype ofthepastoral rural theabundanceof memory. cultural American statedthatfilm representations beconclusively Though itcannot of this farmer,traditional family from anddispositionally conventional bothgeographically society. setapart roads, favored of cinematographers, by a majority individualism of the seem to signify the rugged country. fruitful alsoconnote associated withsuch theeconomicthose landscapes prosperity The dirt land; of agrarian theverdantand pastures represent shades andfertility associatedwith theviability ofvisuallanguage related totraditional values.stitutes atypology The aforementioned rolling hills counteract thosepotentialaudienceeffects. to theserepresentations, professionals can communicators andotherindustry andhow agricultural depictions are throughchannels idealized disseminated, which theimmediateimpacts ofexposure on society’s America, perceptions ofrural research andfurther isneededtobetter understandthe Based on theresponses studyparticipants, ofKellogg retains mythos apowerful sway theagrarian andfiber offood production mediaportrayals across influenceofentertainment sociocultural time. tainment-media research. This study, therefore, attempttodelineatethe represents apreliminary tt0087091/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2 USA: Universal Pictures. 1929. Lexington, KY: Press University ofKentucky. title/tt0070016/?ref_=nv_sr_2 agewanted=print from movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9B06E0D61338F93AA25751C1A962948260&p sion. ChapelHill, Press. University NC: Duke guage inSociety, 10(3), 327–363. [Motion picture].web USA: Productions. Hanna-Barbera History,American 68(4), 833-849. Press. ofKentucky versity Television histories: inthemediaage Shaping (pp. collective memory 19–36). Lexington, KY: Uni- communications schol withinagricultural mediaremain anunderstudiedentity Entertainment The continuous andconsistent repetition ofthesevisualtropes has, over time, cementedthemin Journal ofAppliedCommunications,Vol.99,Iss.1[2016],Art.3 Journal ofApplied Communications, Volume99, No.1• 34 Food, Inc. ofenter populatethecanon The Simple Life Charlotte’s - - -
14 Published byNewPrairiePress, 2017 Research “Internet MovieDatabase Statistics.”(2012).Retrievedfromhttp://www.imdb.com/stats Hurt, D.R.(2002).Americanagriculture: A briefhistory(Rev. ed.). West Lafayette,IN:Purdue Hornblow, Jr., A. (Producer),&Zinneman,F. (Director).(1955).Oklahoma! [Motionpicture]. Holt, J., &Cartmell, D. (2013). Consumer perceptions oftheU.S. before and agricultureindustry Gordon, L., Gordon, C. (Producers), &Robinson, P. A. (Director). (1989). [Motion dreams Fieldof Ginsburg, H. (Producer), &Stevens, G. (Director). (1956). Giant[Motion picture]. USA: Warner “Giant.” (n.d.). Database. InTheInternet Movie from Retrieved http://www.imdb.com/title/ .” Dreams “Field of (n.d.). Database.The Internet In Movie from Retrieved http://www.imdb.com/ Feldman, E. S. (Producer), & Weir, P. (Director). (1985). [Motion picture]. Witness USA: Para- Fein, E. B. (1984, December16). River’ How ‘The tothescreen. came York New . Times Retrieved Erll, A. (2008b). 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