Following the horrors of World War II, which saw the vast majority of the planet embroiled in bitter conflict, the United States, economically stimulated by war profiteering, entered a period of incredible growth. In addition to a post-war economic upswing, the American population was also privy to countless scientific advances, as well as unexpected cultural advances. Though in retrospect, it is easy to see the myriad ways in which 1950s American culture was far from perfect, at the time, many Americansfelt that utopiawas right around the corner.
Don’t Worry Darling, an upcoming film directed by Olivia Wilde, will explore the decade, particularly the discrepancy between the idyllic cultural consensus of the time and its unsettling contradiction with reality. Wilde will also act in the film, and the acclaimed performer has attracted a whole host ofA-list celebrity talentto her third directorial effort. There have been several trailers released for the upcoming film, but they haven’t revealed a lot of information about what exactly it will entail. The mystery surrounding this film’s plot contributes to its overall unsettling nature. Potential audiences cannot help but speculate how the perplexing period piece will play out.
Florence Pugh as a Restless Housewife
Don’t Worry Darlingstars Florence Pugh(Midsommar, Black Widow) as Alice Chambers, an all-American housewife. She is seemingly content with a successful husband and a beautiful home in the picture-perfect company town of Victory. Alice is an active member of the community and is of high social standing.
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However, Alice starts to feel that her life has been erected on an unstable foundation of mystery and deceit and decides to investigate her husband’s mysterious work life. Her curiosity consumes her and begins to lead to issues both with her marriage and in the broader community. Gender issues were a significant problem in the ’50s (and, unfortunately, many of said issues persist today), and Alice’s role as a housewife leads to a whole host of assumptions about her character and how she should interact with society. A society where half of the population is subject to an entirely different set of cultural mores cannot be utopian.
The Mysterious Victory Project
Alice Chamber’s husband, Jack Chambers, who isportrayed by Harry Styles(Dunkirk,Eternals), is employed by a mysterious company that is working on the secret Victory Project. Jack is not allowed to share any information about his position with his wife, which leads to the film’s primary conflict.
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Though it’s entirely unclear what the Victory Project is, its name calls to mind many scientific experiments that characterized the World War II era and its ensuing decade. The Manhattan Project brought together some of the world’s most brilliant scientists to create the atomic bomb, and the weapon’s subsequent use on two Japanese cities, which resulted in unbelievable death and destruction, changed the world forever. The Victory Project may be a science experiment meant to bring about a utopian future. However, in all likelihood, the experiment will have unintended and potentially cataclysmic consequences.
Harsh Realities or Willful Ignorance?
Don’t Worry Darlingis primarily a film about questioning the reality of the utopian culture facade that characterized 1950s America. Though the era was, at the time, perceived to be the beginning of a new world order centered around progress, this was obviously not the case. Many individuals experienced previously unimaginable advances in the quality of life, though this came at the expense of countless others around the world and domestically.
InDon’t Worry Darling, Alice Chambers has the opportunity to have a perfect life, yet she chooses to question her reality. Choosing to confront the harsh truths behind one’s comfort inevitably leads to conflict, both internal, as one realizes how their unexamined life has been the beneficiary of general society’s suffering, and externally, as those around themselves guard themselves against the unpleasant truths.
Don’t Worry Darling, despite the fact that it’ll still be over a month before it is released to the public, has already generated considerable buzz. The filmgenerated massive biddingbetween various production companies, which included streaming services and traditional studios. Though the film is a period piece, it’s easy to imagine that it will explore issues relevant to modern society. Though it’s fair to say that the vast majority of American citizens today are sufficiently jaded so as not to expect utopia any time soon, plenty of issues that the film promises to investigate, from gender roles to corporate malfeasance, are more pressing than they have ever been. In both the ’50s and today, there is plenty to worry about andDon’t Worry Darlingwill likely serve to give credence to these anxieties.
