Happiness (1998 film)

Happiness is a 1998 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Todd Solondz, that portrays the lives of three sisters, their families and those around them. The film was awarded the FIPRESCI Prize at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival for "its bold tracking of controversial contemporary themes, richly-layered subtext, and remarkable fluidity of visual style," and the cast received the National Board of Review award for best ensemble performance.

The film spawned the pseudo-sequel Life During Wartime which premiered at the 2009 Venice Film Festival.

Plot

Trish Maplewood, the eldest Jordan sister, is an upper middle class housewife happily married to psychiatrist Bill Maplewood and has three children. Unbeknownst to Trish, however, Bill is a pedophile who is obsessed with 11-year-old Johnny Grasso, a classmate of their son, Billy. When Johnny comes to the Jordan house for a sleepover, Bill drugs and rapes him. Later, Bill learns that another boy, Ronald Farber, is home alone while his parents are away in Europe. Under the guise of attending a PTA meeting, Bill drives to the boy's house and rapes him as well. After Johnny is taken to the hospital and found to have been sexually abused, the police arrive at the Maplewood residence to question Bill. After alerting his wife to the police presence, Bill begins by asking the two detectives, "You said something about Ronald Farber?" The two detectives, looking puzzled, say nothing. Bill then stammers, "I mean, Johnny Grasso." Out on bail, he tearfully admits to Billy that he "fucked" the boys, that he enjoyed it, and that he would do it again. When Billy asks, "Would you ever fuck me?", his father replies, "No... I'd jerk off instead."

'Happiness' is featured as a movie character in the following productions:

The Bells (2013)

Actors: Tavis Urquhart (producer), Tavis Urquhart (writer), Tavis Urquhart (director), Jay Morrissey (actor), Zoe Coldham (producer), Al Moore (actor), Martin Blum (actor),

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Short,

Most Shocking Talent Show Moments (2011)

Actors: Marie Osmond (actress), Tyra Banks (actress), Gary Barlow (actor), Pete Waterman (actor), Matthew Kelly (actor), Carol Vorderman (actress), Will Young (actor), Jim Davidson (actor), Jarvis Cocker (actor), Amanda Barrie (actress), Robert Webb (actor), Jennie Bond (actress), Charlotte Church (actress), Katie Price (actress), Neil Fox (actor),

Genres: Documentary,

Bitter Generation (2010)

Actors: Oge Okoye (actress), Olu Jacobs (actor), Ini Edo (actress), Ifeanyi Ogbonna (director), Ali Nuhu (actor), Stanley Ebonine (actor), Stanley Ebonine (producer), Uju Aroh (actress), Augusta Isaac (actress), Micheal Godson (actor), Ed Nnasor (actor), Nazareth Jesse (actress), Kelvin Uvo (actor), Chinedu Ejike Obim (writer), Lucy Awoji (writer),

Genres: Drama,

Bitter Generation 2 (2010)

Genres: Drama,

Tres caminos (2008)

Actors: Donald Fullilove (actor), Guthrie Lowe (composer), David Stay (actor), Richard McGregor (producer), Amy Bloom (actress), Salina Duplessis (actress), Edwin Arevalo (writer), Edwin Arevalo (producer), Edwin Arevalo (editor), Edwin Arevalo (director), Christine Springett (actress), Carolina Diaz (miscellaneous crew), Antonio Bunt (actor), Naomi Nektare (actress), Jose Nieto (producer),

Genres: Drama,
Taglines: Tres Caminos...Un Destino

The Air I Breathe (2007)

Actors: Ray Felipe (miscellaneous crew), Marcelo Zarvos (composer), Sarah Michelle Gellar (actress), Kari Wuhrer (actress), Forest Whitaker (actor), Michael Barnes (miscellaneous crew), Julie Delpy (actress), Kelly Hu (actress), John Cho (actor), Brendan Fraser (actor), Kevin Bacon (actor), Andy Garcia (actor), Clark Gregg (actor), Miguel Gurza (miscellaneous crew), Pamela B. Green (miscellaneous crew),

Plot: A frustrated and clumsy bank clerk overhears the conversation of three coworkers in the toilet about a fix in a horse race, and bets a large amount. He loses the bet and owes the money to the dangerous and powerful mobster Fingers. A gangster who works for Fingers has the ability of foreseeing pieces of the future; he is assigned to collect money for the boss, with his troublemaker nephew Tony, and is beaten up by a gang. The manager of pop-star Trista loses her contract to Fingers without her agreement and she is threatened by the gangster. A dedicated doctor seeks a blood donor that might have a rare blood type to save the life of his secret and unrequited passion, a beautiful epidemiologist who's married to a friend.

Keywords: 360-degree-well-shot, 4-stories, abortion, airport, alley, attempted-suicide, autograph, backstage, bag-of-money, bank
Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller,
Taglines: Sometimes the things we can't change...end up changing us. Happiness. Sorrow. Pleasure. Love. The question is not whether we will die, but how we will live.

Quotes:

[from trailer]::Pleasure: The girl with the future I can't see, enters my life.::Pleasure: On the same day, my visions fail me for the first time.

[from trailer]::Fingers: You have all the love in the world but that's not enough for you. So you took my friend and you turn him against me. And then what?

Sorrow: [to Pleasure] Did you know that scars are the roadmap to the soul?

[first lines]::Happiness: I always wondered, when a butterfly leaves the safety of its cocoon, does it realize how beautiful it has become? Or does it still just see itself as a caterpillar?

Pleasure: Is there something the matter?::Happiness: No. You're track record is perfect. And, with your stock market lock, we could... you could... maybe you should invest more.::Pleasure: No. Small amounts. Just keep it simple.::Happiness: It's just... how do you do it?::Pleasure: Sometimes risking everything is the only choice you have.::Happiness: But you don't seem to be taking any sort of chance?::Pleasure: I wasn't talking about me.

Happiness: So where does change come from? And how do we recognize it when it happens?

Happiness: [referring to the gun] What am I supposed to do with this?::Pleasure: I don't know anymore.

Happiness: Sometimes being totally fucked can be a liberating experience.

Pleasure: As far back as I can remember, I've never lost a fight. I didn't fight well because I was big or fast or mean. I fought well because I could see the future. The problem with seeing the future is that it only comes in bits and pieces, like a reflection in a broken mirror. After a while though it's like playing a video game in your head. Do it enough times and you know all the moves.

Pleasure: Sometimes the things you can't change end up changing you.

The Absentee (1915)

Actors: Christy Cabanne (director), George Beranger (actor), Monte Blue (actor), Augustus Carney (actor), Augustus Carney (actor), Robert Edeson (actor), Robert Edeson (actor), Elmo Lincoln (actor), Allan Sears (actor), Allan Sears (actor), Mildred Harris (actress), Christy Cabanne (writer), Frank E. Woods (writer), George Beranger (actor), Juanita Hansen (actress),

Plot: The Prologue shows man as 'Power,' garbed in Greek-classic costume, standing at the parting of life's highway. One road leads to 'Success' - the other to ''Failure'. He (Power) is confronted by a figure emblematic of 'Pleasure,' who points to out to him "the easiest way," then 'Ignorance' leads him to the end of the road. where 'Destruction' stands. The classic figures disappear and the story begins: 'Power-The Absentee' leaves his factory in charge of his manager 'Might." who wrecks the property in order that his wife, 'Extravagance," and his daughter, 'Vanity,' may devote themselves to lives of selfish pleasure. It is only when 'Justice,' the office stenographer. forces 'Power' to right the harm done to his employees that he sees the error in believing that 'Might' is right. Then comes the realization that 'Justice' should go hand-in-hand with 'Power," and so they are wed, and 'Ambition,''Opportunity' and 'Success' array themselves on his side.

Keywords: 1900s, absentee-owner, allegory, ambition, confrontation, crossroads, daughter, deceit, deception, decision
Genres: Drama, Romance,
Taglines: A Symbolic Photoplay Showing in Striking Scenes the Difficulties, Disappointments and Trials that beset MAN IN HIS SEARCH FOR HAPPINESS AND SUCCESS! (original poster) ADVERTISED IN THE SATURDAY EVENING POST (original poster - all caps) A Vivid Symbolic Photodrama (original poster) A MODERN MORALITY PLAY (original poster - all caps) The Problems of Life Portrayed in Symbolic Scenes (original poster) Five Part Mutual Masterpicture

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Happiness - Trailer

From Todd Solondz, director of the acclaimed WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE. Meet three sisters ...

published: 05 Jul 2014

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Happiness (1998) Opening Scene

published: 01 Dec 2016

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HAPPINESS IS A...

...

published: 24 Mar 2008

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Happiness (1998) - Film Analysis & Review

Here is my take on Todd Solondz's darkly comical masterpiece known as 'Happiness' - a film...

published: 02 Nov 2015

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Happiness (1998) - Park scene

published: 05 Feb 2016

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Happiness (1998)- Review/Discussion By Jcrash

Happiness (1998) is an unflinching, satirical punch in the face from groundbreaking direct...

published: 12 Mar 2013

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Happiness (1998)™

published: 06 Mar 2017

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Happiness (1998) Review (Family Movie FUNNNNNNNN)

REMEMBER: All clips belong to their respective owners (praise Todd Solondz for creating th...

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Happiness (1998) Full Movie

When Johnny http://helmialyah.blogspot.com/0147612 comes for a sleepover, Bill drugs Johnn...

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Michael Stipe With Rain Phoenix - Happiness

From the movie "Happiness" (1998) Lyrics: It seems the things I've wanted in My life I've ...

published: 20 Aug 2012

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Happiness - Trailer...

Happiness (1998) Opening Scene...

HAPPINESS IS A......