Through the years, midcentury-modern design has been used onscreen to a variety of ends. In the 2002 film Catch Me If You Can, for example, the events in the story actually take place during the mid 20th century. The high-flying spirit of the time is embodied in the film’s main character, Frank Abagnale Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio), a con man who pretends to be a pilot, a doctor, and a lawyer, traversing the country in the process. The design of this Steven Spielberg film is true to the period, yes, but the character’s aspirations for more, more, and more also feel inextricably linked to the embrace of conspicuous consumption, which resulted in the colorful, expressive look. Then there are productions like Severance, the Apple TV+ show, where midcentury-modern design is used as a symbol for delusion and conformity. Half of the show takes place in modern-day America, while the other half is set in a midcentury-modern-style office (shot on location at the Eero Saarinen–designed Bell Labs building in Holmdel, New Jersey) in which workers have no memories of their lives in the 21st century.
Suffice it to say the period was not one-note, nor is its depiction onscreen. Regardless, it remains visually sumptuous. The bright colors, the geometric patterns, the chrome—you could call it the original era of dopamine decor. Born from the hopeful spirit in America after the end of World War II, the booming economy, and other cultural factors, like the increase in international travel for the jet set, it was a more optimistic time—and that often translates incredibly well on the screen. Below, we’ve selected five of our favorite TV shows and films that depict midcentury modern design.
