Think about the film's mise-en-scene. Choose a scene in the film and discuss the mise-en-scene (costumes, set, etc.) and its relation to the scene and the film as a whole. Use at least 2 hearty paragraphs for your discussion.
Also, please post your favorite line from the film. Mine is: "In a minute, Mr. Peabody!" We use this at home a lot.
The scene that I have selected from “Bringing Up Baby” is the infamous scene in which David Huxley (Cary Grant), the protagonist, accidentally rips the dress of Susan Vance (Katharine Hepburn), the woman who is ardently pursuing him. The set design is rather formal since it’s meant to show a classy nightclub. Marble pillars, velvet carpets, leather chairs and potted plants are props used to convey the mise-en-scene of a high-class atmosphere where such a display by David and Susan is completely unacceptable. The lighting throughout the scene is very soft and high key lighting on both of the main characters but especially Susan. High key lighting is essential in this scene because it creates a lighthearted mood with very little shadows or darkness. The bright lights also serve to emphasize the less major characters’ reactions to the displays between David and Susan. Interestingly, in many of the shots in the scene In terms of spacing, Hawks does not provide adequate head room for the major characters of “Bringing Up Baby”, especially for David. This may indicate David’s frazzled reactions to Susan’s behavior. In this particular scene, Hawks alternates only between long shots and medium close ups. The medium shots are used to show perceived intimacy between David and Susan. For example, medium shots are used when David tells Susan that he has a “game” for her or when he stands very close behind her as they shuffle through the nightclub to cover up her exposed behind. Long shots are mostly utilized to show the amused reactions of the other nightclub occupants.
ReplyDeleteBoth Susan and David are dressed appropriately for the night club. Despite this, Susan’s light colored, shiny dress sets her apart from the rest of the occupants in the nightclub, all of whom are wearing black. Meanwhile, David wears a crisp tuxedo and carries a dignified black hat. However, the black hat is crushed by accident due to the actions of Susan. This serves as a reminder that through encounters with Susan, David loses much of his insinuated dignity. The hat is also used to cover up Susan’s exposed behind which is seen as a desperate attempt by David to restore Susan some dignity as the whole nightclub views her wardrobe malfunction. However, the most distinguishing aspect of the costumes of the main characters compared to other bystanders in this particular scene in their fragility; both David and Susan’s dress clothes rip as a result of inadvertent actions by the other. Both of these actions are vital because they create the main sources of humor and conflict in the scene. Furthermore, the difference in accessories between David and Susan presents a more striking contrast. David’s most prominent accessory is clearly his thick, black framed glasses which reinforce his stuffy, intellectual behavior. Oppositely, Susan’s hair is ornately decorated with flowing ribbons which dangle, and bounce distractingly around her head and upper torso as she moves. This seems to serve as a reminder of Susan’s “unique” logic and also denotes her as the perpetrator of much of the misadventures throughout the film. The acting in “Bringing Up Baby” is excellent. Katharine Hepburn is perfectly annoying and unreasonable as Susan Vance. Despite this, the viewer is still able to sympathize with her which is definitely a testament to her acting ability. The chemistry between Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn is undeniably strong as well which is best shown in the fast-paced dialogue and well-timed comedic timing between the two. The combination of all of these factors creates a mise-en-scene which is lighthearted and amusing. This scene is instrumental to the movie as whole in creating a lasting connection between David and Susan and speaks towards to overall humorous appeal of “Bringing Up Baby”.
My favorite quote was probably when Cary Grant exasperatedly explains his feminine attire to Mrs. Random by stating “Because I just went gay all of a sudden!”. I found this quote especially funny when I watched it because while Cary Grant really did appear to look like a drag queen, I felt that that sort of humor was completely unexpected and even a little inappropriate in a film as old as “Bringing Up Baby”.
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ReplyDelete“Bringing Up Baby” is a screwball comedy produced in 1983 and directed by Howard Hawks. It stars Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn in the leading roles of Dr. David Huxley and Susan Vance, respectively. Mise-en-scene plays a large role in the film and provides a sharp contrast between characters and their relationship to others as well as their surroundings. One of the most significant scenes is when David and Susan are locked up in jail, held there until someone retrieves them. The scene starts with a sharp contrast between the location and the costumes: they are being held in a dirty jail cell, while they are dressed up with David in a suit and Susan in a dress and overcoat. Notable is that both are trapped behind bars, which is significant for both the figurative and the literal meaning. They are trapped in the jail cell, but they are also both trapped in their lives (latter in the same scene the lighting makes it so the shadows of the bars are on the faces of the two characters). Susan is stuck being an heiress with nothing really to do in her life, while the meaning behind David’s in more interpretive – you could say that he is trapped in this situation with Susan because he needs to retrieve his dinosaur clavicle bone before he can return back to get married, or on a deeper level you could even say that David is trapped in the impending marriage with Susan being a form of liberation.
ReplyDeleteThe film is just as much as a deconstruction of class and social norms as it is a screwball comedy and the next shot in the scene highlights this. There is a shot of the doctor, police chief, and two officers which is then juxtaposed with a shot of Susan’s aunt and her friend. The four previous characters are dressed down compared to the rich aunt (with the exception of the doctor) and they are cramped together in a much smaller screen together. The aunt, however, is the only character in the shot and she is given much more room in relation to her surroundings (she has more money). There are flowers, a wine bar, exquisite lights, wooden tables in the aunt’s home. While the shot of the officers is decorated by a desk, a small lamp, scattered papers, and in the background there is the jail cell. Despite the hard surroundings the lighting, especially on Susan, is softer, giving (them) her a more naïve and innocent look. The framing is also open as the characters move on and off the screen freely. This gives the film a more realistic feel, and highlights the fact that David and Susan have control of their lives (even if it does not seem like that for David sometimes) and anchors the film to make it more relatable to the viewer.
I think my favorite line of the film is when Susan is crying and she says to David: “You don’t like me anymore, you tried to get rid of me, you just didn’t think of me, and you don’t like me anymore” in a stream of consciousness way.
I just want to start off saying that I really enjoyed Bringing Up Baby! :) The scene that I have chosen to analyze is very early in the film and is when David and Susan first meet at the golf course. The scene opens up with David, Mr. Peabody, and two other men that just caddy for them. The scene is set in an open golf course which I think was interesting because I would think that this would be a place that had a low number of possible ways to get distracting, but surprisingly in his situation there was a major distraction in the communication between David and Mr. Peabody and this distraction was Susan. So this peaceful surrounding that was used contradicts the actions going on in the frame. David is distracted from his main goal of being at the golf course when he sees that his ball is being stolen by Susan. This is physically showing that something is being taken from him, but in terms of the film as a whole this is just the beginning of a long journey of David realizing that this woman is trying everything in her power to take him from his fiancée and his time, and it is working.
ReplyDeleteAs for the costumes in this scene, David is wearing very casual attire which included pants and a sweater, but he also has a tie which I think was added to his outfit to make him seem ready to play golf but also to have a professional look to impress Mr. Peabody enough to get him to encourage the women who has the bone that David wants. When David realizes that his ball is taken by Susan he runs up to her and tries to stop her from taking a swing at it, but he is too late. Susan is wearing a long dress which I think represents her innocence. Also right from the beginning (this is their first meeting) they have a controversial conversation. This is a very important part of the film in terms of the rest of the film because they have many encounters that are along the same lines that their first encounter is like. After David deals with the ball situation, she then tries to take his car which is another distraction for David. During this scene the lighting that is cast on Susan is there to represent the light that David is starting to see her in, it’s a realization of the first impression of Susan. I also think that this light is there to show that even though Susan is a pain in the butt right now in the eyes of David, he may a los have an attraction to her, which we find later in the film that he gets more involved and that all their troubled encounters ends up making their relationship stronger:)
My fav line is Susan: “Is there anything in the world that doesn’t belong to you?”
David: “Yes thank heaven.YOU!”
Great comments so far! You're all bringing up interesting points in terms of mise-en-scene in different scenes.
ReplyDeleteBringing Up Baby is a 1938 screwball comedy that is driven most prominently by quick dialogue. The almost constant conversation in the film made using montage largely undoable, requiring Hawks to place more importance on mise-en-scene. As such, the film’s sets, costumes, and lighting are all intentionally used to further the plot and divulge hidden meaning. This is apparent from the film’s opening scene in which we are introduced to David and his staid fiance, Alice.
ReplyDeleteThe scene opens with David pondering while he sits on a scaffolding. He is framed by bars, which, like those of a prison (**foreshadowing**), imply his figurative entrapment. He is stuck in his job, unable to move forward without a bone, and is stuck in an engagement to someone he doesn’t love. Mise-en-scene does not only provide insight into David’s current situation but also illuminates him as a character. He is clothed in a white lab coat which implies his childlike goodness. This contrasts Alice, who is dressed in all black, implying her serious nature. The two are further juxtaposed by a wide-shot of the scene. David is up on the scaffolding, well above Alice who is planted on the floor. This indicates that David has his “head in the clouds” while Alice is focused on practicality and order. Her strict and prude nature is also indicated by the lighting, which harshly illuminated her while illuminating David in a more diffused way. Alice also remains static throughout the scene, not moving from her original spot while David moves around, eventually exiting the room, leaving Alice talking after him from her same spot. This implies that David will leave Alice, and in doing so move on with his life in an effort to find happiness rather than live up to obligation. Something that proves to be a foreshadowing of the remainder of the film.
There are many memorable and comedic quotes in this film, but one that I particularly enjoyed was a conversation between Susan and David:
"Susan: You mean you want *me* to go home?
David: Yes.
Susan: You mean you don't want me to help you any more?
David: No.
Susan: After all the fun we've had?
David: Yes.
Susan: And after all the things I've done for you?
David: That's what I mean. "
This is particularly entertaining because it simultaneously demonstrates Susan’s relentless behavior and David’s oblivious nature in a way reminiscent of little kids trying to get their way.
Howard Hawks’ 1938, “Bringing Up Baby,” tells the story of a paleontologist who ends up in various unfavorable situations with the women he later falls in love with. Starring Cary Grant as David and Katherine Hepburn as Susan, these two relate extremely real and fast pace dialogue which allows the audience to readily understand and become close with the narrative. Similarly, mise-en-scene plays a significant role in the viewers ability to relate to the film, as well as gives them deep insights into the characters and their surroundings. The many aspects of mise-en-scene are used by Hawks to not only provide aesthetically pleasing images for the audience, but to delve into the more implicit themes of the film.
ReplyDeleteThe scene I selected is the very last scene in “Bringing Up Baby,” when Susan and David profess their love to each other. The scene opens with David calling off the engagement between him and Alice. After this instance, Alice states “Well there’s nothing else I can say, except that I’m glad that before our marriage, you showed yourself up in your true colors.” Ironically enough, Alice is wearing black while David is wearing white, so they really are showing their “true colors.” David, representing goodness and pureness, while Alice representing wickedness and stoicism. As she leaves the museum, David stagnantly stares at the camera (almost so much to the point where he breaks the 3rd wall between him and the audience), to relay his happiness about his breakup to the viewers. Unlike in the beginning of the film when the shadows casted dark bars upon David’s figure, here, he is brightly and clearly lit. This aspect of mise-en-scene reveals his new found freedom and foreshadows the implicit happiness that will come as his relationship with Susan progresses. The soft lighting which shines upon both David and Susan in this scene strongly juxtaposes the lighting that is previously used in the film to portray David and Alice’s relationship. The clutter of props throughout the museum is implemented not only to express the true nature of David’s character, but to represent the dynamic between David and Susan. The randomness of the room displays the quirkiness and even the ridiculous and sometimes messy aspects their relationship encounters.
My favorite quote was probably when David says, “Now it isn't that I don't like you, Susan, because, after all, in moments of quiet, I'm strangely drawn toward you, but - well, there haven't been any quiet moments. “ This quote explores both the comedic sides of the film, as well as the implicit meanings. As he jokingly states that he would be drawn to her if she was quiet, he really means it. He is automatically attracted to her, part of the reason being that she is outgoing and silly. I like this quote mainly because it is very cite, but also humorous.
“Bringing Up Baby”, a screwball comedy directed by Howard Hawks. The film is still considered a classic ahead of its time, and although it is most notable for it’s quick wit and clever dialogue, Hawks was sure to not let the keen script overshadow the quality of mise-en-scene by utilizing light, set design, and costume to communicate character traits and foreshadow upcoming events. One scene in which Susan rings David and summons him to her apartment to “save” her from the leopard, Baby, is a fair example of the use of brilliant mise-en-scene while keeping the film comically consistent.
ReplyDeleteThe scene opens with David in his home, holding the last dinosaur bone required for completing his brontosaurus skeleton at the museum in one hand and the phone in the other. It is apparent that Susan is on the other end with David’s unenthusiastic response: “Oh, it’s you”. He wears a dark gray suit, his tie black, and he is surrounded by dim solid colors and squared edges, like in the picture frame or the dark, wooden window sill. This illustrates David’s serious nature, which is then contrasted with that of Susan who is light and free-spirited. Her home is composed of almost all whites and light grays, with airy curtains draped across the large windows, letting in much light while casting very few dark shadows. Her outfit nearly matches the tapestry- white, transparent, and flowy- and her flat is decorated with beaded lamps, and rounded furniture, directly diverging from David’s surroundings. The position in which each character is seating also plays a part in the articulation of their true character, along with the color and style of their telephones. Susan is, as usual, aloof and carefree leaning on her vanity with her stylish yet gaudy, white phone, and on the other line, David with his phone a classic black and standard style. This dissimilarity can represent the type of humor each character commonly expresses. Susan easily inserts light-hearted one liners almost under the radar, which are clearly not meant to be taken seriously on any occasion, whereas David’s cracks are more critical and explicit. The two discuss the “Baby” situation and the leopard soon approaches Susan, just as David is calling her bluff. When Susan stands to let Baby into the bathroom she walks across the part of the room shadowed by the window framing, perhaps foreshadowing her arrest ultimately caused by Baby. In a medium shot just after she closes the door on the leopard, a picture frame is in frame, much like the one in previous shots of David. This frame however, is even lighter than the walls and slightly off-balance, an obvious portray of Susan as a character- clumsy and laid-back. Presently, the two are rightfully contrasted using shades, setting, and clothing, however the way in which mise-en-scene is used to portray such differences eventually concludes to the fact that opposites attract.
My Favorite quote....I could hardly decide! I like these two:
ReplyDeleteSusan Vance: Anyway, David, when they find out who we are they'll let us out.
David Huxley: When they find out who *you* are they'll pad the cell.
David Huxley: Now don't lose your head, Susan.
Susan Vance: My what?
David Huxley: Don't lose your head!
Susan Vance: I've got my head, I've lost my leopard!
Bringing up Baby is a very well-known screw ball comedy, directed by Howard Hawks. Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant, a perfect match for this movie, both star as Susan Vance and Dr. David Huxley. I chose the beginning scene of the movie, of which introduces the goal that needs to be reached within the plot. The establishing shot is a low angle long-shot of the museum and this shot is followed by a cu of the sign on the building. These two shots establish the setting and also give a reason for what Dr. David is doing and why. The shot then fades into an eye-level medium long-shot of the entire room, of which David is putting the dinosaur together in. In this shot you are able to see each character presented in the scene and their perspective rolls. In the left side of the frame you can see most of the dinosaur although it is coming off the screen and in the bottom half there are work benches setup covered in different objects, indicating that this is not part of the show room. In the back of the room, top part of the screen there are awards hanging on the wall, so now the viewer knows this person isn’t only a scientist/ anthropologists, but a very successful one. This information comes in handy later in the scene when Dr. David’s fiancée and assistant, Alice, reminds him not to use slang and remember who he is. In the shot where Alice is pointing to David, to indicate to a messenger why it was necessary for him to be quiet, the camera zooms in to David sitting high up on the ladder thinking. He is dressed in a long white lab coat, white bifocals and a pondering look on his face. Even his hair, with the slicked to the side bang and the rest completely slicked back, just really brought the character together for the audience even before he spoke. The costume is perfect; anybody no matter the age would be able to guess what his occupation was. Then to take it a step further he reveals a bone in his hand that he is trying to place on the dinosaur. The room completely lit up, as to cast no shadows on any part of the room. After all it’s a comedy, so the lighting has to be bright and happy, allowing the viewer to feel a general sense of happiness. The idea of David being an anthropologist is very smart because often, regular scientist may seem scary or psychotic. For all purposes of this film however it was necessary to stay away from any possible mad scientist mix ups.
ReplyDeleteThe composition of this is no exception to the wonderfully designed mise-en-scene. Especially the organization, the building is revealed first, then the name and what the building is, establishing setting right off the bat. Next the work space and the space for the first scene are shown, and finally the protagonist and main character are revealed. There is no confusion even without talking in the first minute or so you are able to fully understand what is going on. The balance is especially displayed beautifully in the previously described shot of the entire room. Each essential piece is visible within the frame and there is no space wasted. From the left side, to the top, to the front ground, and all the way to the background, the viewers’ eyes almost do a dance across the screen, but that’s a good thing when looking at a static shot. Another great example of the mise-en- scene is the actor object relationship within the frame. While Alice, the messenger and the work benches are on the ground, David is up high eyelevel with the dinosaur. This not only allows the viewer to see both, David and the dinosaur on the screen at one time, as to not waste time changing shots or panning up and down, but also allowing the viewer to make a connection between both of them.
Excellent! I am so proud of all of you and your abilities to analyze mise-en-scene! I still want to know what Rayna's favorite quote is...
ReplyDeleteThe scene I chose from the classic screwball comedy film, “Bringing Up Baby”, is the scene where David Huxley is introduced to Baby, the baby leopard that was given to Susan Vence as a present. This scene takes place in Susan Vence’s upscale apartment. The set of this scene is rather quite nice and lavish. Because of the black and white film, the room seems to be predominantly white and a light grey, showing Susan’s innocence and ignorance in this scene and throughout the rest of film as well. Throughout this scene, Susan and David are both constantly shown in the center of the screen, placing an emphasized importance on them. The diagetic music being played also adds a somber feel to the film, but David being scared of Baby, adds a little humor to the scene as well. This happens through out the film as well.
ReplyDeleteThe next part of this scene is set out in the streets as David leaves Susan’s apartment building. David is dressed as a classy man, walking down the street, minding his business. The problem was, Baby was following him. This adds humor to the film because he doesn’t notice Baby and neither does the other people walking by. This is consistent throughout the rest of the film as well because it shows the lack of attention that is paid to important things, which brings in that screwball comic feel.
My favorite line from the film may just be from this scene. I enjoyed when David figured out that Baby was following him and Susan began to drive off. He yells to her, “Su-Su-Susan, wait, don’t drive off, I have the leopard! Su-Susan… Oh dear…”