Choose a 5-minute scene and choose one cultural context through which to look at it. Use a minimum of 1 cinematic element with which to do an analysis of the scene.
Cultural contexts include:
Economic
Geographical
Historical
Institutional
Political
Social
Technological
I chose the scene where Schumacher is persecuting the poacher for flirting with his wife. In the film, Rules of the Game by Jean Renoir, the director, Renoir, provides commentary on the social context of France at the time. The film depicts an upper class weekend at a country house and one of their extravagant displays of musical conconcions. The scene in particular is the precursor of the display of music and the initial confrontation between schumacher and the poacher. Through Renoir's use of mise-en-scene, specifically costumes and location he is able to reinforce his idea of the separation of class in france at the time.
ReplyDeleteSchumacher is depicted in an officer's uniform while the poacher is given quite ordinary clothes compared to the extravagant outfits of the rest of the cast. Also in this scene schumacher and the poacher are both in the kitchen while above them the upper class prepares a marvelous shows for their rich visitors. With the deliberate difference in costume design of characters, renoir provides insight on how the lower class was not obsessed with material possessions such as extravagant one-night costume like the rest of the characters throughout the film. The poacher in particular embodies this because despite not dressing like the rest, he is still able to mingle with them all during the party. The location is a physical metaphor for the divide among people in france. With the conflict between Schumacher and the poacher in the kitchen which happens to be below the entertainment area, the director literally puts the upper class above them in order to highlight the divide. In conclusion, Renoir’s usage of mise en scene further implies his idea of social divide among france during the time period of production.
0:52:40 - 0:58:35
ReplyDeleteThe scene that I chose begins with Christine observing a squirrel with her (conveniently close-up) new pair of field glasses. The shot of the squirrel then cuts to Genviève and Christine’s husband, Robert, talking about no longer seeing each other. Genviève and Robert are then seen kissing, albeit one final time, by Christine and her field glass. The scene ends with Genviève and Christine resolving their issues between themselves and even joking about being with the same man, Robert. Considering the time period that this movie was filmed and produced in, the attitudes of French aristocrats are somewhat typical for their time. In a French journal from 2017 on La Règle du Jeu, there is mention of how women in this time period were both liberated and held captive by their husbands. The writer notes that “il est à peine perceptible que ce « Madame », comme complément d'une attitude provocante”. Roughly, this means that by today’s standards, the grief of having a cheating husband could provoke thoughts of fear concerning what would become of them if they were left behind. However, the writer continues that “Être mariée, c'est la liberté sexuelle”, meaning that having a cheating husband gave them equal freedom in pursuing other people as well. The history of divorce in France is murky, though has been technically legal since the French Revolution. However, in high societies such as the one that Robert, Christine, and Genviève find themselves in, it would likely have been frowned upon, or at least scandalous, for others to know of the infidelity that existed within a marital relationship.
The scene that I have chosen uses cinematography to depict the situation as more nonchalant, rather than focusing on the possible weight it could carry. The use of the POV shot of Christine watching the squirrel through the field glass foreshadows her ability to catch Robert cheating on her. This same effect of POV shot is used later on in the scene as Christine sees Robert and Genviève kissing from a distance. As the scene continues and the conversation between Genviève and Robert becomes more damning (Genviève demanding an answer to her unrequited love), the camera creeps from a medium long shot to a medium close up, the audience can sense that the discussion is becoming more serious. However, as the tone shifts yet again, back to something more friendly, the camera moves back to the more casual medium long shot. As Christine begs for a final, parting kiss, she turns away from Robert in a pensive look into the distance. The shot changes into a close up this time, perhaps foreshadowing their impending moment of intimacy.
Works cited:
DeleteChastain, James. “Divorce and Women in France.” Divorce and Women in France, Ohio.edu, www.ohio.edu/chastain/dh/divorce.htm.
“THÉÂTRE – « La Règle Du Jeu » D'après Jean Renoir, à La Comédie Française.” Nonfiction.fr, www.nonfiction.fr/article-8783-theatre___la_regle_du_jeu__dapres_jean_renoir_a_la_comedie_francaise.htm.
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ReplyDeleteI'm going to analyze the 5 minute scene (51:30-56:30) through a social context.The scene is set in 1939 France in the small theatre of a mansion where a large group of high class adults observe 3 short theatrical acts.The scene opens at the end of a performance when the camera pans around the room of clapping guests.The camera in this shot moves full circle to the back of the room cutting to the next shot before it actually faces the stage again.From the eyes of the viewer a vast moving shot like this can make him/her feel surrounded by the 3D cinematic space . With a room full of people this shot is ideal for conveying the chaotic and often claustrophobic environment of an upper class banquet.The medium close up shot which follows begins at the back of one of the actors at waist level and is set back stage.Even Though this shot is a medium close up it always has 4-5 people moving in and out between acts.The open yet cramped frame in this shot continues to communicate that these bouquets are clumsy and over crowded.
ReplyDeleteLater in the scene , at the beginning of another act , the camera opens on a close up of a player piano and tilts up slowly to the appalled face of the women who was just playing it.In this scene Renoir brings attention to a piece of technology which makes the entertainment of these aristocrats more effortless and relates it directly to the old woman who used to perform a job which is no longer necessary.The piece of music the piano plays during the shot is called danse macabre(dance of the dead).As a whole this shot tells the viewer that the upper class people are becoming less useful.With sound design the rambunctious banquet is compared to a dance of the dead meaning that these people , who spend excessive amounts of time in recreation , are about as useful as dead people.This symbollic relationship is reinforced by the shot of the player piano and the piano player who no longer has a job to perform.
I chose the scene in which the characters are hunting rabbits, birds, and other game and observe it through a political lens. At the time, the director of “The Rules of the Game”, Jean Renoir, stated that he knew there would be an impending war, yet little was done by those who held power and the middle and lower class were disregarded, even though they would be affected greatly as a result. Throughout the scene, the characters chase after the game, mainly shooting at birds since rabbits were considered pests rather than game. Renoir claims this was to represent the thoughtless slaughter during the wars, in which people will take the lives of others with little regard for the weight each one holds. There are multiple medium-close up shots taken from a low angle, as if to suggest the characters hold a sense of pride, despite their actions.
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