Inside the Frame

CHILDREN OF MEN (2006, CUARON)

Theo’s disconnection.

These three scenes highlight Theo’s disconnection from the people around him. He seems unaffected and numb with the news.

At the beginning of the movie, we hear a sad story detailing the death of a child. A crowd in the coffee shop is staring at the TV listening to the story while one man walks through the packed lobby, orders and picks up his coffee only taking a brief, emotionless, glance towards the TV before exiting. 

He enters an office building. The same sadness fills the scene. Instead of TVs, people are at their desks watching the news. Still, no sadness can be seen from Theo. His co-worker, her desk opposite of his and adorned with figurines you would likely associate with children, is very upset with this news.

After leaving work early to process the death of a stranger’s child, Theo rides the train towards home, he seems dissociated. Not paying much attention to what is outside the window. The windows have metal guards which soon prove essential when the train receives attacks from a group of individuals on the track. One of the billboards in the background reads “Avoiding fertility tests is a crime”.

Jasper’s hideaway.

After meeting with his friend, Jasper, they meet at his house hidden in the woods. When we enter the house the camera shows a young Jasper and his wife’s accolades. They were journalists of sorts. This scene also helps to explain the eccentric conversation, house location and time period of the story.

The camera then shows Theo and Janice, who appears to be in a somewhat comatose state, looking at a specific area of the collection of memories previously shown. It is then revealed to have a photo of Theo, a woman, and a baby. This is one of the first frames you can start to see some feeling.

The animals.

"Individual elements of mise-en-scene appear in single scenes to express layers of meaning, but mise-en-scene can also reflect thematic patterns across entire films. Filmmakers can use significant objects or other elements of design to show character change by relying on repetition, which creates a motif—a reoccurring image or set of images that take on additional meaning the more often they repeat. " (The Last Detail). I find it interesting how prominent domesticated animals are and I think these would be considered a reocurring element. It makes sense to have them since, other than adults, the animals are the only other companions or living things to show care towards without babies. The level of devotion the people have towards their animals, to me, shows how lonely it can be in this world and suggests that humans have an innate need to nurture and protect something. Towards the climax of the movie, Jasper kills not only his wife but his dog, showing mercy rather than abandoning them to experience a worse death…I hope cats remain…cat like with their independence in this world. But even the guide that helps Theo and Kee get to the boat is risking her life to carry her dog and protect it from the chaos.

Apartment building.

"Children of Men is deeply indebted to the aesthetic approach of the science fiction classic Blade Runner (1982, Scott), which hybridizes the past and the future to create a series of architectural muddles." (The Last Detail). This apartment was giving brutalism and USSR. Given the previous scenes with the military and the news on the state of this future world, I think that is on purpose meant to give the audience a comparison to a time in history that actually happened…and experienced an uncomfortable demise. 

Theo and Julian.

Julian is the woman in the picture with Theo and the baby. The scenes with her show her in an aggressive position until they meet on the bus where they do discuss the baby. They both clearly have a devotion towards and trust for each other. Especially how Theo reacts to her fatal wound and death - separating himself to cope with his vices. At first, it seems like their dead baby and their shared activist past is just for the backstory but it later explains why Julian trusted only Theo with this mission.

Theo and Kee.

I really enjoy how the scenes seem to express Theo’s apprehension towards the mission of transporting Kee by showing him far away from her and everyone else in the scene. I also think the school scene with Kee visible through the broken glass, Theo and Miriam together on the opposite side of the glass symbolizing or foreshadowing the transfer of responsibility of Kee’s safety. 

Theo, Kee and the Newborn.

I don’t know why it took me until the literal birth to understand why Julian didn’t trust anyone else with Kee. But it eventually clicked, that Theo knew how to support someone through the birthing process and how to comfort a newborn because he did it himself with Juilian. He was also motivated to get her to the boat because of his activist past and knowing how important preserving the life of a newborn is since he lost his own son, Dylan. I found him using the last of the alcohol - he stole from Jasper’s house- to disinfect his hands, an important moment since he clearly had issues with drinking and it showed that he understands this is bigger and more important than himself.

LAURA (1944, PREMINGER)

Opening.

Very clearly lets us know who Laura is and this is indeed about her. Since we don’t have to guess who she is, it made me wonder who I should know and how they connect to her.

Waldo’s Introduction.

The camera pans showing lots of antiques. When Waldo calls Detective McPherson in, he is in the bath…which is quite a vulnerable position to voluntarily put oneself in. A bit odd but given the vulnerability, it suggests everything being out in the open with Waldo having nothing to hide…despite being a bit ostentatious and insisting on involving himself in the detective's investigation. He seems quite concerned with Laura and her death.

Ann Treadwell’s Introduction.

Waldo accompanies Detective McPherson to Ms. Treadwell’s home where she greets them warmly, offering a cigarette. Waldo pretends to distract himself while the detective asks Ms. Treadwell his questions. At first, her body language is open, that is until he approaches a touchy subject, Shelby Carpenter - Laura’s Fiance. She stands up positioning herself behind the chair, as if using it as a shield while her answers become more evasive. 

Shelby Carpenter’s Introduction.

He enters and joins the now defensive Ms. Treadwell…suspiciously close for a man who had a living fiance the night before last. His elbow touches Ms. Treadwell’s and their hands are both on the chair shielding her along with himself. His body is also slightly leaning towards her. It suggests a familiar relationship. Especially when Waldo and the Detective leave. His arms wrap around her and her hand touches his. A bit too intimate for an almost married man of this time.

The love square is formed.

Ah, yes. The classic love square is developed in this scene. Detective McPherson must stop Waldo and Shelby from their argument and accusations by getting between them. Interesting how Waldo and Shelby seem to be incriminating themselves more and more despite trying to cooperate with the investigation.

Waldo’s fond memories as a glucose guardian.

Detective and Waldo have dinner at a restaurant Waldo and Laura regularly visited before her death. Before reminiscing on their history, the scene shows Waldo and the Detective in front of a full restaurant. By the time Waldo is done telling his stories, the camera shows a similar angle with an empty restaurant behind them showing us exactly how long this man was talking. It also shows a full cup of coffee and wine suggesting he and or the detective never even drank them. They appear to be the last guests to leave the restaurant that night. We discovered Waldo had a very large impact on Laura’s career and her success. While she was talented, he did open doors and provide her with a lifestyle she would not have had access to without him. This explains his investment in the investigation and reveals an underlying resentment towards Laura.

The difference between Ann and Laura.

This scene really highlighted the difference in their personalities even without Ann Treadwell openly admitting how vain she is and why she is a better fit for Shelby. Laura is clearly distraught trying to come to terms that there is someone who wanted to kill her and a somewhat innocent girl died in her place, while Ann could not care less and is telling her to let go of Shelby and let her marry him instead despite the dead girl being his mistress. 

No longer square but a triangle.

"One of the most prominent is both art forms’ reliance on staging, which is the way actors are arranged inside the frame and the way they move through it." (The Last Detail). I love how Ann and Shelby are in the back, clearly perfect and choosing each other while Detective McPherson and Waldo are now fighting for Laura’s trust regarding her attempted murder. It does a great job capturing such an awkward dynamic…to me even capturing the dead Diana who was Shelby’s tryst who lost her life…Laura being the only one feeling responsible for her death despite her fiance bringing his mistress into her apartment.