01:32
01:40
The movie starts with a good example of visual contradiction. 'Sunny California' obviously isn't so sunny! Right away, we have an indication that what we're told and what we see can be at odds with each other.
'once upon a time'
01:50
2:04
In this amazing first shot inside, see how we start with toys in the foreground, and when the camera moves over to left, it is to include another bunch of toys in the foreground. Also, the screen in the middle will not be the last one we see in the movie! This shot is a good example of establishing visual motifs.
toys in foreground
2:16
2:17
This is the first shot of Cliff. Notice where the toys are - in the foreground. Throughout the film, the foreground will be reserved for kids and toys. Cliff will always be in the background in these compositions.
First shot of Clifford Groves
3:17
3:22
Notice how the camera pivots around the doll in the foreground as he leaves, giving it additional visual emphasis. You should probably look at this at least twice to be sure you see that the camera movement is around the doll.
camera pivot
3:22
3:36
First dissolve to the house. A number of these liken the factory to the house. The visual matches look close enough.
Dissolve to the house
4:27
4:44
As Cliff walks into the house, the son is in the right position! It's also very important that here, as a number of times elsewhere, we see the arrangement constructed in front of us.
Father-son composition
5:09
5:15
This is a short example of divided space as housekeeper irons. The extra screen on the left seems to be there just to give us another space we have to look through. Even in minor scenes such as this, the compositions often emphasize distance and separation.
divided space
5:18
5:29
The camera very clearly stays well down the stairs when he first kisses his wife. There is no close-up at the moment of the kiss.
the long shot kiss
7:02
7:06
A small point, but notice the painting on the wall without the father. We'll see a similar photograph later.
painting on the wall
8:02
8:13
Cliff on the phone, as the daughter comes down stairs. The dividing diagonal of the staircase is quite pronounced.
Staircase division between father and daughter
9:30
9:35
The boiling coffee pot is what's known as an "objective correlative". It's not just the pot that's boiling over, is it!
the boiling coffee pot
14:58
15:07
"I design clothes for live ones now"! Another nice comparison of dolls and people.
A dialog example - "I design clothes for live ones now"
15:28
15:46
Rex's first walk, not the same as later! (Rex is already standing in for Cliff!) This is clearly a key linkage. Norma's admiration for Rex isn't just admiration for Rex, is it.
Rex's first walk
18:28
18:45
Dissolving from the mechanical organ (after panning to it, the lights go out) to the wife in bed. (Another between visual linkage between the family and mechanical objects.)
dissolving from organ to wife in bed
20:40
20:46
Maybe not the best example, but it looks again like a match between the factory and the house.
factory-house match
20:50
20:53
The camera is upstairs when Cliff comes home. He's in the distance again, and certainly not given a close-up. Even an extra lamp on the ceiling is thrown in on the left side, at a bit of a skewed angle.
Cliff comes home - camera upstairs
21:31
21:48
A good shot through window panes of the family. Cliff is outside, of course. (The design of the house is very conducive to these kinds of shots.)
Through the window panes - Cliff outside
23:04
23:28
the kids are in the window again, and Cliff is outside again. Time for another cigarette!
Window barrier between kids and parents
27:04
28:14
A long take of the dance - about the only such shot in the film. Probably the happiest moment in the movie.
long shot of dance
32:58
33:40
Driving back in the car with the kids. The camera moves in to frame Vinnie in the side window - sharp example of framed, divided space, in a single take. Even in a convertible in the open air, the space is very divided.
kids driving back
33:40
34:00
next scene restaurant - opens and closes with very high overhead shot (just showing a little bit in the beginning)
high overhead shot at restaurant
35:50
36:50
The kids are waiting at home. They quickly group in foreground - perfectly arranged. When the kids are up furthest, Anne is even over a little, her "correct" position, between the two groups. As you watch this unfold, you should even be able to predict the positions of characters in relation to the camera. This is great too for showing it all be set up in front of us.
Major example - kids waiting at home
37:20
37:27
Here's the only bathroom in a movie with a screen!
Bathroom screen
37:46
38:00
The perfect arrangement of just before repeats when he goes down to call Norma.
foreground-background, as he makes call
38:04
38:17
Norma answering phone - behind screen, shadow of it still on her when she moves over
Norma answering phone
38:58
39:26
Her amazing hotel room. The opening scene is great: the wire gate to the bedroom, the posts to the front door, turning on the lights, Cliff in the mirror, her reflection on glass when he picks up photograph of himself.
Norma's hotel room
40:48
41:07
Norma visits home - starting on dessert, breakfast nook as barrier, shooting in from kitchen, table at a distance - vertical lines throughout to separate characters, corners of wall (between
Norma visits home
41:31
41:43
A nice part to show candles being put to good use, as camera moves - notice how we first see three candles, then after camera moves, we still see one very well placed candle
positions of candles during dinner
42:07
42:18
Somehow now another candle has appeared, when we need to divide the frame even more.
Another candle appears
42:30
42:40
Remember the curved circle with the toys in the opening shot in the factory? Here the young couple takes the place of the toys in the circle.
another curved circle
47:13
47:29
Cliff and wife in darkness. when he says "I'm tired of being pushed in the corner", he moves to corner (refer to scene in All That Heaven Allows - "something's come between us mother". *also he says "I'M BECOMING LIKE ONE OF MY OWN TOYS"
"I'M BECOMING LIKE ONE OF MY OWN TOYS"
48:28
48:56
great how she's in light at extreme foreground left, he's way back in darkness, then she goes and sits at mirror, then he stops momentarily behind screen.
Cliff behind a screen, wife at mirror
49:51
50:01
The bedroom scene ends with an extra overhead shot - good line between the beds - more than censorship requires. Also another of those overhead lights - makes it look industrial I think (and also, these sets have no ceilings!)
Bedroom scene with extra overhead shot
50:44
50:55
verticals of stairway, he moves behind them when he makes phone call (the kids would be photographed very differently)
staircase verticals
53:14
53:18
Just to show strong vertical in good brief shot of Norma and employee at a distance, divided space (good that this scene is fight between Norma and wife over clothes)
Strong vertical in shot of Norma
57:32
57:38
dissolve from factory window - light of house in same position
57:48
57:58
Cliff comes home. Kids are in correct arrival position, of course.
58:37
58:45
**covering the photograph with newspaper
58:55
59:02
Great shot of Cliff inside window. (It's another like the "tomb of his own making" he spoke about earlier.) Also, this isn't the window where he will wind up near the end watching the airplane, but it's a pretty similar position - this can refer to the next example.
Great shot of Cliff inside the window
59:44
1:00:05
Really fabulous - son outside, father inside through window (at first they match) - great shot. as he said earlier - "I felt I was trapped in a tomb of my own making"
great shot of son out side matching father inside
1:02:23
1:02:34
German tourists interrupting the big love scene
1:04:12
1:04:19
Husband and wife outside window, daughter playing piano
1:07:01
1:08:10
Kids in hotel room is good scene - for most of it, she and kids always in separate shots. when they are together, someone's back is to camera without a reverse shot. The camera is mainly in one general direction. The point where they cross is particularly great, as they are in the shot together for the very briefest of moments.
Kids in hotel room
1:10:28
1:11:20
*great when she goes to window when it rains
Norma at the rainy window
1:11:50
1:12:00
This is toy factory again, and the first great shot of Rex in foreground. See the camera move over to position him solidly in the foreground, ready for his big moment coming soon!
Rex in the foreground, waiting
1:15:40
1:16:05
Cliff starts Rex going, he stays in distance. This is the great shot of Rex! Presumably he goes over the side when he leaves the shot. Isn't this amazing!
The Great Rex Shot
1:19:38
1:20:00
this is very end - a "happy ending"?