Film Clip Analysis: An Ideal Husband

Film Clip Analysis
An Ideal Husband - 1947

This scene depicts what appears to be lovers preparing for bed and discussing the political unrest within the mans life, set in an extravagant house the couple appear to have returned from a party as they are wearing tuxedo and ball gown. The upper class setting is then further exemplified when the woman calls the maid to post a letter for her (shot 24). This kind of setting represents clearly the wealth that the couple bear, further exemplifying the prestigious role that the man holds within politics. The highly decorated set provides plenty of visual texture in turn making the environment in which the scene is set look lavish to the viewer.

The establishing shot (1) is a great chandelier
in which the candles are being extinguished, the scene darkens leaving a silhouette over what is symbolised to be a sky, the smoke over the sky may be a synonym for turbulent times to follow. The lighting plays quite a strong part in establishing metaphors, with each candle that is snubbed the set becomes darker, this ties in with the man becoming further persuaded by the woman round to what she wants, the darkening of the room suggests that this is a mistake due to the symbolic cliché of good being represented by light and darkness with evil. Due to the political prowess in the conversation the silhouetting of the actors face showing now features suggests sinister undertones.

The staging of the scene within a house which appears to be large and lavish provides the director with interesting shots and frames.
At one point within the clip the woman is framed against a mirror, providing connotations of a reflection of self. At the same time the man is silhouetted against a large paned window, the crosses between the panes of glass could represent a jail cell as the characters are discussing a "dishonest". The woman is pushing the man throughout the scene, so the ‘jail cell' could also be representational of how the man feels caged. This is further reflected within the plot when the man is finally persuaded to sign the "dishonest" away. As the character holds his head in his hands (23), clearly a move he did not want to make, showing his
entrapment.

During this scene the director employs the camera to do a few different types of shot and movement.
The camera pans with the movement of the characters in numerous shots throughout, this provides the audience with the feeling of presence within the room as the pan is comparable to head turning, this type of filming brings the audience closer to the characters. The camera operator also employs a zoom/ tracking effect (7, 25) whilst the actors are walking, hinting towards the audience following the action from room to room. This also helps the film progress through its narrative as it keeps the pace. A range of different shots are used, a close up of the chandelier (1) in the establishing shot clearly outlines the setting for the rest of the scene, the wealth is apparent from the outset. The camera generally uses a combination of medium close ups and close up shots throughout.

Framing is used effectively within this scene, when the woman gives the maid the letter she is framed walking within a archway into a lit room (24), this could be seen as a metaphor for good over evil as she comes from the dark and into the light. There are further connotations within this shot as the man crosses behind her as a darkened silhouette, possible giving a nod towards the man crossing her behind her back later in the film. This is a rarely seen shot with the actor emerging from behind the camera in which case the director is likely to have left this in to represent some
meaning.

The performance throughout the clip is very believable, the characters are enduring a mild crisis and this is reflected in the body language and their general performance. The man is clearly under pressure from the lady in this scene. The actor embraces this with the closed style acting, keeping a straight or concerned facial expression. His bodily posture is also quite rigid and stern looking this could also be attributed to the upper class environment in which the scene is shot, possibly giving connotations of a "stiff upper lip". In the scene the actor also keeps moving around, preparing for bed, this blocking is definitely a reflection of the tension in the scene. The actress plays her part in a different way, she is more open compared to the man, and tries to become close to him. Her posture is also reflective of her character, leaning forward over chairs to get closer to the man. She often follows him around as he appears to be concealing something. In shot 8 a close up of the woman is featured, in this shot she is very low in comparison to the camera, this therefore gives the impression of the actress being helpless and lacking in power over the man. Yet as the scene progresses and the woman begins to sway the man into her way of thinking her close up in shot 20 is quite the opposite of this, featuring the woman in a higher position with the camera lower, this shows the power that the lady gained within the scene.

The final shot within the clip is of the two actors embraced on a chair, then the shot fades to black providing the audience with the intonation that all is not as well as the characters are portraying within the script.

Throughout the scene the director has focused heavily on the lighting and framing to give subtle hints to what appears to be a civilised conversation, hinting towards the untoward.

An Ideal Husband - Shot Breakdown

1. MCU Chandelier - Fades to black.
2. MLS of woman through an archway, Camera pans right to left following woman she meets Robert at the door.
3. MS camera pans from left to right, following couple.
4. MCU of woman, camera sits slightly higher than her, looking down.
5. MCU man against window.
6. Camera pans following Robert from right to left.
7. Camera zooms to man extinguishing candles, resulting in a CU behind his right shoulder.
8. CU of woman, camera raised looking down upon her.
9. MCU of man, he turns to speak to the woman.
10. MCU panning right to left, following man to more candles.
11. Woman is framed in mirror. The panning stops.
12. MCU camera continues to pan left.
13. Camera tracks round to front of couple - shot darkens, resulting shot MCU
14. Robert leaves shot, camera pans to close up of woman.
15. Cuts to LS of man closing window, shot taken from rear right hand shoulder.
16. Cuts to CU of woman.
17. CU of silhouetted man at window.
18. CU of woman.
19. CU of man, panning as he turns left shoulder to camera.
20. CU of woman, camera is below her, aimed upwards.
21. MLS of man - woman enters from left, shot zooms to a MCU from rear R/H side of woman's shoulder, man faces.
22. Camera pans right to desk, Man sits in MCU with camera at face level.
23. Woman leaves shot to left, camera pans right, centring on man.
24. LS of woman through archway, Mary enters left then leaves left.
25. Camera zooms/tracks through to archway, man crosses from the right. The camera is low.
26. MS of couple in room, the man sits down. Fades to black.

Abbreviations: CU - close-up MCU - medium close-up MS - medium shot MLS - medium long shot