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©Mitchell Lifton & Gene Robinson, 1996
The sequence which is the subject of this reading occurs well into the narrative, integrally interlaced, as is everything in the film, with Thompson's search for Kane's mysterious last word "Rosebud". We have already seen what we could call an overview of Kane's life as provided by the Newsreel. Then, as Thompson begins his quest, we are introduced to the principal players in Kane's life, and, through a series of flashbacks which they provide we see a number of episodes, some repeated in other's flashbacks, some not, which, woven together, will create the fabric of that life. The accepted wisdom is that this fabric is created by what the various characters in the narrative say and do. This is certainly important, but, as you will see, this is only one part of a complex system of signification. Equally important is how we see and hear what they do and say.
The "Married Life" scene appears early in Leland's flashback. It is 2 minutes and 11 seconds in length. In that time, and in the grand total of 32 shots which comprise the sequence we will see described cinematically the cooling of the marriage of Charles and Emily.
Through a dissolve of a medium shot of Leland, the sequence begins with an establishing long shot of a breakfast room in an obviously opulent home. Soft, early-morning light comes through the windows as Emily sits, still dressed for last evening's round of parties, having some breakfast. As Charles comes into frame screen right and walks behind Emily, camera begins to track forward. Dressed in evening clothes, carrying a dish of food and a dish-towel over his arm, Charles is obviously "waiting" on his new bride.
As camera continues its forward movement, he puts the plate down and kisses her on the forehead, then sits in the nearest chair and looks adoringly across the unencumbered table at her, speaking his first line, "You're beautiful..."
The camera is still moving forward as he speaks another line about newspaper men ("...they're worse than sailors.") which in effect sets up the issue which will represent the cooling of their relationship: the newspaper. Camera stops it's tracking, still framing both characters in the shot, then Charles speaks his line "I absolutely adore you...".
Now there is a cut to a medium close shot of Emily, as she says suggestively, "... even newspapermen have to sleep sometimes...".
This cut will begin a series of angle reverse-angle cuts, (from Emily to Charles, back to Emily, back to Charles etc.). This pattern will repeat itself in several segments of the sequence which are separated from one another by a series of swish pans. Thus after Emily's line we cut to a medium close up of Charles as both the look on his face and his line make it clear that he has understood the suggestion and is eager to act on it. Another cut back to Emily in a similar framing gives us her reaction to this, then we're back to Kane asking the time, back to Emily " I don't know it's late." then finally back to Kane "It's early."
Indeed it is, not only early in the morning, but early--or is it already too late?--in the marriage. Forty-seven seconds and seven shots have gone by since the beginning of the sequence, but already some significant things have been established. First, though here it's treated jocularly, the conflict between domestic and professional life. That much we can glean not only from the dialogue, but from the contrast which these seven shots create with those which will follow.
That the couple is in love also made clear, though here elements other than the dialogue contribute significantly to the construction of the meaning: the lighting is soft and gentle (differing from much of the rest of the film, where it is starkly contrasted, hard and sharp); the make-up on both is equally soft and flattering (note the lack of moustache and "casual" lick of hair coming down Charles' forehead); they are staged near one another, the objects on the table between them relatively unobtrusive; and the action is directed so that the cuts from one to the other are emphatically eyeline matches; last but not least the music heard off-screen is lilting, waltz-like, in a word, romantic.
These elements of mise-en-scene, cinematography, editing and sound all work together symbiotically, along with the dialogue, all part of the unified system of narrative representation which this film creates. Each of these elements works with all the others and they are all equals in the task of creating the meaning of the film: form and content are thus two sides of the same coin, not, as they are so often thought of, separate and unique aspects of a work. This vital point, to which we will return again and again, is at the heart of any effort to read a film successfully.
But the scene is not yet over and neither is our analysis. As already mentioned, a swish pan takes us to the next segment. Over the pan we hear, off screen, the beginning of Emily's line "Charles..." Then we are in a medium close up of Emily which essentially reproduces the ones we have just seen as she continues "...do you know how long you kept me waiting..." and so on.
In spite of the surface similarity with the previous segment, we can already note some significant changes. For one thing, her reading of the line carries a hint of gentle reproach. Also, though the shot is framed similarly to the previous ones, there is something new in the composition of the frame: the bouquet of flowers in the foreground of the shot places a physical barrier between the spectator and Emily which didn't exist in the previous segment. The reverse-angle cut to Charles, however, shows us that the bouquet sits between the two of them, is, in effect, a representation of the as yet slight distance between the two. They now sit opposite one another at the table. The lighting has become slightly harsher, more contrasted and the make-up harder. They both wear dressing gowns, Emily's still flouncy and intimate but nevertheless a bit more severe than her ball gown, more reserved.
While Charles, (whose moustache has now appeared, an overworked signifier of a passage of time) is framed surrounded by the bouquet on the table in the foreground and greenery in the back-ground, Emily is staged against a rather stark wall and an angular set of shelves. The music, too, is becoming more agitated, thinner and sharper, the rhythm of the editing quicker. These changes so far are subtle, but, as the entire scene demonstrates, they will all add up to something fairly evident.
We are one minute and five seconds into the scene when another swish pan takes us into the next segment. As before, we hear the beginning of Emily's line over the swish: "...Sometimes I think I'd prefer a rival of flesh and blood...". Again as before, we go straight into a medium close up of Emily. In spite of the similarity in her staging, however, there is a distinct change. Not only are the lighting and her make-up harder, her hair style more severe and tighter, but her dress is considerably more rigorous, strict, much less "free" than before, one could say less intimate. The gentle tone of reproach has also become more open and direct, less gentle. The music continues to emphasize the dilution of the romantic atmosphere, while Charles' gown and the leafy framing continued from the previous segment act as a counterpoint to this: romance and intimacy haven't totally disappeared.
Another swish pan, however, moves us now into a significantly different ambiance. Following the pattern already established, we hear the beginning of Emily's line "...Your Mr. Bernstein..." over the pan before we come in on her in the now familiar medium close up. Here the reproach is an open one, as the line continues "...has sent Junior the most incredible atrocity, Charles...". It's not only the surfacing of tension which has changed, however. Not only do we learn that they now have a young child (time has passed again) but there are clear other differences. The bouquet on the table has been replaced by other, less romantic barriers, cruets, salt and pepper shakers and the like. A crystal candelabra sits on the shelves behind Emily. She wears a matronly, bodiced dress which culminates in a large lace bow tied tightly around her neck. The lighting has become much more contrasted, a large area of shadow covers the wall behind her.
When we cut to Charles, no longer in a dressing-gown but in a suit and tie, the greenery which had surrounded him and served to somewhat soften his character has disappeared, replaced by a somewhat indistinct patterned texture, perhaps wall paper, which underlines the darker sense of the segment as a whole. As with Emily, his own make up not only ages him, but is more stern and hard. Finally, the nervous runs on the music have given up all pretense of romance and are now indicating an acceleration of tension. No longer the adoring husband, no longer the complaisant wife, the two are now in more ways than one at opposite ends of the table, where the food and drink, for the first time, seem to command as much attention, at least on Charles' part, as the other person. All this, combined with the lines spoken--Charles in effect laying down the law--allows us to understand something in Charles' character which is essential to the narrative as a whole. His egomania may sometimes be manifested by a kind of disingenuous charm, but, when pushed, it becomes dictatorial, oppressive, deadly.
The next segment reinforces this point. The pattern continues to be followed: swish pan with Emily's VO, followed by a cut into a medium close up of her seated at the table. The shot shows more changes. They may now be in what seems to be a formal dining room, no longer the garden or breakfast room of the earlier scenes. The space is, in any event, less inviting, more stiff and formal. The shelves behind Emily have given way to a polished dresser with two candelabras on it. More and more silver objects and goblets are on the table. The tie around her neck has been replaced by a flounce, more pronounced and yet more matronly, but every bit as constricting. More significantly, the contrasting lighting has sharpened further in the background and on her, highlighting the sterness of the make up which, as it has been increasing progressively throughout, adjusts another increment now.
The cut to Kane confirms the fact that there is now open antagonism between the two. He is seated as before, but, as with Emily, the hardness of the lighting has increased. We see him behind a barrier of items on the table. He glowers angrily, asserting his omnipotence, "...what I tell them to think!"
After this 17 second segment where the latent hostility between them is out in the open, the scene ends with one last segment. This time there is no off screen dialogue over the swish pan. Instead, we only hear a few sinister chords from the music track. On the cut to the usual MCU of Emily, she ostentatiously turns the paper which she has been reading so that the masthead is clearly visible across the table, we can only assume to Charles. It is that of "The Chronicle", the direct competitor of Kane's "Inquirer". She throws a glance at him, wordless, flaunting her disloyalty. Cut to Kane as he looks up at her, also wordless, smoking a pipe, disdainful he goes back to reading his paper, of course "The Inquirer". As soon as he puts his head down, the camera tracks back in a virtually exact opposite movement as the track forward in the first segment of the scene. We realize that we are still indeed in the same room, but clearly much is changed. The lighting coming through the windows is no longer diffused and soft; it is harsh and sharp. The couple sit at opposite ends of the table, totally separated from one another not only by it, all the objects on it, and the encumbered space all this represents, but by the definitive barrier of each of the respective newspapers being held up in front of each of their respective faces. The music reinforces the sense of disjuncture and disunion.
As the camera stops its rearward tracking motion, a dissolve brings us back to Leland being interviewed by Thompson on the roof garden of the hospital and the scene under examination is over. In the two minutes and eleven seconds that the scene has lasted we have learned a good deal about Kane and his egomania, somewhat less about Emily, and a considerable amount as to the nature and evolution of their marriage. Emily's reaction to Kane's infidelity is also prefigured, or at least prepared for. Not bad for such a brief sequence!
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