Rebel Without A Cause, Ray’s clever use of mise en scene!!

During the Hollywood era, studios had more control over the artistic direction of a film than any other period in America’s filmmaking history. As a result, mise en scène played an important role for the director as for some, it was the only way they could convey there authorship, “The concept of mise en scène was developed by those theorists interested in issues of authorship, or the role of the participants, and particularly by directors in constructing the meaning of film.” Mise en scène can be seen as a collective term for those aspects of filming that help to construct the meanings of the narrative, outside of the dialogue, “Mise en scène fills out the meaning of otherwise neutral spaces in the interests of the audience’s wider dramatic involvement” Devices such as the sets and props, camera movements, costume and make-up, acting and a film’s lighting can be styled by the director and interpreted by the audience to evoke several layers of narrative meaning. Rebel Without a Cause filmed in 1955 is cleverly shot by Ray and is an example of a family melodrama where it’s meaning is heightened by aspects of mise en scène. In this film, mise en scène is as crucial to meaning as narrative form.

The first filmic device that I shall highlight is that of setting and props. Sets and props that are chosen for film are chosen for a reason. However, it is not just the set and the props themselves that play an intrinsic role to interpreting meaning, it is also important to note how they are filmed. Therefore, I will also discuss camera shots and movements. The importance of props are conveyed immediately in this film. The opening shot focuses on a drunk Jim Stark, (played by James Dean) as he crawls along an open street. He comes upon a small toy monkey lying in the street and proceeds to play with it. This action is child-like and echoes what James Dean’s character represents, that of misguided youth and lost innocence. Dean then lays the monkey down and wraps it in newspaper, placing a smaller teddy bear beside it, as if he is putting it to sleep. Again, several layers of meaning are evoked here. As the film continues, we are made aware of Jim’s problems stemming from his parents and their altered power relations. Putting the monkey to sleep is motherly, and the anguish on Deans face parallels the anguish he feels towards his own parents. Straight away one can see the effect of props on narrative meaning here. Even though James Dean does not explain his actions through dialogue, we, as observers interpret his silent actions with these particular props ourselves.

Sets too, are important in this film. A lot of the sets used by Ray have many barriers, such as staircases and doors in them. Doors themselves become an inherent prop in the film, due to their role as dividing the generational gap that is felt by all of the characters. In the police station at the beginning of the film, Jim’s father draws attention to this fact and says to Jim “Do you always have to slam the door in my face?”. Later, in the scene, Jim stands behind a door and looks through a peephole at his squabbling parents and grandmother. Therefore, one can say it is not only the audience and director who translate aspects of mise en scène, but in this film, the characters are also aware of the settings affect, “…characters are as aware as the audience of the thematic significance of spatial arenas, and of the crucial importance of transitional places such as doors and staircases.”

As stated above, it is not just the sets and the props acting individually as crucial elements to meaning, but also how they are shot. One scene in the film, not only highlights the affect of mise en scène in conveying meaning, but particularly emphasizes the story-telling ability of camera movement. “The camera’s shifting gaze lets us examine different perspectives within the frame, allowing us not only to explore space, but also to understand its meanings through identifications of and with characters.” When Jim returns to the house from the bluff, the confrontation with his parents is set in the front hallway of their house. The confrontation begins with a swirling shot of Jim’s mother, as viewed by him as he lies upside down on the couch. One can see here that a word of dialogue has not been spoken by the actors and yet a sense of unease is already being conveyed through camera movement. As the heated discussion with his parents continues, the actors position themselves on the stairs. Jim stands on the stairs in between his parents. The resulting camera shots convey layers of meaning about the power relations in the Stark household. Jim’s father is positioned at the bottom of the staircase, in between Jim and the door. This position in the frame equates his position in the hierarchy of the household, where he is torn between his wife and the expectations of his son, therefore fuelling his son’s rebellion. Jim’s mother is positioned above the men, showing that she believes she has the power in the household. However, Jim’s confrontational stance in between his parents is set up by the camera to challenge this. The camera then tilts. This not only places Jim at the same height as his parents, (and therefore of equal importance) but also conveys a feeling of unease, confusion and tension. “…it [the shot] can also be tilted to one side. Such a shot is read as an indication of instability, either that of the characters or of the situation that the shot is recording.” It is evident in this pivotal scene that mise en scène is inherent in expressing meaning, along with narrative form.

Another substantial facet of mise en scène that has a most dramatic affect on translating narrative meaning is that of acting. One can argue that acting has an innate association with narrative form alone, and that it “…sought to fulfil the requirements of the plot with a minimum of psychological embellishment…” However, James Dean epitomises a school of acting that brought attention to different layers of meaning than just the words he had to speak. James Dean was a Method actor. From that first scene, as he crawls along the ground, to his anguished face and writhing hands as he screams “You’re tearing me apart!”, it is clear to see that his concentration on physicality or body movement and the psychological profile of his character belongs to the teachings of Method acting. You are aware of this different style of acting from the beginning of the film. Dean doesn’t have to speak a word and yet, as a participant, you are all too aware of the energy he is using to portray Jim Stark, “Method acting is in one sense highly visible: we are often intensely aware of the effort involved in the creation of a Method performance.” Just as this film portrays a group of post-war teenagers struggling with issues of self-analysis, Method acting also became more popular in this post-war period, a coincidence not lost on Dean, “…its [Method acting] ascendancy in the post war decade had much to do with appropriateness of its performance style to both the dramas and the cultural concerns of the time.” At this time society had entered into a limbo, people were not sure what to do with themselves, just like the teenagers in the film. Therefore, just by using the Method style of acting, Dean brings numerous meanings to the forefront that surpass that of the narrative form.

Lighting, too, has a role to play in this film. In most of the scenes in this film, (as with most Hollywood films) the sources of light can be seen within the frame, “Lighting effects usually appear to be ‘motivated’, in that they come from sources such as table lamps that are in shot.” However, light is not merely used to show the audience what is going on, but can also highlight (or hide) specific characteristics, areas, and also, as a result, meanings outside of the narrative form. Jim and Judy’s love story is an example of a plot which is heightened by lighting techniques. Individually, Dean is almost always lit from below, creating shadows on his face and above him, emphasising the confusion that he feels. In contrast, Natalie Wood is lit from above, in order to capture her beauty and teary eyes as she struggles with the relationship with her father. Therefore, if one looks at lighting they are opposites, until they are both lit by candles in the mansion. As they are lying down, just before they kiss, Wood’s face is half covered by Dean’s face and the resulting affect is that of them completing one full face, implying they are now united. Other examples of lighting in the film, can be found in the scene at the bluff. Before the cars race, Judy wishes both Buzz and Jim good luck. As she kisses Buzz, the shot switches to Jim’s reaction, he is sitting in almost complete darkness inside his car. One can see that he is jealous and that the darkness echoes the turmoil in his mind. Then Judy stands in front of them to start the race. This scene is set at night, so Ray cleverly sources the lighting to the cars of the gathering teens, who line up at the sides of the bluff, creating a make-shift runway. As Judy stands in the centre waiting to give the signal to the love rivals, she is fully lit by the headlamps of the cars. This highlights not only Judy as the referee, but also as the prize that will be ‘won’ by the winner, or in this case survivor. Therefore, again one can derive meaning from lighting outside of the words spoken or the actions portrayed. The way that some scenes are lit, alone, can be translated into the story of the film.

Finally, costume and make-up too, plays a small role but is still as crucial to meaning as narrative form. Take for example, the friendship between Jim and Plato (Sam Mineo). When Jim first meets Plato in the police station he offers him his jacket. Plato does not accept the offer, but the next morning in school he wears a skinny black tie and jacket, mimicking the same outfit Jim had on the night before. This shows Plato’s immediate obsession with Jim, his admiration and his allegiance with Jim as a friend. Plato wants to be just like Jim, and when he is offered Jim’s (now famous) red jacket at the end of the film, he accepts. It cloaks him in the rebellion portrayed by Dean and makes him feel more comfortable when faced with going outside to the police. He now has a piece of the person he adores. One can see the connection here between the relationship of Jim and Plato and costume. Plato’s seemingly immediate fixation on Jim is paralleled by his duplicating the outfits worn by the object of his affections.

Ray was able to stamp this film with his own artistic authority through his clever use of filmic devices such as sets, props, camera movement, lighting and costume, together with Dean’s Method acting. “The quality of a director’s work could be read through his/her style, his/her control over the mise en scène.” The story, or narrative form, acts as a basis upon which other levels of meaning are established, “The story is the part of the movie that holds its component parts together, sequences them, and provides an explanation or justification for that sequencing.” If it was not for mise en scène and the affect that it has upon the audience viewing this film, then this film would just have been a typical ‘family melodrama’, instead it is now an eternal classic, which is easily recognisable, either by the face of the tragic James Dean, the line “You’re tearing me apart!” or that famous red jacket.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Primary sources

Maltby, Richard, ed., Hollywood Cinema (Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2003).

Nelmes, Jill, ed., An Introduction to Film Studies (London and New York: Routledge, 2003).

Secondary sources

Benedetti, Jean, Stanislavski: An Introduction (London: Methuen Drama, 1989.)