Both Mise-en-scene and Cinematography were used in the Film "Bonnie and Clyde" (1967) in the following manner:
The Actors
The film features Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. The duo is notorious criminals of the early 1930s. They grew to form a gang named Barrow Gang, which became famous for the well-publicized crimes that mocked the authority in place. Although they act as criminals, the two appear as passionate, glamorous and full of love. They create the contrast that is necessary to depict a film with same actors playing different roles. They are able to engage in criminal activities robbing banks and at the same kiss each other in the bed in show of love for each other.
Lighting
Lighting is used to manipulate the mood and feeling of the film. Lighting also influences the tone and setting of the film. The film uses top lighting when the Bonnie and Clyde hug and kiss in the bed showing romance. The lighting changes when gun shots are heard throughout the movie to indicate sinister and frightening scenes.
Colour
There are different colors used in the film depending on the scene. For instance in the scene where Bonnie reunites with her mother and family. Although the family is happy to have met Bonnie, there is a gloomy feeling since they don't know what will happen to Bonnie in the long run considering that Bonnie and Clyde’s had just engaged in crime.
Costumes
The characters are dressed in a manner that portrays mediaeval criminal groups. On the contrary, the dressing looks similar to that of bride and bridegroom in a wedding ceremony. In most scenes, for instance, when kissing in bed Bonnie is dressed in Berets, tight sweater and pencil skirt. She also has dapper accessories all over her body while Clyde is in chalk-stripe suit. The mode of dressing identifies both crime and romance as the dominant themes in the film.
Framing
Framing refers to the amount of available space within the territory of the film. A scene can be tight, loosely or internally framed (Nochimson and Martha 4). Tightly framed scene contains a close shot which suggest a confinement while loosely framed scene depicts a long shot showing freedom. There is a long shot at the scene where Bonnie's family is interacting with the gang near a hill. A close shot is taken when Bonnie's mother is looking at Bonnie with a smile.
Setting/décor
The film was shot in natural settings without any need of staging. The scene includes outdoor along the hills, to the streets and inside houses. For instance, the shot along the street just after robbing a bank and running away. In addition, the scene in the hill where the Bonnie’s parents are engaging with the gang. The filmmaker decided to use different techniques to get the best out of every scene. They could zoom the cameras to influence the mood of the film or to bring clarity of the theme in the play to the audience. The overall setting shows the film as having been cast during the Great Depression. It is this kind of setting that made Bonnie and Clyde appear on the cover of Time Magazine in December of 1967 (Bean 1). The newspaper described the film as new, a watershed picture, the kind that signals a new style and trend.
Work Cited
Bean, O. "'Bonnie and Clyde' - Facts? Meaning? Art?" New York Times, September 17, 1967
Nochimson, Martha P. Dying to Belong: Gangster Movies in Hollywood and Hong Kong. Blackwell Publishing, (2007). Print.
