Whatever+Works


 * Whatever Works; Directed by: Woody Allen **

- //What is the plot (what does the character want)?// Boris Yelnikoff, played by Larry David, is a chess teacher and former Columbia professor who, ever since his divorce, resents human contact and believes no one can match him intellectually. He wants to be left alone, especially when he meets simple-minded Southerner Melodie Celestine, who's developed an obvious crush on him. However, he no longer knows exactly what he wants with his life when he starts to fall for Melodie as well.

- //What is the theme (what does the character need)?// The character needs to love and feel loved again, because at the beginning of the film he attempted to commit suicide by jumping out of a window. He slowly falls in love with Melodie but tries to resist his feelings at first, because she's not "intellectual" enough.

- //Choose a scene that best exemplifies the theme. Identify and explain how 10 elements within the scene (reference mise-en-scene, editing, sound, cinematography, lighting) create meaning in reference to that theme.//

I chose the scene where Boris first met Melodie. He found her in an alley behind his apartment after he had heard noises coming from outside. He finds out that she's a 19-year-old runaway from Mississippi, who's got nowhere to go, so he decides to invite her in to sleep on his couch. This is the exact pin-point moment where his wants (to be left alone from everyone) turn into needs (to love and feel loved again - ever since he got a divorce and tried to commit suicide).

1) Sound: Like in the majority of Woody Allen's (romantic-comedy) films, Whatever Works plays both jazz and piano as sporadic background noise throughout the movie. This scene is no exception, and it works very well with the tone of the film, since jazz is lively and cheerful music, and this is the point where he meets his "love," Melodie (and future wife). Up until this point in the film, Boris was depressed and miserable, and couldn't even walk right ever since he had jumped out of a window. Now he's opened up his heart a little, when he offers Melodie to stay for the night in his apartment. The jazz music fits perfectly with the film's theme of finding love and opposite attractions. 2) Lighting: The low-key tungsten lighting is soft and warm, which is appropriate since Boris meets Melodie during the night. It makes sense that the lighting isn't harsh or cold, because warmth conveys feelings of love and comfort, and creates a romantic mood, which is perfect for the scene that's unfolding. The rest of the movie, for the most part, takes place during the day, so the lighting is evidently different, and creates a different mood, one that is more harsh and clear (which makes sense because their relationship does not end well, as she ends up cheating on him, which adds to the somewhat dark theme of the film). 3) Editing: In this particular scene there were a few long takes, with shots that didn't cut away for a significant amount of time. Woody Allen is quite known for his long takes, and in an interview said he favored them because of their practicality in the production process, rather than using them only at specific points as a way to emphasize a particular scene or moment. Long takes allow him to engage his audience in the observational process without the manipulation of editing, and to engage us and make us feel as though we're in the scene with the characters, especially in this important scene, because it is when Boris' wants turn into needs. 4) Costume: The two characters are both wearing clothes of similar hues - browns and reds and oranges, which go hand-in-hand with the low-key lighting, which together create a warm, soft mood. Again, this is the point where they meet, and subsequently fall in love, so their attire conveys the romantic themes of the movie in an implicit way. 5) Cinematography: There is an over-the-shoulder shot of Melodie, and the focus is on Boris' face. From a narrative perspective, this shot draws the audience in by creating a sense of intimacy, and allows us to situate and visualize where the two characters are located. We get to see Boris' facial expression as he is talking to Melodie for the first time, which is important in determining his feelings for her and the relationship between the two characters. 6) Acting: The actor who plays Boris is very Woody-like, which is an iconic persona known in Hollywood. He is a cynical, neurotic, witty and slightly nebbish New Yorker, which are traits that Woody Allen very often embodies in all of the movies that he acts in. The way Allen talks and acts is very well-known, and he has acted that way in many of his films (Scoop, Rome in Love, Annie Hall..). Perhaps when he has actors act in such a similar way he is creating his alter-egos, and personifying his fantasies onto film. Even Cecilia from //The Purple Rose from Cairo// was similar, in the sense that she stuttered and was quite shy and submissive. The acting in those movies tie in with their usually cynical themes, that usually end on a rather dark note. 7) Positioning: The two characters are face-to-face, and remain that way for the duration of their conversation outside. The shots are continuous and American, as they show only their upper-bodies. We are then forced to focus on the expression of their faces as they're talking, and become aware of how a romance is unfolding, and that the theme of the film will therefore have to be romantic and love orientated. 8) Cinematography: There are just a couple wide shots, that show the entirety of the location and where we can see Boris and Melodie standing facing each other. Wide shots give us more context and I could better see what they were wearing and where they were located. And I could better see how Melodie was kind of dirty, which is important to know since she ran away from her home and will subsequently be staying at Boris' apartment, which is the main plot of the entire film. 9) Lighting: Boris' apartment is very dimly lit, which creates a cold and detached mood. But when he meets Melodie, the lighting is softer and more low-key, with more reds and browns rather than blues and purples (Tungsten Lighting). This can be contrasted with when Melodie, his future wife, meets someone new that she likes, and the shots have become very saturated and the lighting much brighter, which implicitly convey that she's much happier and brighter now that she's met someone closer to her own age and less mean to her. Allen employs subtle lighting tricks to communicate certain emotions that are felt by the characters and how they feel about each other, which help advance the plot and emphasize the film's themes about finding love and meeting new people. 10) Editing: This scene makes use of continuity editing, with its shot/reverse shots, following the 180 rule, and eyeline matches. It gives the narrative structure and the shot sequences flow seamlessly into each other, which is necessary for this scene because this film is not complex or intricate and therefore shouldn't make use of sophisticated or very complex editing, which could potentially further confuse the audience. The plot and themes of this film are rather simple, and therefore the editing should follow that structure as well, which can be displayed in this scene.