Sexuality In Carol As Portrayed Through Mise-En-Scene And...

Sexuality in Carol as Portrayed through Mise-en-Scà ¨ne and Cinematography In Todd Haynes’s Carol (2015), silver bells and tinsel cover the walls and shelves of Frankeberg’s department store in the scene where main characters Carol (Cate Blanchett) and Therese (Rooney Mara) first meet. Through swarms of busstling holiday shoppers, Therese’s timid gaze lands on Carol - a strikingly beautiful, sophisticated, and self assured woman. As Carol’s gaze meets Therese’s, viewers sense an undeniable attraction. Throughout the film, and specifically in this scene, attention to mise-en-scà ¨ne and cinematography helps convey messages surrounding homosexual themes in the film. Intricate mise-en-scene plays with the characterization of Carol and Therese†¦show more content†¦Slight differences in her preferences and self expression coupled with her reluctance to join the masses in their Santa hats critically positions Therese s as different in this early scene. Meanwhile, Carol’s costume and performance paint her as simultaneously both more and less of an outsider than Therese. Establishing shots show throngs of holiday shoppers in dark wool coats and neutral colored suits, bustling around completing their holiday shopping. Then, the audience meets Carol. In an extravagant, caramel colored fur coat, a scarlet hat and scarf, and with fiery red lips and nails, Carol stands out from the crowd. Her slow, deliberate gaze contrasts the hustle of the shoppers. She is alone, while most other are accompanied by spouses, friends, or children, and she exudes an air of mystery and angst. Carol’s costume and mannerisms in this case align with Doty’s claim, however the classically feminine and glamorous way in which Carol presents herself complicates the connection. While Carol is in fact depicted as being an other, she aligns better with normative standards of female beauty and sexuality than all others in this scene. This notion is present throughout the film as Carol embodies the pinnacle of what women in this time aspired to exude; she’s elegant and witty, intelligent and compelling, beautiful and wealthy, and a wife and mother. However,