Mise-En-Scène In Nicolas Ray's Rebel Without A Cause

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According to film scholars, mise-en-scène refers to everything that is on screen, and the way the look and feel of a film tells a story. The different, interworking aspects of mise-en-scène also help to immerse the viewer into the film’s setting, mood, and even mind of a character. This is always a challenge for directors who wish to convey a certain message through their film and, keep the attention of the audience, as well. While mise-en-scène generally refers to the appearance of a film, it can also be interpreted as the way the actors present their characters and how the audience identifies with their performance. Nicolas Ray’s Rebel Without a Cause is one example of a film that captures the audience’s attention through its mise-en-scène and sheds light on the issues of society at that time. …show more content…
Established in 1934 by the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, the PCA 's principal function was to ensure that American films contained nothing that could offend. It enforced the Production Code, a four-thousand-word document that specifically recognized the potential of movies to shape the attitudes and values of the audience and sought to prohibit the production of any picture which might "lower the moral standards of those who see it." In the name of wholesome entertainment, the Code banned nudity, vulgarity, obscenity, and profanity, and carefully restricted how crime, sex, violence, and religion could be treated on the screen”.
Despite initial studio reluctance, Rebel Without a Cause went on to become a groundbreaking film due to its depictions of American adolescents and their relationships with their families and the law. The film also cemented the actors’ status as Hollywood stars, especially James Dean, who is also considered to be a cultural icon of the

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