All About My Mother

The last scene in All About my Mother is a perfect example of mise en scene being used thoroughly to create a conclusion and understanding of the film. This last scene nicely positions characters in a perfect triangle. The still frame showed in class was a perfect photograph; it had a forground, background, and a straight line going down the middle to create symmetry and all the elements a perfect photo needs. The positioning of characters to create this triangle was well thought out. The frame illustrated the characters' position in life. Color due to lighting was almost a perfect gradient from left to right. Props in this frame were extremely important and summed up the story with out dialogue.

The last scene, as stated before, is a perfect conclusion that grasps the plot, especially if you haven't seen the film before. Every detail on screen explains the story very well, colors, actor positions, clothing, and lighting. First, the triangle created by the characters provides proof of bond and friendship. Almodovar created this triangle very creatively by using a mirror. The mirror gave depth to the background, as well as leaving the character "Agrado" to be scene off frame but by way of the mirror. This perfect symmetry includes all the elements of a perfect photo but the positions of characters are not as obvious. Agrado is left off frame and portrayed by means of a mirror for a reason. Agrado's character is very strong, but probably the least important. She's the supporting actress. She has no problems in life as do the others. She's always happy; nothing brings her down, has a great sense of humor, and is there just to make everyone's life enjoyable (as she repeatedly states in the film). Her action in the film also supports my theory; in which she is tending to her friend by brushing her hair and getting her ready to perform. The middle character is also very interesting. She's in the middle because that's been her position through out the entire film. Not only that but her problems aren't solved by the end of the film, as are the other characters'. For example, she's in the middle of her lover and her lovers addiction to drugs. She was also in the middle of Esteban's death. In fact, she was almost the reason for his death. In addition to her position on screen, she's wearing black. This portrays her charcters emotions. She's been stranded by her lover, and