Mise-en-scene

In this scene of LA Confidential, viewers watch as Ed Exley sits at a desk over-flowing with papers sorts through the mess and comes to some crucial realizations about the Night Owl case. Movie director, Curtis Hanson, clearly made very precise decisions when it came to how this scene was going to be shot, and would be included in the frame.

The typewriters in the foreground are used to show both the time that this movie takes place in, and that there are supposed to be more people in the room. This idea that more people should be in the room gives the viewer the idea that Exley is not in the office at a regular time and may not even be allowed to be in that office in the first place. Exley is also overdressed to be in that room. The room is cluttered and disorganized much unlike Exley, who is dressed in a suit and tie; he even has his jacket on.

It is important to notice that the tiny space is overwhelmingly cluttered with boxes and paper, presumed to be case files. In fact, right by the left desk lamp, there is a drawer opened perfectly laying in an intersection of tow lines in the rule of thirds which leads me to believe Hanson wanted us viewers to take notice of it.

In the background, we are given an important detail about this cluttered room. It is in fact the “Records” room according to what is printed neatly on the door. By noticing this, viewers are given a better sense of where Exley is in the station. Knowing he is in the records room and isn’t the designated records keeper nor is the records person in sight, we know Exley is digging to find something once buried in all the paper and forgotten with time. Once Exley removes his glasses, we know that he has found something. This gesture is often seen in other movies—the character removes his/her glasses when they come to a realization as if saying, “now I see.” Hanson chose this gesture for a reason, just like he chose to include the typewriters and the mountains of paper, to create a detailed, realistic and meaningful scene for his viewers.