Cape Fear

How does Thompson create an atmosphere of threat in the school yard scene in Cape Fear?

 

One of the most obvious ways in which Thompson creates threat is the use of non-diegetic sound throughout the scene. There are also very important aspects of mise en scene in the schoolyard scene such as the iron fencing which appears to surround Nancy. There is also very clever use of diegetic sounds when Cady walks past the fountain and when we hear footsteps from both characters. The costume of both characters also shows the contrasting ages of them.

 

The noon diegetic sound starts very early in the scene and is a slow, low pitch sound. This creates tension in the audience as they know that music is playing for a reason. The slow pace of the music reflects the slow pace of Cady in the scene. He never moves quickly but still keeps up with Nancy. One of the early shots in the scene shows Nancy in the schoolyard behind the fence which gives the audience a sense of entrapment, the fence reminiscent of a cage. Later in the scene we see cady clasp onto the bars with both his hands, hinting to the viewer that he was in jail very recently and has just been released.

 

Throughout the scene there is a lot of very important diegetic sound, the most prominent of which is the difference in the two characters footsteps. Nancy is very light on her feet as she is still a young girl. This shows the audience that she has an air of innocence but also that she could be very vulnerable and a target for Cady’s threat. Her footsteps are also very clumsy which suggests panic and that she may be about to run into trouble. This is very contrasting to Cady’s footsteps which are very organised and almost robot like. This shows that he knows what he is doing and that he is easily the most powerful character of the two. Another diegetic sound in the scene is the hiss of the fountain as Cady walks past. The sound is very much like that of a snake. This shows the audience that he may be a predator and that in this instance Nancy is his prey. Another example of diegetic sound is when Nancy is panting and puffing after running down the stairs. This lets the viewer know how desperate to escape she is and also causes the audience to feel sympathy for her.

 

In the part of the scene when Nancy is in the car, Thompson uses lighting and camera shots to show threat and Nancy’s vulnerability. Nancy sits in the side of the car that is darker. This could show that again she is vulnerable as many children her age may be scared of the dark but also it shows that she hopes Cady may not see her. She is hiding from him, implying that she feels threatened by his presence. Just prior to this there is a close up of Nancy’s face showing a worried expression on her face as if she knows she is at peril.

 

Later on in the scene Nancy scampers frantically down the stairs in a last ditch attempt to escape Cady, this tells us that she knows that the danger is increasing. This is followed by a close up of Cady’s groin which implies that the threat he is giving is that of a sexual nature. This is backed up throughout the scene with the cigar smoking which is a phallic symbol and suggests that Cady is carrying a sexual threat. At this point in the scene Cady’s footsteps become very slow and a lot louder which suggests that what he wants is probably about to happen. It also makes him look very menacing and threatening.

 

One of the most important factors of Thompson’s portrayal of threat is the stark contrast in clothing between the two characters. Nancy is in school uniform which again reflects her youth and innocence but also vulnerability. Cady is wearing light clothing which stands out amongst the dark room this shows that he is the most influential character in the scene and also the most powerful.

 

To Conclude, Thompson uses sound, mise en scene and costume very effectively to show threat and vulnerability.