Compare and Contrast movies Stagecoach(1939) and Dances with Wolves, using the 4 Mise-En-Scene elements of Film, how they relate as classic westerns and the meaning behind each film.

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The importance of Mise-en-scene in Film.
Since Hollywood’s inception, there have been countless western films that have graced the big screen. Some of them have been good, some of them bad while others have just been ugly. Of the countless movies that filmmakers have created, two have managed to stand out from the rest. Stagecoach, which was released in 1939 and 1990’s epic Dances with Wolves have attained cult status due to their devout following. They are considered greats because of the acting which was superb and the actors who contributed towards making the films such a success. The following essay will compare and contrast the two movies using the four elements of mise-en-scene, show how the films relate to westerns and the meaning behind each film.
The term mise-en-scene is a French word CITATION Jam14 p n.p l 1033 (Jameson n.p) that traditionally meant to “place on stage.” It was widely used in theaters until its adoption in the film industryCITATION Bor09 p 164 l 1033 (Bordwell and Thompson 164). Moviemakers borrowed the term, and it has since been used to mean the amount of control a director has over a film about individual aspects. It is composed of four elements; movement of figures, costume, setting, and lighting CITATION Lat14 p 1 l 1033 (Lathrop and Sutton 1). Each of the four elements differs significantly in the movies not least due to a difference in directors and a time difference of over fifty years.

However, due to a similarity in genres, one or two elements overlap between the two cultic films. Stagecoach was set in 1885. It follows a group of seemingly ordinary characters that include a prostitute, a whiskey salesman, a doctor and a pregnant woman who is going to meet her husband. An escaped convict, a banker, and a gambler later join them. As can be imagined, because the film involved a moving stagecoach, it was set in various location all of which constituted towards making the movie such a success. The coach begins its long journey at the RKO Encino Ranch. This acts as the stage where the coach picks up the first passengers. It then sets off for Dry Fork before proceeding to the Apache Wells. All these locations are specifically chosen because of their convenience and aesthetic value. This is because a proper setting plays a critical role in any film and may occasionally be considered just as crucial as a movie’s action sequences or its characters. The stage then goes to Lee’s Ferry where the Apache’s actions are clear for all to see before finally arriving in Lordsburg. The importance of having a proper setting in a movie such as this cannot be overstated. It is up to the director to select an appropriate setting which plays a significant part in the overall making of the movie.
Contrastingly, Dances with Wolves is about Lieutenant John Dunbar who participates in the war against the Confederates. After suffering a mortal wound to his leg, he is faced with the prospect of amputation. Rather than live without a limb, he opts for suicide. He rides through Confederate territory and survives several attempts to kill himCITATION Bla88 p 168 l 1033 (Blake 168). He also survives and recovers from his injuries and is awarded for his bravery. Dunbar is given a chance to select any post he wishes, and he opts for the Western Frontier. His reasoning is that he will have an opportunity to see it before it disappears. Kevin Costner who doubles as John Dunbar and the director of the film chose a spectacular setting to tell the story of Dances with Wolves. He understood the importance of an appropriate setting and what better way to portray the attitude and feelings of Whites towards Native Americans than by setting a film in 1864. The Confederate war is also nicely represented, and areas in which the battles were fought were creatively recreated. He chose a natural locale that perfectly blended the elements of the community with the natives. The setting also gave the feeling of a more realistic depiction of how events unfolded during the time that the film depicts.
The second aspect of mise-en-scene is the costume. Again, if the director wishes to give a convincing story, then the characters must be in the proper attire. It makes no sense to shoot a western film with people who are donned in clothing that would just as easily suit characters of a futuristic movie. John Ford, who directed Stagecoach is a verisimilitude, that is, he is one who is concerned with historical accuracy. For this reason, he went out of his way to research on the proper clothes, styles, and even textiles that were used in 1885. It is easy to argue that 1885 and 1939 are not that far apart. However, considering fashion changes on an almost daily basis, one can only imagine what kind of variations took place over the 54 years. It was imperative that costumes be portrayed accurately so as to bring out the difference in characters and their social standing. It would have been unrealistic to dress the prostitute and the expectant mother in the same way or to give similar fashion trends to a doctor and a gambler.
The costumes in Dances with Wolves were a major plus for the film. Director Kevin Costner spent countless hours analyzing the clothes that the soldiers wore during the period. He did such a meticulous job that the film won the award for best costume design at the 1991 Academy Awards. Just like any other director, he understood that a proper outfit can significantly improve a film and may even hint at character and plot development. The soldiers were properly dressed from top to bottom and each detail, including rank, was analyzed to the core. The natives were also not spared when it came to costume designs. It was imperative that a realistic depiction of what they looked like and how they dressed be given. It could not be too much or too little. Instead, it had to be just right to create the impression that audiences could relate to the characters.
Figure behavior is also an important element of any film. Before the development of technology, silent movies existed and were premised on the actions and expressions of the characters. Although the dialogue is one of the most important features of any film, it is not the only thing that makes a movie worth watching. Such dialogue must be accompanied by proper movement, gestures and even facial expressions. Both films managed to use the behavior of figures in an exemplary manner. It is also important to distinguish between character behavior and action sequences. Although both films provide plenty of action, figure behavior is an entirely different concept. It is in the little things that people do, and such is never easy to detect. Avid movie watchers, however, can tell when something is going on even without dialogue. Simple, yet intriguing glances are exchanged between Ringo and Dallas before he works up the courage to propose to her in Stagecoach. The same kind of glances are exchanged between Dunbar and Stands with A Fist in Dances with Wolves. The director carefully controls all these, and they have to be executed to perfection so that audiences can relate. It is the only way that the director can express his true artistic self.
The last element is lighting. Another crucial aspect to the director as it does more than just illuminate and enable the viewer to see what is going on. It is the director’s chance to relay a particular meaning of a narrative or even a character to the audience. The best way to control lighting in any scene is to manipulate the direction and quality of the light. If controlled successfully, the quality of light plays a huge part in shaping the setting or the behavior of a character. In several scenes in Stagecoach, John Ford uses lighting to create shadows, which in turn give the impression of two divided spatial areas. The shadows are then used to create a sense of suspense that is occasioned by slight darkness. Consequently, the mood of the characters was intensified and heightened with a slightly exaggerated behavior. The fact that the film was in black and white made the use of lighting all the more impressive and useful. In Dances with Wolves, lighting is also used to great effect. As Dunbar prepares to face off with the Sioux, the lighting used is soft. This creates the effect of a good versus evil kind of scenario in which the director sends a message to the audience. Shadows were minimized to give the impression that is often difficult to know who is good and who is evil. Lighting may be categorized as hard or soft with no in between.
Despite the array of differences that exist between the films in things like direction and setting, the films are two of the most widely recognized westerns ever to have been made. There have been rumors of remakes and sequels, but nothing has been forthcoming yet. At their most basic, they are similar because they portray the attitude of the whites towards the Native Americans. Dance with Wolves does a better job of showing a more humane side to the indigenous people of America rather than depict them as savages with no moral compass whose sole pleasure is derived from killing and maimingCITATION Sma08 p n.p l 1033 (Smallbone n.p). Stagecoach did manage to show the ugly side of the natives but only focused on that side. Perhaps this was deliberate as the film was never about them and more about the characters of the coach.
In summary, the two are famous works of art whose historical importance and significance to film cannot be overstated. Both films impressively made use of the four elements of mise-en-scene, and both directors did an excellent job. Although the two films were set in vastly different times, they share a connection in the way they depict life in the western world before civilization was the norm. The huge cult following is a testament to just how good the films and their directors were.
Works Cited
BIBLIOGRAPHY Blake, Micheal. Dances with Wolves. Washington DC: Fawcett Gold Medal, 1988. Print.
Bordwell, David and K Thompson. Film Art: An Introduction. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. Print.
Jameson, A D. “What Mise-en-scène Is and Why It Matters.” IndieWire (2014): n.p. Website.
Lathrop, G and D O Sutton. Elements of Mi-en-scene. Chicago: Penguin Books, 2014. Print.
Smallbone, Chris. Film Review: Dances With Wolves. 12 October 2008. Website. 10 December 2016.