The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
By: Daniel Varnis & Viet Le
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is one of the few films that professionally dictates the environment of the World War II era while also successfully telling a story of the loved and the lost. Traditionally people live by the tradition of family comes first, however, in the film there are several occurrences where this is not true and norms are not abided by. The film exemplifies uncommon behaviors of a family.
During the film we are shown that Bruno’s family is detached from one another. A theme of confinement is prevalent throughout. We see that Bruno and his family are all confined to something. Bruno isn’t allowed to go any further than the boundaries of the courtyard, his father is restricted by his profession, followed by this mother who is limited to being a housewife. Amongst all of that, Shmuel is contained by the electric barb wired fence of where he resides.
During the film we are shown that Bruno’s family is detached from one another. A theme of confinement is prevalent throughout. We see that Bruno and his family are all confined to something. Bruno isn’t allowed to go any further than the boundaries of the courtyard, his father is restricted by his profession, followed by this mother who is limited to being a housewife. Amongst all of that, Shmuel is contained by the electric barb wired fence of where he resides.
Bruno is caged in a large house that is pampered by maids and servants and owned by the Nazi party, unaware of what is really happening on the outside of the courtyard gates. Jarred by curiosity, Bruno overcomes his confinement and explores the outside world by the use of a window found the in the backyard of his home. Although Bruno breaks free from his confinement in a sense, his parents are never able to break free from it. The mother is still limited to the duties of being a housewife and the father is unable to spend any time with his family.
Through the use of mise-en-scene, we see that the family is restricted to the boundaries of their own home. Rarely we see any of that them outside of the home; in some instances we see that Bruno and Gretel and sometimes even the mother are in the courtyard. With the exception of Bruno, we are never shown any scenes of the mother or Gretel outside or beyond the courtyard.
Another strong aspect of mise-en-scene in the film is the use of varied costumes across multiple platforms. For instance, every scene that contains either the mother, Bruno, or his older sister Gretel, they are all always well dressed… almost immaculate. For the people that are a part of the Nazi party (i.e. the father or soldiers), they are always well fit into their suits that symbolize power and domination. Lastly, Shmuel’s casual attire of a hand-me-down striped pajama set and oversized shoes very well describe the dilapidated lifestyle that is forced upon him by the Nazi party.
The work of sound is very well done in the film. Although there isn’t a lot of music to go along with the scenes, the film employs the use of silence to emphasize important moments. In the picture below we can see that there is a moment of high tension and the fact that there is no sound except for their voices symbolizes the sense of seriousness. The sound is very subtle but adds to the film. It makes it seem like the viewer is in the scenes with the characters because of how realistic the ambience is presented.
Through the use of mise-en-scene, we see that the family is restricted to the boundaries of their own home. Rarely we see any of that them outside of the home; in some instances we see that Bruno and Gretel and sometimes even the mother are in the courtyard. With the exception of Bruno, we are never shown any scenes of the mother or Gretel outside or beyond the courtyard.
Another strong aspect of mise-en-scene in the film is the use of varied costumes across multiple platforms. For instance, every scene that contains either the mother, Bruno, or his older sister Gretel, they are all always well dressed… almost immaculate. For the people that are a part of the Nazi party (i.e. the father or soldiers), they are always well fit into their suits that symbolize power and domination. Lastly, Shmuel’s casual attire of a hand-me-down striped pajama set and oversized shoes very well describe the dilapidated lifestyle that is forced upon him by the Nazi party.
The work of sound is very well done in the film. Although there isn’t a lot of music to go along with the scenes, the film employs the use of silence to emphasize important moments. In the picture below we can see that there is a moment of high tension and the fact that there is no sound except for their voices symbolizes the sense of seriousness. The sound is very subtle but adds to the film. It makes it seem like the viewer is in the scenes with the characters because of how realistic the ambience is presented.
For a lot of the film, the camera work is done so that you feel immersed. Some of the scenes we see inside the film are done in such a way that the camera angle makes the viewer feel in-scene with the characters. During the scene below, the cinematographer’s choice with camera angles makes the viewer feel like they’re in the scene joining the family during their dinner. Following the theme of being caged; it is typically able to be easily identified during moments when the lighting is dimmed. The lowlight gives the scene a intense feeling of inconspicuousness.
While there are many aspects to this film that makes it as great as it is, the one aspect of the film that plays the biggest role is the film’s use of social commentary. The World War II era was a very depressing time in history, especially for people who were affected by the Holocaust. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is one film that does a quality job describing the key details of events during the Holocaust for Jews and non-Jews. By the director choosing to show both sides of society during this time in history, it makes the movie seem unbiased while also very well depicting the societal disturbances in Berlin circa 1940.
Citations
Ebert, Roger. "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas." Review. RogerEbert.com 5 Nov. 2008: 1. RogerEbert.com. 5 Nov. 2008. Web. 12 Mar. 2014. <http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-boy-in-the-striped-pajamas-2008>.
Netflix. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2014.
<http://www.netflix.com/>.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Digital image. FanPop. FanPop, n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2014. <http://images2.fanpop.com/images/photos/6900000/The-Boy-In-The-Striped-Pyjamas-the-boy-in-the-striped-pyjamas-6938241-2560-1487.jpg>.
"The Boy in the Striped Pajamas." IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2014.
Netflix. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2014.
<http://www.netflix.com/>.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Digital image. FanPop. FanPop, n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2014. <http://images2.fanpop.com/images/photos/6900000/The-Boy-In-The-Striped-Pyjamas-the-boy-in-the-striped-pyjamas-6938241-2560-1487.jpg>.
"The Boy in the Striped Pajamas." IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2014.