Home > Writing > Scene Analysis: The Spirit of the Beehive

Sins in the name of Film Studies... The sequence in question is the silent breakfast scene, which occurs halfway through the film

One of the most fascinating aspects of The Spirit of the Beehive is the way in which it subverts stylistic and traditional cinematic conventions to create compelling drama. The breakfast scene is an excellent example of this.

With dialogue absent throughout, a significant amount of exposition and plot revelation is achieved solely through the use of subtle camerawork and performances. Stylistically, the sequence is extremely minimalist, employing strongly repetitive compositions and underplayed cinematography. Pared down to five distinct camera angles, the absence of an establishing or master shot gives the sequence a disjointed, conflicted feel. This device is coupled with a deliberate lack of interaction between the characters within shots, which succeeds in creating isolation within the family. Deliberately slow edits are used throughout, conveying a conscious lack of intimacy within the relationships.

In the absence of an establishing shot, Eriche lucidly conveys the geography of the setting through strong use of shot-to-shot eyeline match and a logical clockwise progression around the table during the first half of the scene. Despite this, an ambiguity can be observed throughout; One is rarely entirely sure what or whom each character is reacting to. Reinforcing the film's commentary on childhood, information is given to the audience passively, without explanation. However, one is not asked to simply accept the chain of events without question, but to use them to decipher the oblique parallels and relationships hidden within the apparently disjointed structure. The camera is an uninvolved viewer; the director provides little in the way of overt commentary.

Through the initial dissolve, we briefly glimpse father Fernando as an ominous silhouette in medium close-up, evoking the earlier parallels between him and the Frankenstein monster. The reuse of the oppressive motif of the honeycombed window allows Fernando to dominate the scene, even though his staging is initially identical to the other characters. The regimented shapes of the windowpanes, framed by the shutters, gives his shots a greater complexity, perhaps underlining his confusion over the discovery of the watch. This suggestion may be strengthened by the change of shot to a more simplistic background when he notices Ana's reaction to the watch.

The compositions for Ana, Isabel and Teresa are near identical in their construction, each consisting of a symmetrical medium close-up against a bare wall. However, they are subtly unified by the yellow glow on their faces from the window. In each, the actor dominates the frame vertically, creating a feeling of claustrophobia. The contrast between the visual echoes of these shots and the lack of their reflection in those of Fernando create tension through their implied opposition.

Throughout this scene, colour is strongly used to underpin the characters and their relationships: The enigmatic Fernando wears murky, indistinct colours; The coldly restrained Teresa wears a dour navy-blue ensemble, with only the yellow light on her face suggesting any unity with her daughters. Isabel, arguably the most untroubled character, with her knowingly subversive giggling, wears golden yellow, reflecting her directness of manner and mischievous nature. The innocent Ana wears pastels in a neutral mint colour, suggesting that her personality is not yet fully formed.

Adept sound editing brings tension to the introduction of Fernando's watch. The incidental nature of the item is highlighted by the impassive reactions of Teresa and Isabel; Eriche deliberately omits a reaction from Ana initially; The speculation over her reaction to it creates a deep anticipation, highlighted by the excruciatingly prolonged winding of the mechanism. While this segment unfolds, an effective contrast is drawn between Isabel's carefree, playful response to her father's glare and Ana's motionless, impassive reaction to the watch. Her wide-eyed stare over the rim of her bowl emphasises her vulnerability as Fernando reacts to her.

The most interesting shot of the entire sequence is seen when Fernando turns to look at Ana in silent confrontation. That he is the only character to be given a second, distinct composition highlights his importance within the scene, and the potential impact of the revelation for Ana. While it is not overt, it seems that this shot is supposed to be from Ana's point of view, moving the scene from its subjective beginning to a more intimate, personal tone. The closer-framed composition makes Fernando seem threatening, yet the use of colour may suggest otherwise.

A muted primary colour scheme is employed here, giving the image a poetic simplicity: The shadows in the background are blue, with Fernando's face lit in yellow and red. As he turns to Ana, one half of his face is lit yellow by the window, suggesting a brief moment of compassion for her. Here, the tinkling melody of the watch provides an ironic contrast to the grim implications of this revelation to Ana, and as the abrupt snap of the watch casing signals the end of the music, he frowns slightly and turns away. As he does so, the yellow highlighting disappears into the more aggressive red and blue shadows, suggesting a tacit rejection of Ana.* The return to the earlier, more subjective style of photography underscores the newly created division between the two.

Ana's reaction is notably restrained, featuring only a slight lowering of the eyes. Its ambiguity creates intrigue, but suggests a desire to evade or refuse to confront the possibilities the return of the watch suggests. The shot of Teresa that follows creates a sense of isolation, with her apparently looking slowly from Ana to Fernando, before down to the table, her face obscured by her cup throughout. This barrier removes any sense of intimacy between the characters, leaving Ana alone and vulnerable, marking a distinct opposition between her and her parents.

Finally, we are returned to the original shot of Fernando, the repetition of his smoking rounding off the sequence with an ambiguous sense of recursion. It could be suggested that Fernando's domination throughout the scene marks the reassertion of his patriarchal hierarchy, with Teresa's passivity and evasiveness foreshadowing her later abandonment of her attempts for independence from him. The sense of disillusionment and oppression felt throughout seemingly vindicates Ana's 'quest' for emotional freedom, and in doing so, the harsh reality of this scene marks Ana's transition to the world of imagination and fantasy that follows.

* The print I viewed when writing this was pretty poor, so much of my commentary on the use of colour, particularly about this shot, is somewhat speculative.

The Spirit of the Beehive is available on VHS from Amazon.com