Interpretation
There are numerous interpretations of the film through analysis, using the four cinematic techniques: Mise-en-scène, Editing, Cinematography, and Sound. By using the elements of Mise-en-scène specifically, one can demonstrate how The Oyster Princess represents American consumerism. Lubitsch shows this with excessive consumption, and repetitive use of lines. The characters are the stereotypical rich Americans, and we see how much they have, and how much they consume. They are obviously being extravagant with their abundance of possessions and workers in their mansion. Several times, Lubitsch uses people in lines to represent assembly lines, specifically in the bathroom scene, and the wedding party scene.
The opening scene starts out with a close up shot on Mr. Quaker’s smoking a large cigar. It becomes obvious quickly when the shot pans out and you see what kind of luxuries Mr. Quaker owns. It almost seems like servants and scribes, waiting on a king. This is showing that these rich Americans are big time consumers. They get everything they want. Throughout the film, one can see how big the rooms are and how many possessions they have. The way everything is in the sets, is made to look like too much of an abundance. The number of people working for the Quakers is ridiculous. Just when you think that they have everything, the next moment Ossi is smashing up a room because she wants a title like the shoe cream princess has. Even titles are possessions, and we learn that it’s just never enough for Ossi. When any scene has Ossi in it, she is the dominant element. She gets everything she demands. She is the stereotypical American daughter with Daddy’s money. She is a spoiled brat, and still throws tantrums like she is four years old. When Ossi finally does get what she wants, her prince, she still is unsatisfied and wants someone new the very day after her wedding. This shows that Americans just keep consuming and consuming, and still want more. This represents them as greedy too, which hints at the supply in demand aspect of this.
The supply in demand and production lines are symbolized through greediness, and formation of lines made by people. The lines of workers (maids, butlers, cooks, etc.) all represent some sort of conveyor belt, or assembly line. If one looks at factories in America, they used these assembly lines to make sure that production was rapid! There are several times in this film where the maids and the butlers, or other workers of the Quakers are in lines. It is redundant throughout the film. These assembly lines represent the consumerism because these are what were needed in order to speed up production rate in the factories.
There is a scene that really shows a metaphor for the assembly line. It is 19 minutes into the movie and it starts with just Ossi in the center of the screen, and a few maids on the sides of a door. When the door opens, there are two big lines of maids ready to bathe Ossi. This scene is appealing to the eye just because of where everything is placed in the scene. The rows of maids look endless, and the focus was on Ossi until the doors opened, and then the focus was turned onto the maids. This is like turning the focus off of the consumer and onto the producers. The maids swarm in on Ossi and all one can see in the shot are the heads of maids, and Ossi in the middle of them all. In this tight framing, you get the up-close look because it gives the feeling that there are more maids present than just the eight of them in the frame.
Ossi finishes her bath and is carried out by the maids and there are two shots of this train of women carrying Ossi. Both shots are at different angles, one is head on, and it seems like it takes a while for all of the women to pass by the camera. The second shot is farther away and shows the full length of the line. The line of women carrying the princess, perfectly resembles a conveyor belt. Not only does it resemble a conveyor belt, but it also is a good way to look at how many women are there to help but aren’t needed. About six of the women are really carrying her, and then the rest just follow. There is no need for that many maids, and that further proves that they are greedy Americans.
When analyzing scenes, there are endless answers to what they could possibly be about. This is simply one interpretation of this film. One retort to this interpretation might be that, if the movie was about American consumerism, why does the film end leaving the princess satisfied with the real prince. Wouldn’t that be contradicting the “never satisfied” claim of Americans constant consumption? It may seem like they end up happy in the end, but it just leaves us on their first day together. Who knows what they will end up like. In a day, she could be after another man. The point is, she got her instant gratification, she got what she wanted. She still symbolizes the consumer, and she didn’t even care who the real prince was.
The theme of American consumerism can be seen in a number of things like the giant props, and the excess of them too. Also it can be seen in the way the Quakers acted for everything, so snub, rude, and very demanding. There were even metaphors and symbols, like the lines of people throughout the film, and the impatience of the Prince. All four of the cinematic techniques could have helped. People may have many other perspectives on what the film was about, but to some, consumerism is more prominent throughout the Oyster Princess.
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