The Scarecrow (Keaton, 1920)

Expressive

• The exaggerated mise-en-scene through the use of common household objects placed in unusual areas and being used in abstract ways such as the salt hanging above the table on strings ready to pour and the space for the table on the wall to make it easier to wash
• The car topples backwards when a large man sits at the back of it and despite being partially realistic, its an expressive depiction of what would actually happen to emphasise the mans weight for comedic effect
• The woman they are both attempting to seduce briefly looks at the camera after running away from the scarecrow as she engages with the audience to convey her shock and confusion
• His athleticism as he crosses over the river on his hands is unnecessary but is used for entertainment as it provides a joke as he tries to prevent getting wet despite doing so anyway
• The horse is given the appearance that its real as there are two horses next to each other so when the woman rushes off he is left behind on a fake horse located on a stand, leaving him in bewilderment

Realist

• The idea of two men going after the same girl is a common theme often used in both 20th century literature and film as it could connect with the audience because it was highly likely that some had experienced this for themselves as they were living in a male dominated society
• Continuity editing depicts a narrative in a linear way that lets the story play out in time
• When the dog chases Buster, he runs away in panic and fear as he believes he is about to be bitten by a rabid dog which was easily contractible during that period of time as there were less vaccination and animal control programmes set up before the 1940’s
• The scarecrows jacket contains inside it a hidden bottle of alcohol as this was the prohibition era which didn’t end until 1933
• Keaton lights a cigarette after his chase with the supposedly rabid dog which would have been a common activity as tobacco was widely available and seen as a fashionable habit as there was less awareness about the dangers it could cause