Textual analysis - Gone with the wind

Analysis from 02:34 to 06:57

The sequence begins with a medium shot of a sign showing the production company. The sign large, white and has a highly detailed edging, also the sign is supposed to be the name for a house. This sign signifies wealth and importance amongst the owner of the house. Also its colour, white, is significant as the film was made in 1939 where the segregation of different races was the law and whites were perceived to be the superior race because of the previous slave trade. Once again reinforcing the status of the surroundings.

The following titles are featured on top of different settings from the scene. For example we see a scene of non-white race people working in a field this signifies the idea that white people are more powerful as the do not have to do hard labour also it fits the beliefs of many of the American people at that time. The sky in the image is clear and blue. A clear blue sky connotes happiness and peace which contradicts the mood of the workers on the farm. All of the title are shown infront of countryside scenes, this shows the setting and where the film will be based. The titles run untill 05:48.

The opening shot is a extreme long shot of men driving cows acrossing cows across a field. Text scrolls from the bottom of the screen to the top. The text is explaining what has happened so far in the story so it dies not have to be shown as it is a complex storyline. This is common in drama films as the story lines are usually complex so intorducing the main storyline all along. However in more modern film this is usually presented to the audience through a voice over not as text on the scene.

One of the next shots is a long shot of three young wealthy characters. Both of the male characters are wearing smart trousers and jacket where the female is wearing a large white dress. The three characters are discusssing the news that there maybe a war. This reinforces the storyline of the film. The shot zooms into the young females face to display har emotionthe zooms out again to allow the audience to see the extravegant surroundings wuch connotes the characters are very wealthy.