Flowers in Cinema
As the holidays come to a close, I find myself ready to hole up for the rest of the winter season. For me this includes endless cups of hot coffee, snuggling under a warm blanket, and catching up on films!
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
While a directors role is to control the films artistic and dramatic aspects and to visualize the screenplay, the props and the mise-en-scène play a vital role in how we interpret the film. The props and setting have the magical ability to story tell and become symbols. Flowers, especially when used during a pivotal moment, have long been used in film. Find some of my personal favorite floral cinema moments below.
Wizard of Oz (1939)
In the film, the Wicked Witch tries to stop Dorothy and her crew by putting them to sleep in a field of poppies. Glenda, the Good Witch makes it snow which kills the poppies and wakes them up, allowing them to continue the journey to Oz.
Atonement (2007)
There are several floral moments in Atonement. One that comes to mind is the poppy scene where we see Robbie walking through the field under the hot sun. The image of the red poppies appear as a symbol of remembrance.
Rosemary's Baby (1968)
The red roses in Rosemary's Baby appear as one of many red symbols in the film. The color red continues to appear as a symbol of black magic.
Marie Antoinette (2006)
We know the story, and we LOVE the flowers. This movie is a feast for the eyes in so many ways, but also a fever dream of amazing floral moments.
Blue Velvet (1986)
In David Lynch's film we see red roses in the opening scene. "Red is usually used to represent danger or sex (two themes featured in the movie), so the roses, the firetruck, the stop-sign, etc can be interpreted as warnings for what’s to come."
You’ve Got Mail (1998)
Joe Fox brings Kathleen Kelly flowers while she's sick. Both hesitant to accept that they love one another, this foreshadows the end of the film where they meet in a garden and finally get together.
Broken Flowers (2005)
This film uses flowers as its main motif. The "broken flowers" represent the main characters emptiness.
White Oleander (2002)
The the poisonous nature of the plant in this film is a symbol of the nature of the poison that can exist within the human spirit.
Heathers (1988)
The color red associated with Heather the first protaganist of the movie, who was held on a pedestal by the other girls. Which then gets passed along, and coveted throughout the movie.
The Last Black Man in San Francisco (2019)
Flowers can also become a character at times, like in The Last Black Man in San Francisco, the main character connects himself to them while caring for the garden and house his family built that they no longer have. A connect to the past, a source of healing, a commitment something lost.
As I made this list, it was not lost on me that most of these movies were originally books. Perhaps in part because of their strong symbolism and rich imagery they were made into film. Flowers for me anyway, are such a strong image, they can be soft, bold, scary, or just simply hidden in the background.