Mise-en-scene analysis: Corridor glance in In the Mood for Love by Wong Kar-Wai

Within the sequence there is great contrast between the the deep shadows of the
streets of Hong Kong and the warm tones of the light reflecting off the actors skin
and the surroundings which create a very enigmatic feel which entrances the viewer
which, emphasised with the higher frame rate to shoot in slow motion, brings to the
forefront the small glances and idiosyncrasies of the actors’ performances.

Wong Kar-Wai also creates intimate frames within the space of the frame itself, for
example with the stairway leading down into the restaurant. In this sequence of the
lead actress, Maggie Cheung, going down the stairs, the camera pans slowly to the
left but doesn't move with her down the stairs so we are distant from her and
empathize with loneliness which is a prominent theme throughout the film. The light
from the restaurant also illuminates Cheung so we get a large shadow of her on the
wall to her left which appears to be symbolic to the overall nature of her character
and her solitude throughout the film until she meets Tony Leung’s character.

Within the restaurant, the use of smoke and crowd movement allows the action
within the frame to remain full of life whilst the protagonist is somewhat still, showing
to us that the world is running by Maggie Cheung’s character and she is simply
waiting for the right time. Furthermore, whilst the costumes of those in the restaurant
seem rather plain and marked with sweat from the work, Cheung remains elegant
with her brightly coloured, striped dress which separates her from the other actors on
frame.

When Leung and Cheung meet eyes in a soft glance, the speed of the sequence
returns to normal as the music fades into the distant which represents a resonance
that the moment has for the characters, whilst in a small way, without the need to
use grand melodramatic artistic choices, as the lack of them is more unique in this
setting and represents the importance of small moments in the grand scheme of life.