In this blog post, I’ll interpret the connections and meanings between Virginia Woolf, Laura, and Clarissa, focusing on the film’s framing, mise-en-scène, and match cuts.
My memories of first seeing the film and why I chose it
For people my age, ‘The Hours’ was a somewhat unfamiliar film. I first saw it during my senior year of high school; at the time, I was curious to see it after hearing about Nicole Kidman’s transformation and the critical acclaim it received. However, after watching it, I found the film so boring and confusing that my friends gave me a hard time about it.
Nevertheless, the colors and composition of each scene left a strong impression on me. Although the film was difficult to grasp as a whole, I got the impression that the scenes were clearly connected and that it was trying to convey something powerful. As time passed and I watched various other films, I suddenly found myself wanting to see it again.
The reason I ended up watching it again is also connected to my experience watching another film, ’21 Grams’. Due to its editing style, which intertwines the lives of multiple characters, it was difficult at first to distinguish between the characters or understand the narrative, but in the latter half, the pieces of the puzzle fell into place and the overall meaning became clear. That experience led me to rewatch ‘The Hours’.
After rewatching it, this film became a lasting favorite on my list of movies. I was particularly struck by how all the characters are connected under the name “Mrs. Dalloway” yet each possesses a distinct character, and by how the film unfolds consistently in tandem with the moments when Virginia Woolf is writing her novel.
This film is so rich in detail that not a single element can be overlooked. I chose this work as the subject of my analysis to gain a deeper understanding of the content through mise-en-scène, by analyzing key frames in each scene and interpreting the meaning behind the changes in framing.
Narrative Summary
The film parallels the daily lives of three women living in different times and places. One is the real-life figure Virginia Woolf, while the other two are fictional characters—Laura (Rose) and Clarissa—connected through her novel ‘Mrs. Dalloway’. Each faces an event that causes a rupture in the everyday life to which she belongs.
Virginia Woolf expresses her depression through writing and views the protagonist of her novel as another aspect of herself. Her depression stems largely from conflicts related to same-sex desire. Her refusal of physical intimacy with her husband, the way she looks at her sister’s daughter, and the scene where the two sisters kiss on the porch all reveal her inner turmoil and desires.
Rose (also referred to as Laura in the original text) is portrayed as an ordinary woman who maintains a stable family life while burying her hidden desires. She masks the emptiness of her daily life with exaggerated laughter, parties, and a cheerful demeanor; the fact that she is reading Virginia’s novel reveals a connection between the two stories. Her friend Kathy’s hospitalization, the comfort she offers her, and the kiss they share awaken Rose’s awareness of her own homosexuality.
This incident plunges Rose into deep turmoil and even leads her to consider suicide, but her pregnancy and childbirth ultimately become the catalyst for her decision to leave her family and find her own life. Later, Rose is reunited with Clarissa, who lives with her son Richard and Sally—her former lover and current live-in partner.
Clarissa spends her days caring for her former lover Richard, who has AIDS, but becomes overwhelmed by intense emotions during his literary award ceremony. She witnesses Richard’s suicide and, at the funeral, has a brief conversation with Rose, Richard’s mother. That conversation creates a moment of empathy that transcends their mutual judgments, and Clarissa shares a kiss with her long-time partner, Sally.
The film moves past a climax centered on the kiss between the two women to quietly depict the tragic fates of all three women. Virginia ultimately chooses suicide, while Rose, after leaving her family, learns of her son Richard’s miserable end. Clarissa’s story concludes with her lover’s suicide, the failed party, and the funeral.
Other Analyses and My Perspective
In the original novel, each chapter is dedicated to Virginia Woolf in Richmond in 1923, Laura Brown in Los Angeles in 1949, and Clarissa in New York at the end of the 20th century, with their stories told in parallel. The film adapts these literary reflections and descriptions into visual language, eliminating unnecessary narration and instead actively utilizing editing techniques such as match cuts.
The way the flower scenes—linked to the opening sentence of ‘Mrs. Dalloway’: “Mrs. Dalloway said she would buy the flowers herself”—briefly intertwine the plots of Clarissa and Laura creates a visual pleasure not found in the original novel. These formal techniques align well with the content, enhancing the viewer’s overall immersion.
Some interpretations suggest that Laura and Clarissa appear as Virginia’s creations—that is, a reading in which the characters in the novel direct other figures in reality. While I agree with this perspective, I would like to offer a different viewpoint: although the three women are connected through the medium of Virginia’s novel, each is a character with independent desires, dreaming of her own liberation in the face of oppression.
While it is possible to place Virginia in a divine position and read the other two women as her creations, such an interpretation risks oversimplifying the solidarity and shared emotions among the three characters—namely, the oppression of everyday life and the desire for liberation from it. Through the way the three women are intertwined like a spider’s web, the film simultaneously illustrates both their solidarity and their differences.
Overall Analysis
Analysis of Overall Structure
The film’s structure centers on parallel cross-cutting. Scenes from different eras and situations are deliberately interwoven to create resonance, prompting the audience to discover emotional and thematic connections on their own. Editing is not merely a temporal transition but a device that creates a chain of meaning.
In particular, recurring images (flowers, parties, kisses, etc.), sounds, and specific lines of dialogue connect different narrative threads. These repetitions preserve the novel’s source material while forming a rhythm unique to the film, allowing the audience to experience each character’s inner state in parallel.
Analysis of a Key Connecting Frame in a Scene: The Scene with Virginia Woolf and Her Sister
The scene between Virginia and her sister in the entryway is a pivotal connecting point in the film. The kiss shared by the two sisters, along with the gestures exchanged by women from different eras that intersect with this scene, symbolize a shared oppression and desire that transcends a mere erotic moment.
The framing in this scene simultaneously reveals the characters’ psychological distance and intimacy. Through the camera’s distance, the characters’ positions, and changes in lighting, Virginia’s loneliness and the confusion stemming from her relationship with her sister are visually revealed. This scene encapsulates the film’s overarching theme—the conflict between self-identity and social norms.
Analysis of Sequential Shots (Virginia’s Shots)
The sequential shots of Virginia wandering around the house or writing are composed of repetitive, rhythmic editing. This continuity visually represents the process by which her mental state gradually fragments and collapses. When short cuts cross rapidly, the audience experiences her inner tension firsthand.
Furthermore, the repetition of specific objects builds meaning. For example, props such as water, letters, and windows simultaneously symbolize Virginia’s isolation and her desire to escape. The arrangement of shots and the repetition of props reinforce the sense that her fate is inevitable.
Single-Frame Focused Mise-en-scène Analysis: The Frame of Mrs. Dalloway’s Party
The scene of Clarissa’s party is particularly well-suited for mise-en-scène analysis. The characters, objects, costumes, and lighting arranged in the party venue all simultaneously reveal social pretense and inner emptiness. The camera alternates between the party’s superficial liveliness and Clarissa’s inner turmoil, presenting the audience with two layers of reality.
In particular, the interplay of close-ups and long shots plays a crucial role in the party scene. Long shots present the social stage and the characters’ roles, while close-ups reveal the loneliness of the individuals on that stage. This contrast further highlights the failure of the party and Clarissa’s frustration.
Interpretation and Conclusion
My Primary Interpretation
I interpret this film as a variation on the shared desires and oppressions experienced by women across three eras. The novel written by Virginia serves not merely as material for creating characters, but as a mirror that evokes an inner resonance in all of them. The three women respond in different ways to the same issue—the conflict between self-expression and social norms.
Homosexuality in this film is not merely a sexual motif but a device that visualizes the inner conflict stemming from taboos. Virginia’s kiss, Rose’s awakening, and Clarissa’s act of comfort can all be interpreted as a search for personal authenticity.
Similarities and Differences Among the Characters
Similarities: All three women live their lives suppressing their identities within the confines of their daily roles and expectations. While their outward behavior appears ordinary, they harbor intense inner fractures and longings. The film reveals the characters’ true nature through “one day” when these fractures come to the surface.
Differences: Virginia expresses her pain through writing but ultimately spirals into self-destruction. Rose makes a dramatic decision between family and desire and chooses to escape. Clarissa experiences a explosive incident within a caregiving relationship and attempts to redefine her life. Each character’s ending is the product of the choices they made and their social circumstances.
These similarities and differences are not mere repetitions; rather, they demonstrate how the same issues are reinterpreted within different historical contexts. Through these variations, the film presents the universality of women’s narratives that transcend time.
In Conclusion
What initially felt like a difficult and tedious film revealed itself as a deep and complex work upon a second viewing. ‘The Hours’ is a film in which form and content resonate, demanding active interpretation from the audience. Through each individual frame, recurring images, and the rhythm of the editing, viewers can connect the lives and inner worlds of the three women.
Through this film, I rediscovered the joy of scene analysis and interpreting mise-en-scène. As you trace the meaning embedded in each frame, the film’s message naturally unfolds. Such meticulous observation will continue to be a great help in gaining a deeper understanding of films in the future.
