Opening Flashcards
What is the opening quote of the movie and who is it by?
“Anybody who talks about California hedonism has never spent a Christmas in Sacramento” - Joan Didion
What is the capital of California?
Sacramento
How does Ladybird describe Sacramento? What does she mean by this?
She describes it to be the ‘Midwest of California’.
She believes the place is lacking culture or history.
Why does Ladybird wish to leave Sacramento?
She is desperate to leave what she sees as a narrow, stultifying/limiting, suburban life and study on the east coast where she believes there is an abundance of progressive thinking and high culture.
What is the first opening shot of?
What can this tell us?
The opening shot is of Lady Bird and her mother lying in bed together in a motel room.
Their postures mirror one another, hinting at a close connection that Christine will struggle with as she tries to distance herself from her family and her home town.
What is the first scene’s lighting like?
A warm, sunny glow through the yellow curtains creates a relaxed, tender mood.
What does the director have to say about the first few shots of the movie?
She describes the first shots as ones of ‘tranquillity and togetherness’. She acknowledges, however, that the host is misleading in a sense and should not be taken as an indication that the GVV of the film will be positive overall.
Greta Gerwig created a loving moment for the characters to begin with.
What are Lady Birds and Marion’s first words of the movie?
“Do you think I look like I’m from Sacramento”? Lady BIrd
“You are from Sacramento” Marion
What does the following conversation tell us about the characters?
“Do you think I look like I’m from Sacramento”? Lady Bird
“You are from Sacramento” Marion
This highlights that Lady Bird is rooted in a place she does not wish to call home, but it shows that her mother has no truck with her daughter’s aspirations and wants to bring her back to earth.
This is conflict between reality and dreams.
What it the ongoing type of conflict in this movie between Marion and lady Bird?
It is a conflict between reality and dreams. It plays an important role in establishing the GVV in the film.
How does Marion reply when lady Bird says she does not need to make the bed?
“Well, it’s nice to make things neat and clean” Marion
A shot captures the mother and daughter sitting on the motel bed, we can see this as their silhouettes mirror each other.
what information does this shot hold?
We see that for all the differences that will emerge over the course of the film the two are more alike than they are dissimilar.
The next shot is of an open road stretching into the distance. Explain the setting of this scene, its meaning and what the characters are doing.
The open road stretching into the distance symbolises the journey Lady Bird will undertake over the course of the story.
Lady Bird and Marion are listening to the ending of ‘The Grapes of Wrath’ by John Steinfield.
The pair are emotional and share a tender moment. Marion wants to maintain the connection and the mood, suggesting, ‘Let’s just sit with what we heard’.
Describe how the change in atmosphere happens in the opening car scene with Lady Bird and Marion before they fight.
There is a change in atmosphere. lady Bird, who has shared her mother’s reaction to the audiobook, withdraws again and says she wishes she could ‘live through something’. Marion dismisses this.
Describe the fight that takes place between Marion and Lady Bird in the car about college and Lady Bird’s name
The pair argue about the financial and social implications of Lady Bird attending college out of state.
Marion harshly criticizes her daughter’s work ethic daying, “You’re not even worth state tuition, Christine”
Lady Bird objects to her mother’s choice to call her Christine. her mother completely rejects this new name, saying it is ridiculous.
How does the atmosphere further develop after Marion calls Lady Bird her birth name, Christine?
Marion says Lady Bird should just go to city college and then jail.
Out of anger, Lady Bird opens the car door and throws herself out onto the road. Marion screams in horror.
How does the ending of the car scene affect us, the viewers?
The combination of tenderness, tension and shock means that we are kept on the edge of our seats, wondering how this complicated yet fascinating relationship between mother and daughter will be resolved.
