Beyond the Sea

Narrative Analysis

Narrative Structure The sequence is predominantly performance based with a minor

narrative through-line, focusing on Spacey as Bobby Darin attempting to impress Kate Bosworth’s Sandra Dee.

Edited linearly, the sequence does have a narrative arc with Dee going from

being distant to Darin to being impressed and charmed. Full resolution however is not really possible due to it

being a section of a larger story.

The performance elements are most prominent during the dance number by the lake and the links to modern music

videos is apparent through aspects such as Darin’s costume changes, the

variation in time and locations and the seemingly self-contained reality in which

it exists (hence the musical number), effectively separating itself form the

main narrative of the film.

Characters-TypesRemoving the context of the wider film, the sequence

it able to effectively establish its characters with certain iconography. Darin is immediately

recognizable as the point of identification for the audience, being that he sings from his own

perspective and the majority of screen time is devoted to him. His yellow suit shows his jovial showmanship quality, removing any insidious element entirely and his slicked hair and the

musicality of his performance keenly links to the era and style the sequence is immersed within.

Spacey’s performance is extremely likeable, constantly smiling and embracing the musicality of the sequence, making him even more open to an

audience’s affections.

As the object of his affections, Sandra Dee has a similarly period aesthetic with her blond,

voluminous hair and 1950s costume. The blond hair has connotations of naivety that, again,

positions her as a positive character and the use of close-ups to showcase Darin’s attention to her

solidifies this role.

The Role of the Artist

Evidently, the artist (Kevin Spacey as Bobby Darin) is heavily involved in the sequence since he is seen singing and

performing whilst acting within the microcosmic narrative that is playing out. This criteria is somewhat more difficult

to judge since the sequence is contained within a film where the actors are playing characters in themselves (based on real people. Wrap your head around that)

Darin, as played by Spacey in a musical sequence in a movie, must be heavily involved because this is not explicitly a music video and is merely a component of the cinematic

narrative. To do this sequence without his presence would be to be completely out of step with the structure of a film.

Deeper Meanings(?)

This may seem like an unnecessary question to level at this sequence but there is something going on beneath the surface since the musical number is used in the film

as a device to convey Darin and Dee’s relationship within a self-contained sequence.

The whole sequence serves as a metaphor for years of their initial courtship since they are clearly acquainted

very well by the end of the video, showing that the sequence simulates a much longer swath of time.

This shows that this sequence is more than a simple indulgence as it has a genuine storytelling purpose

beyond simple entertainment.