Narrative technique · used in 4 films
Wrapping the story in a scene where someone recounts it, such as a survivor, a storyteller or a passenger, so the telling shapes its tone and ending.
Examples
Stanley Kubrick · 1955
The story is framed at Penn Station, where Davey waits for his train and remembers what happened. The station keeps you aware that this is a memory, and it sets up the ending with Gloria.
Where to see it: The station scene at the end. Davey waits for his train, recalls the events, and then Gloria arrives and they embrace.
John Huston · 1975
The film starts with a ruined Carnehan telling Rudyard Kipling what happened. Because he is the one telling it, the grand adventure carries the weight of everything he lost. The final shot, a skull in a crown, pays off the frame.
Where to see it: The ending in Kipling's office: Carnehan leaves a bundle on the desk, and Kipling opens it to find Dravot's skull still wearing a golden crown.
Woody Allen · 1984
The story is told in flashback by comedians swapping tales at the Carnegie Deli. It starts as a funny anecdote about Danny and stays in that spirit. At the end, their voices return and reveal that a sandwich was named after him.
Where to see it: The Carnegie Deli. The comedians trade stories about Danny, and the film begins and ends at their table.
Barry Jenkins · 2024
Rafiki tells the story to Kiara while Timon and Pumbaa interrupt with comments. The telling shapes the tone and keeps a playful voice in a story about loss.
Where to see it: The opening frame: Rafiki recounts Mufasa's past for Kiara, with Timon and Pumbaa adding comments.
Questions