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Sycamore Home Scene Effect

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Frank Capra’s 1938 film, You Can’t Take It with You, wealthy businessman Anthony P. Kirby wants to buy twelve properties, but one person will not sell, holding up the entire deal. His son, Tony Kirby, wants to marry his stenographer, Alice Sycamore whose family is anything but conventional. Ironically, Alice’s family lives in the home that will not sell. The Kirby’s disapprove of Alice, but she wants them to meet her family before she accepts Tony’s proposal. When Tony arrives at Alice’s home on the wrong day purposefully. The police arrive at the Sycamore household and while they are there fireworks ignite, prompting the police to arrest everyone in the home, including the Kirby’s. They are held in the drunk tank and Alice’s grandfather, Martin …show more content…

When Grandpa leaves the building in the first scene, the frame captures the elevator closing. Capra immediately cuts to the Sycamore household by Rheba opening cabinet doors in the kitchen, as if the audience traveled inside the Sycamore home. Many special effects are used when all the fireworks ignite in the basement when the police come to arrest the Sycamore family for “disturbing the peace”. The sound and smoke add to the hectic feeling of this scene. The harmonica is prop which is shown throughout the film. First, Alice gives the prop to Grandpa, then Grandpa slips it in Mr. Kirby’s pocket while they are in jail, then at the end Grandpa and Mr. Kirby play a duet on their harmonicas. Capra makes sure the harmonica is a focal point in each of the different shots it appears in. The harmonica is symbolic of their new family unity. Another prop which Capra focuses on is the “Home Sweet Home” sign which hangs in the Sycamore living room. The sign is constantly falling off the wall and everybody puts it back in its place. The prop is symbolic of the importance of family and how everyone must work together. It is also one of the last items left in the home before the Sycamores move

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