After emerging in the late 19th century through the advent of modern realism in the theater, the convention of breaking the fourth wall transitioned seamlessly into other mediums upon their respective developments. Television, video games, and of course throughout film.
It refers to a metaphorical “wall” that remains transparent to audiences, allowing them to see clearly through and onto the stage, while the characters remain unaware of anything that lies therebeyond. That’s where the tactic of “breaking” this wall comes into play, allowing the respective creatives behind the scenes (or curtain, in this case) to engross the audience in the live-action story by having the characters address them directly. That’s one way to do it.
The characters in a given, fourth wall-breaking project can also refer to themselves as characters to fit the definition, or make references to the plot. As a theatrical convention, breaking the fourth wall has been around in practice — not necessarily concept — since Shakespeare was putting on plays. But again, it wasn’t for a few more centuries that the term would be legitimately applied.
What Is the Fourth Wall?
The origin of the moniker stems from the theater, as it implies a connection to the Mise-en-scènebehind what’s known as a proscenium arch. Picture a theater: there’s stage left, stage right, downstage, and upstage. In order to suspend disbelief, the audience builds in their mind a barrier of realism between them and the stage: a sort of wall, if you will.
The idea of a fourth wallmaintains elements of verisimilitude within a given project. But when a character busts down that barrier, audiences are keyed in to the fact — to one degree or another — that they’re indulging in a piece of fiction. Meta movies likeScream(1996) andAdaptation(2002) are deemed such due to their self-aware nature. While they don’t look into the camera or speak to the audience, the stories essentially revolve around the existence of cinema, with their characters constantly making subtle references to various films throughout the respective plot’s runtime.
In the Austrian psychological thrillerFunny Games(1997) by Michael Haneke, a family of three — a husband, a wife, and their young son — arrive at their vacation home only to be intruded upon by two, strange men. The pair of antagonists (named Paul and Peter) initiate a series of cold-blooded games, essentially torturing the family both physically and mentally as soon as they enter the home to “borrow some eggs”.
It’s a fairly basic thriller premise on paper that’s taken to new levels of extremity when, soon afterthe plot’s inciting incidentinitiates and the ruthless duo begin their titular games, Paul looks directly into the camera and winks. Immediately, this tactic succeeds across the board of creative intent, with Haneke utilizing its tactic to sheer perfection in original fashion. To break the fourth wall effectively in film, you can’t just have characters stare into the camera as they speak. There needs to be a reason, and just as important is novelty.
Why Break It?
From an almost subtle, psychological standpoint, breaking the fourth wall can have various effects on the audience. Of course, many instances are far more overt, stirring clear emotions in the audience instead of lightly adding some intrigue. WithFunny Games, it’s obvious that the antagonists are aware of the audience. But what makes that wall-breaking tactic stand out is that those instances mean that Paul and Peter aren’t just playing games with the protagonists, but also with the audience. Psychologically, subtly.
If it’s done well, the tactic can fascinate audiences without them even knowing that the characters are self-aware. Take Wes Craven’s famous slasherScream, for example. He uses the practice for comedic effects, while also shaping the actual plot around its existence. The characters are motivated, constantly driven by real-life movies, with interminable references to the most famous horror movies ever made, fromPsycho(1960) andThe Texas Chainsaw Massacre(1974) toHalloween(1978) andThe Silence of the Lambs(1993).
But inAnnie Hall(1977), famouslydirected by Woody Allen, the film begins with the lead character Alvy Singer (played by Allen himself) monologuing directly to the camera about an old joke from Groucho Marx. The brilliance of this is that his monologue is meta not just for speaking directly to the audience, but also because Groucho Marx was known for that very practice. Breaking the metaphorical wall at hand is one thing in theory, but creating parallels therefrom is something else entirely.
Other Examples Throughout Film
One of the first known instances of a filmmaker breaking the fourth wall occurred in the early stages of the industry itself, withMen Who Have Made Love to Me(1918). A silent film directed by Arthur Berthelet, it starred Mary MacLane as herself and was adapted from her bookI, Mary MacLanefrom 1917. The film constantly utilizes the tactic at hand, as MacLane’s lead character consistently addresses the audience amid onscreen vignettes.
From there, it seemed like a competition to run through this wall in the most spectacular of fashions, as creatives like the Marx Brothers jumped at the opportunity for innovation. More comedy filmmakers followed suit, like Monty Python and Zucker, Abrahams, and Zucker. But perhaps the most notable films in the comedic regard would bethose directed by Mel Brooks.
FromYoung Frankenstein(1974) toSpaceballs(1987), that particular director of Hollywood spoofs is one of the more well-known instances when it comes to breaking the fourth wall. And regarding Woody Allen, he of course did it inAnnie Hall(1977) in famous fashion. But The Purple Rose of Cairo(1985) actually presents it as a primary plot point, arguably to a more impressive extent.
But in the year following that latter Allen film,Ferris Bueller’s Day Off(1986) took things to a different level, as it was perhaps the most family-oriented picture to break the fourth wall up to this point in film history. Directed by John Hughes, it stars Matthew Broderick as the titular character Ferris Bueller as he presents the film’s most famous one-liners to the audience themselves.
Of course, this tactic is still being utilized today, most notably in titles such asThe Cabin in the Woods(2012),The Wolf of Wall Street(2013), theDeadpoolfranchise, and of course, the most recent iterations ofScream. And ultimately, given how young as this practice is in a legitimate light, it’s likely that filmmakers have only touched the surface of breaking the fourth wall.
