A frame narrative is a literary technique used in books, movies, and shows to establish a story within a story. Think about an older individual reading their diaries that detail out their younger days ortalking about the crazy adventuresthey used to go on; then all of a sudden, the main plot jumps back in time to where their tale begins. This technique is not new by any means, but it is very effective especially when the main story seems wildly outrageous. Good writers want audiences to suspend their disbelief in the fantastic, so by creating a “real” person who tells and believes their own story, the audience is better able to sympathize with the character and discard their own doubt.
There are several classic films that have used the frame narrative technique, and a few newer films have utilized the element in their stories. It is easy to overlook this style because most of the plot takes place in the adventurous and younger days of the storyteller. So please, take a moment to check out the movies that use a frame narrative that you have probably already seen, but now you need to watch again to better understand the story as a whole.
10Stand By Me (1986)
While sitting in his car inStand by Me, Gordie Lachance reads a news headline that states a man by the name of Christopher Chambers was recently stabbed to death. Fans instantly know there has to be a connection between the two men, and Gordie’s flashback to his days of being a 12-year-old kid proves that to be true.
The plot follows Gordie, Chris, and their two friends on an adventure to find the body of a missing local boy. They experience quite a bit on their journey including some revelations about how they feel about their families. After they have completed their mission and anonymously report to the police, they all parted ways. Back in the modern day, Gordie thinks back tohow important friendships areat such a young age.
9The Princess Bride (1987)
At the start ofThe Princess Bride, a young boy is feeling under the weather, so his grandfather shows up to take care of him. He says that he brought his grandson a present, but when the young man finds out it is a book, he does not seem too amused. The grandfather then goes on to say how several generations of their family have read this book to one another, and now he is now going to share the story with his grandson. Still hesitant, the boy sits back in his bed and begins to listen as the grandfather tells an adventurous tale of Westley and Buttercup.
Most of the film takes place ina fantasy worldwith monsters and epic chases, but the young man sometimes stops his grandfather to get a better understanding of what is going on. In the end, the boy realizes that he likes the story after all, and the grandfather is pleased.
8Titanic (1997)
While searching the shipwrecked Titanic for a rare diamond necklace, Brock Lovett and his team find a picture of a woman wearing the piece of jewelry. He reaches out to the public to see if anyone recognizes the woman in the drawing, and Rose Dawson Calvert gives him a call that completely turns his world upside down. The 100-year-old woman comes aboard Brock’s vessel, and he asks to hear her story about the time she was on Titanic.
Titanicthen flashes back to Rose boarding the “unsinkable ship” for the first time in 1912, leaving her fiancé, and experiencing true freedom with a young American man. Her tale is heartbreaking and beautiful all at the same time. In the end, the elderRose throws the necklaceinto the sea where her one true love still rests.
Related:12 Movies Like Titanic If You Want to Watch an Epic Story
7Forrest Gump (1994)
While sitting at a bus stop for what seems to be forever, Forrest tells several strangers about his life experiences. At first, it seems like Forrest wants to simply fill the silence and find companionship, but throughout his stories, different individuals find his life fascinating. In the beginning ofForrest Gump, Forrest talks about the first pair of shoes he ever received. Then he goes on to tell about his struggles of growing up, the incredible experiences he went through as a young man, and the love of his life, Jenny.
Though Forrest had it rougher than most, he still somehow managed to be a part of some amazing historical moments. He does not see the highs and lows of his experiences; he just thinks of it all as how he simply grew up. By the end of the film, Forrest runs from the bus stop to meet with Jenny, and he discovers something that will forever change his life.
6The Usual Suspects (1995)
Roger “Verbal” Kint knows he is not always an innocent man inThe Usual Suspects, but when faced with any sort of police force, he will do anything he can to plead not guilty. After the police pick Verbal, a Hungarian mobster, and 27 bodies up from a ship, there are many questions to be asked. Verbal recounts how and why he got caught up with all the other men in a drug crime, and the U.S. Customers officer follows along with his tale.
When everything comes back to the present day, Verbal walks away a free man. It isn’t until he is out of sight that the agent discovers Verbal’s long, drawn-out story was all a lie. He simply made everything up on the spot and got away with it.
5Big Fish (2003)
Edward Bloom managed to drive his son, Will, away with his tall tales, but when he becomes sick in the hospital, Will comes to his side along with his wife, Josephine. Edward recounts to the couple several experiences he went through as a young man, but Will only rolls his eyes. From talking about leaving his hometown with a giant to robbing banks and getting away with it, Edward paints a very colorful picture of his younger days over the course ofBig Fish.
Will sees how much pleasure it brings his father to tell his stories to Josephine that it starts to soften his heart. After Edward has a stroke, it is up to Will to decide how his story ends, and he chooses to do his father justice.
Related:Best Tim Burton Movies, According to Rotten Tomatoes Score
4The Phantom of the Opera (2004)
The Phantom of the Operastarts out with items from an old, out-of-commission opera house being auctioned off where Raoul manages to buy a papier-mâché music box. When a restored chandelier goes up for bidding, the scene flashes back nearly 50 years before to when the opera house was beautifully grand and full of people. Raoul was just a young man back then who fell in love with a performer, Christine.
Unfortunately for him, he was not the only one smitten by the singer. The Phantom also has his eyes on the young woman, and after several tragedies, Christine must choose who she goes with. Back in the present, Raoul places the music box on his late wife’s grave and a couple items indicate the other man who loved her like no other has also been there.
3The Notebook (2004)
From happiness to heartache,The Notebookmakes people want to believe in true love while it manages totug at every heartstring. In a modern day nursing home, an elder gentleman can be found reading to Allie, who has dementia, almost every day. He reads from a journal about a beautiful love story between two youngsters who were destined to be together. Unfortunately, parents and life got in the way of their happily-ever-after for some time, but fate managed to bring them back together.
Allie loves hearing the romantic tale, and when her dementia temporarily subsides, she realizes that the man doing the reading is the same man she wrote about in her journal. Allie and Noah, in the present day, still love one another dearly, even if only one of them remembers their love story. In the end, tears as well as smiles are shared between the two as well as the audience.
2The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
While waiting for Hurricane Katrina to blow through New Orleans, an elderly Daisy Fuller has her daughter Caroline read from the diary of her dearly departed friend, Benjamin Button. As Caroline reads, Benjamin’s life takes over the screen ofThe Curious Case of Benjamin Button. From the day he was born, there was something different about him; he mentally aged how he should, but his body aged backwards. When Daisy met him as just a young girl, she could tell he was special.
Their friendship flourished for years, and that eventually blossomed into something romantic. Upon finishing the diary, Daisy confesses to her daughter that Benjamin was always more than a friend; he was actually Caroline’s biological father. With this truth finally off her chest, Daisy peacefully passes on.
1The Words (2012)
All writers tend to have secrets, but for Clayton Hammond inThe Words, he may have chosen to expose his own secret to the world in a unique manner. When doing a reading of his latest book, the world transforms to that of his fictional creation. Rory (Clayton’s protagonist) struggles to be a writer, and when he accidentally comes across a masterpiece, he gets the idea that he can play it off like he created something worthwhile.
Later on, Rory meets the real author of the manuscript he found, and he tries to make things right. Back in reality, a novice writer catches Clayton’s attention, and she asks him many questions about his book. Eventually, she deduces that the book is actually based on Clayton’s real life, but he cannot bring himself to give her a straight answer.
