13/10/13

Millie Price

Film-Noir Double Indemnity Goodbye Baby (1944) In the film extract Double Indemnity Goodbye Baby scene it uses a range of camera angles. Firstly, a low angle camera angle is used from the start of the clip on the male character. This is made apparent from the start in that the ideology of the film is a very much patriarchal society where males held higher importance than women. The low angle shot on the man shows his power and masculinity. It also makes him look more important than the woman where a high angle shot is used of her sitting on a chair portraying her as the less important sex and character. By having her sitting down and the male standing up it creates a feel of male dominance and superiority. Also, close up shots are used to portray the enigmatic and intimate relationship between the two characters. This is seen when they are having a sincere and intimate conversation with one another to make the audience feel more involved and connected to the individual character and their story. This close up intimate shot lets the audience get attached to the character and form a bond with them. In addition, a shot reverse shot is used when switching between over the shoulder shots to each character speaking. It has been used to show the story from each of their point of view, allowing the audience to concentrate on what they are saying. Furthermore, in this scene sound is used to increase tension at the unknown and intimate parts of the clip. The music, which is classical and uses low pitch instruments, portrays a gloomy and sorrowful mood. The sound is also foregrounded at high-tension times when a dramatic moment is about to happen. E.g. when he is about to shoot her. The music is also parallel to the mood of the extract. The clip is mysterious and this enigmatic sense is portrayed by the music being gloomy and sad; telling us that perhaps

something bad is going to happen. Diegetic sound is also used in the background music on a radio. Moreover, it is clear that in this film extract there is a huge gender division of the time. In the 1940s (time the film was made) women were seen as objects and were there for no other reason but to look attractive. The woman in this film is a blonde innocent looking woman that had a desirable way about her. There is a great deal of moral ambiguity in this extract as we are unsure if she is good or bad or the victim or villain. Yet I think the male character is fully aware that she is far from innocent. She is suspicious in her ways and makes the audience believe that she cannot be trusted. It could be said that the only power the woman has is her desirable and attractive look. This therefore links to the ideology of women of this era. Moreover, in this scene the mise-en-scene used links to the ideology of male power and status. The costume of the male is a full suit dressed smartly and appropriately for the time. This gives us connotations of male authority and a sign of the time. Also in terms of body language the male character seems to be very much in control of the situation; he suggests a macho approach of having no fear. Whereas the woman is very cautious and wary. Likewise, this clip uses low-key lighting to set the mood of the story. Shadows on the two characters are used for effect to perhaps show the uncertainty of whats going to happen. Rambranat style side lighting is used on the male character to perhaps show two sides of his personality or ways. The use of monochromatic tones are used whereby blacks and whites are merged together. Most of the light is used directly on each character; the background behind them is shadowed and darker.