Murder, Misalignment, and Mystery: For Week 4’s scene analysis, I chose the scene where Ann and Marlowe are talking in the bar, when Ann tries to convince Marlowe to drop the case in exchange for $1000.
In this shot, I wanted to highlight the importance and underlying text of the director’s choice in lighting, the lack of symmetry, and how the characters are lit. Notably, Ann is covered in shadow as she leans back in the booth- hiding her face as the light filters behind her through the wooden panel. However, the small lamp on the table between the characters does not illuminate Ann’s right profile. Secondly, the viewer is meant to be uncomfortable by the lack of symmetry in the shot. The table and doorway are slightly off center to the right, while Marlowe and Ann lean leftward. The shot seems off-kilter and unbalanced, and this staging is intentional.
The framing in the shot is emphasizes Ann’s discomfort in playing the “femme fatale” character, as both her behavior and the scene staging are unbalanced. Similarly, the lack of natural lighting from the table lamp causes confusion- shouldn’t we see Ann’s right-side profile like we see Marlowe’s? When Ann leans forward into the light, the shot balances out- the characters’ bodies mirror the lines on the table and both the doorway behind and the lamp in front of the characters become centered. Thus, the viewer deduces that Ann is projecting a faux darkness to appear deceitful, mysterious, or manipulative.
The sudden readjustment into balance and harmony (both in scene framing and in how the characters are lit) highlights the instant attraction between Marlowe and Ann. Unlike Mrs. Grayle / Velma’s sexual appeal, the directors portray Ann as quiet, non-sexual, conservatively clothed, and perhaps too devoted to her father. And yet, Marlowe, our morally good film noir detective, is attracted to her innocence- both sexual and moral. So, what does Ann represent in this film? If Velma and the jade necklace are objects of desire for the male characters, what does it mean for Marlowe to blindly (literally blindfolded) announce his love for Ann? Marlowe’s blind confession solidifies that Ann is not his object of desire for her beauty or ability to validate his maleness, as Marlowe has already proven himself by solving the case. What does it mean for Marlowe to be in love with Ann?