Even though I had never seen a movie in the film noir genre, I had a vague idea of what it’d be like. Various images came to my mind when I thought envisioned the film. Misty cigarette smoke. Dim lighting. Dark brimmed hats and suspicious overcoats. Out of the Past did nothing to alter these stereotypes, and I could do little but laugh as I heard the cheesy one-liners and noticed the emotionless arrogance of the actors. I think we have been conditioned to expect an effort to replicate reality in modern film, and this habituation skewed my appreciation for the characters in this classic genre. This is somewhat ironic because despite the unrealistic characters in the story, the lack of a necessarily moral ‘lesson’ at the conclusion of the film presents a story that is often more akin to reality than other Hollywood movies.
One must realize that film noir as a genre produced some of the most influential and reputed actors in American film history. (Many film noir actors appear in the American Film Institutes list of the twenty-five best American actors.) I think this is because film noir, despite its blatantly pessimistic undertones and cynical outlook, provided at platform for actors to play characters that were larger than life. This stage portrayed characters as iconic figures and role models for audiences.
A good example is the Robert Mitchum’s character Jeff in Out of the Past. Despite all the tension and deception Jeff deals in the movie, he manages to evade displaying even the slightest trace of emotion. In addition, Jeff displays qualities that men would yearn to have with his charm, wit and confidence (not to mention the nonchalant way in which he lights a cigarette and is able to dispose of it after a couple of puffs in the most carefree fashion!). Even though I was repelled by what I thought was a pseudo-realistic impression of a real man, I quickly began to appreciate the more artistic and salient aspects of the film, first of which was the trademark use of lighting. Director Jacques Tourneur sets the tone for the scene with the use of lighting and shadows especially in scenes where there is a heightened sense of tension. For example, in the scene where Jeff is finally able to meet again with Kathy after they are forced apart, the joyful mood is disturbed by the dark shadows from the leaves and branches, foreshadowing the trouble that is approaching.
In Rick Altman’s article titled A Semantic/Syntactic Approach to Film Genre he notes that genres are undergoing change and morphing constantly. The suggestion that some genres incorporate aspects of others to propagate themselves is applicable in this particular case because we see signature elements of romance and mystery films in Out of the Past. However, I feel that as a genre film noir is more distinctly classified. As an art form, I feel that the expressionistic nature of film noir and that lack of obligation to go the “happily ever after” route make it an atypical Hollywood film, and Out of the Past is a great example of this.
“This is somewhat ironic because despite the unrealistic characters in the story, the lack of a necessarily moral ‘lesson’ at the conclusion of the film presents a story that is often more akin to reality than other Hollywood movies.” I like this quote in your first paragraph, although I may disagree. I think that Hollywood films, even with their always-happy endings, I believe that they show a particular part of reality rather than an average, but that is an altogether different argument, so I won’t be boring you with that. You claim that film noir produced some of the greatest actors of all time. I think that may be a causal infraction. Could it not have been great actors who made film noir a classic? But let’s be honest, these actors are not as good as everyone claims they are. Acting cool and emotionless is not that difficult (I mean, look at Keeanu Reeves in the Matrix for Pete’s sake!). But you do have a good point that the emotionless behavior was in part sparked by the style of film noir.
ReplyDeleteYou also discuss how the lighting helps to create the mood of suspense in film noir, especially in Out of the Past. But can you not also agree where such lighting becomes distracting? When Jeff visits Whit for the first time after many years, the shadows that you would expect are not present, but instead the room is brightly lit. The problem I find with the black-and-white style of film noir is its uncontrollability. It does not often work through the entirety of the film, but rather at certain points, with some films utilizing it more effectively than others.
You said: "Even though I had never seen a movie in the film noir genre, I had a vague idea of what it’d be like. Various images came to my mind when I thought envisioned the film. Misty cigarette smoke. Dim lighting. Dark brimmed hats and suspicious overcoats."
ReplyDeleteEven though I cringed when I saw all of these elements in "Out of the Past", I tend to like them in small doses in today's cinema. I guess it was just too much "cliche-ness" in "Out of the Past" that made it unbearable. I am much more with the "less is more" approach when it comes to these things.
I don't know if this is a generalization, but most film noir's do not have the most fantastic story and dialogue, as is revealed when most people who see these films refer to them as "cheesy," or "cliche." However, the real beauty of film noir is in the shots, the composition of darks and lights and in the way this constructs a world different from our own. While this world is filled with guns, intrigue, double dealing, and other things that most people will not deal with their entire lives, it is still a fascinating one in itself. While it is not a replication of reality, as you explained that we have been conditioned to see, it can still be enjoyed for its own merit.
ReplyDeleteWe have to remember that when these films were released, they were fairly revolutionary in how they told their stories. In the age of the Wire and hyper realism, it's tough to appreciate these type of films and label them as cheesy. However, I like how you point out that the moral dilemmas and ultimate unsatisfying ending are very realistic. That's the one thing I appreciate about film noirs. They are unflinching in how they paint morality. There is a ton of gray, and that to me is much more realistic than a lot of films released today.
ReplyDeleteInteresting post Vikram,
ReplyDeleteI would have liked to see more detail and an extension of your argument. If, as you conclude, the acting is somewhat beside the point in Film Noir, what has made the genre so influential? Your assertion about the shadow realism of these films is interesting, but I would have liked to see a more specific explication.
Best,
Alexis
I have to agree with what Keith says about the age of "hyper realism" and how it has affected the way we view older movie. In the same way that our perceptions of movies change due to the evolution of an actor's reputation or persona over time, our interpretations of movies change as we become used to different genres and effects. While the development and acting in a film noir's narrative may seem cheesy and cliché in comparison to what we are used to now, the style was revolutionary and different. The emphasis on the film was different than what is important in film now.
ReplyDeleteI definitely saw this movie the way you did, lacking realism, and I really appreciated your point that the lack of a moral conclusion is actually very much in tune with the real world. That said, I definitely found it hard to relate to the character of Jeff who remains so even keel despite all the mayhem surrounding him. Furthermore, I felt like the whole visual nature of the film was too carefully constructed, i.e. too polished. I suppose that can be interpreted as the ideal backdrop to the characters whose moral ambiguity is reflected in their demeanor as well as their actions. For a man who works for and deals with such seedy characters, Jeff turns out to be a pretty good guy. And for a girl who escapes and runs from the corruption embodied by Kirk Douglas's character Whit, Kathie resorts to murder when it is the most convenient way out. These characters make it difficult to create a plausible ending that would definitively wrap up the story in a manner more suitable to the modern era of films.
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