The Cause Effect Structure on Hitchcock film: Lifeboat
The Cause Effect Structure on Hitchcock film: Lifeboat(1944)
Alferd Joseph Hitchcock, who was a famous English film director and producer. In the world of cinema he has a great status as ‘the master of suspense. In his full career he directed all most 50 feature film. And it is also noticeable that Hitchcock used a very different narrative style in his film.
Lifeboat is one of pioneer suspense film of Hitchcock, the film is about Several British and American civilians, service members and merchant mariners are stuck in a lifeboat in an ocean, after their ship and a U-boat sink each other in combat. In this film reflected the time of World War II. There are ten character in the film and full film is shooting in one set, which is the life boat. All cause effect situation are happened in the lifeboat.
youtube link of the film:
Before we go to further discussion we have to know basically what is mean by narration. In the book The Film Art an Introduction by David Bordwell, Kristin Thomson, Jeff Smith said on narration:
“We can consider a narrative to be a chain of events linked by cause and effect and occurring in time and space. A narrative is what we usually mean by the term “story,” although we’ll be using that term in a slightly different way later. Typically,a narrative begins with one situation; a series of changes occurs according to a pattern of cause and effect; finally, a new situation arises that brings about the end of the narrative. Our engagement with the story depends on our understanding of the pattern of change and stability, cause and effect, time and space.”
In Hitchcock film there are a scene or sequence, who apparently noticed the story of the film. Like other film of Hitchcock in lifeboat, here is also this type of narration. In the 1st half of the film about the survival of the people from the ocean. But after the 45miutes of the film the story turn another the direction. There are a survivor named Willy, who recognised himself a crew member from German U-boat, which was also destroyed. At first everyone as think that Willy cannot speak English, but when the necessity arises he reveals himself to be conversant in several languages and highly intelligent; in fact, he was the U-boat's captain. From the first when he appear, some situation hints it about his character but it almost reveal in the 1st half of the movie.
For the discussion of this narrative, we can divide the sequence in 3 parts:
· Confusion
· Discussion
· Decision
Here we go to discuss the narrative of Lifeboat to the help of these point, which will be help and understand the cause and effect system:
· Confusion
That sequence start at 45miutes of the film or almost half of the film, in the first of the sequence it is establish that when all are busy their own business then Willy are busy to find the direction to the German U- boat. It is established when he was looking his campus from hiding of others and it was a pan shot where everyone is in mid shot and Willy create a close up in the shot. After establishment of Willy character and intension deeply, there is a close shot of the compass. The people are busy in playing card and some of just watching them, then they discuss about their destination. And other people told Connie to ask Willy about the destination or direction, Connie ask Willy about the direction then he said it will not be possible to say anything without compass.
All people are become aggressive and start argue with him. Kovik aggressively told something about the Willy then Writtenhouse and Connie defend him to remembering the help of Willy all of the people. After the argument of some the Willy take responsibility of the boat, but there is a still question is they are heading towards the Bermuda. When the people force Willy to say Yes or no then he said no, he admits it that he become confused and it will be a wrong direction.
Here the story take a new direction, before this situation the story has another direction, the story is about survive of the boat. But now it is become an incident of World War where the Nazi people is misguide the British and American people. He forward them direction which is not to happen.
· Decision
In between of these Gus wake up, whose one leg was cut out from his body due to dangerous injury in the accident. All people are busy with the Gus, especially Willy who is doing the operation of Gus. Among of them the nurse praised Willy for his great job and also Gus thanks him. After that Gus ask the Kovik who is appointed as a skipper of the boat by Writtenhouse when they will reached the Bermuda. Kovik told him that they will reached Bermuda pretty soon.
Again the discussion towards the direction of they are heading. Kovik again aggressive on Willy, he had strong doubt on Willy. He told the people of others that who knows that the Nazi didn’t forward the boat to the direction of a Nazi submarine or towards Germany supply ship.in between of his speech only two people in the frame with close up which were Kovak and Willy. But after the lots of argument Kovik decided that they will follow the Willy’s course.
And then Willy come forward to the frame and other people in the background. Again he open his compass and look their direction.
By discuss this scene we almost took an idea of the development of the story. After the Willi reflects his real character who has with the energy pill, food tablet and also drinking water. And he also understand and speaks English. When other people know about his character they throw him into the water. And then the boat almost reached near of the German’s supply ship. They think that they will get help from the boat then again start the gun fire and destroyed the ship.
Basically the whole film narrative was established in cause effect structure. And the story of the film open in this specific sequence. After this sequence the other incidents were also happened which were help to developed the whole story. Like they people faced thunderstone and Willi killed Gus when other people was sleeping.In this way, we understand the cause effect sturcture of the narrative of film and also we can understand or realised the filmic nerrative style of alferd hitchcock.
Basically the whole film narrative was established in cause effect structure. And the story of the film open in this specific sequence. After this sequence the other incidents were also happened which were help to developed the whole story. Like they people faced thunderstone and Willi killed Gus when other people was sleeping.In this way, we understand the cause effect sturcture of the narrative of film and also we can understand or realised the filmic nerrative style of alferd hitchcock.
**source of academic meterial**
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