In Director Mike Hodges’ Croupier(1989), a young aspiring writing must settle for a job as a croupier in a casino, a job that his father has set up for him, but the films story and the writer’s novel
become entangled as the author begins to live out his novel. The protagonist, Jack Manfred(Clive Owen) is the struggling writer who has grown up in a family consisting only of his gambling father and himself. The narration of the film tells us this, but this is all we hear of his childhood. Jack creates an alter ego, Jake, who thinks he can stay out of the realm of gambling that destroyed his family, while Jack begins to get more ideas for his book, as well as identify more and more with his own protagonist.
In the first shot, scenes like this where the protagonist is going to and from work, the editor Les Healey cuts the real time down, yet still emphasizes the continuity of the film showing him walking down the street, cutting to him going through a door, and finally cutting to him walking up to a person of interest. When our protagonist is walking the streets, narration is often heard, and the actor walks as if depressed, not really knowing his place in the world. Clive Owen’s character begins the movie, depressed because he cannot write a decent novel, then because he has no money, he must settle into a job he hates, and finally, his girlfriend is murdered and he realizes his father tricked him
into stealing money.
The second shot shows the protagonist when he is doing what he does best, dealing to a group of, in his mind, sad and unhappy people. While at his job at the casino, Jake/Jack transforms somewhat, not necessarily into a happier person, but he gets into a mood where he believes he is better than everyone else. He judges them as they throw their money away, and realizes that he has the best seat in the house, because from where he stands, he cannot lose. The mood of the protagonist does not change here, rather his thoughts on his surroundings. He no longer focuses on himself, but the crowd around him. Editing done here emphasizes that point as shots jump between Jake/Jack to the gamblers, who receive both close shots and medium shots, whereas in other parts of the film when he thinks only of what he believes to be a dismal existence, there are just close ups of him, where he is centered in the frame bringing all eyes directly to hims
elf.
Jack/Jake’s state of mind shifts back and forth throughout the film, as gradually, his novel comes to an end just as the film does.
Your analogy of Jack’s alter-ego is interesting. Yes, my observation was similar about Jake helping Jack deal with his dual careers. The alter-ego keeps him going as a croupier, but his real passion is to be a successful writer. The scene with him walking on the streets does imply his somber appearance as a struggling writer. Did you know the director used parallel editing to go between the scenes where he is walking on the streets in ordinary clothes to when he is dressed for his job as a croupier?
ReplyDeleteAlso, I found it very interesting, how the editing is done to show the different characteristics of Jack. One scene shows Jack as a powerless individual and struggling to accept what faith has dished out to him as a writer. Another scene shows him in a powerful role as a croupier being in control of his life and possessing the power to make people lose money on the gambling table.
I like your observations about the shot editing, especially your note that the camera focuses mostly on Jack in the beginning, then later includes the gamblers. I agree that he is depressed and self-absorbed in the beginning of the movie, but I’m curious about your suggestion that he does not still focus on himself at the end. If he enjoys judging people, then I imagine that he still thinks highly of himself. In the last scene, as he rakes chips off the table, he narrates that the “Croupier has acquired the power to make you lose.” This makes him seem like a god looming above the gamblers. The second photo seems to support this, as he is standing while the gamblers remain sitting. However, I understand your observation about camera shots suddenly including other people at the end of the movie, and I believe that this signifies that Jack, though still egotistic, is no longer blind to the world around him.
ReplyDelete