1. Detailed analysis of Brute Force directed by Jules Dassin-1947
(1)The very first scene the audience is shown is a towering prison observation
post from a low angle, used to show the power and importance of the
“Westgate penitentiary” and to signpost the location of the movie. The music
is quite intense and high key to already signify an strong level of suspense.
Next shows an establishing shot of the prison and bridge,(2) the river below is
black and thrashing; most of the pessimistic tones within noir have already
been presented. The use of heavy rain and the setting of a prison suggest that
the prison guards may be the bad guys and our protagonists may be being
treated unfairly. The credits start next and the image being shown beneath
them fades to the steel prison doors, (3)again with a low angle and still with
the dramatic music. (Created by MiklosRozsa). The image fades again to a
closer look at the partially silhouetted bridge, (4)in the background the
audience can see the prison more clearly (Deep focus is commonly used in noir
to show fully the bleak landscape). Yet again a fade transition is used , this time
to take the audience within the prison walls. (5)The extreme long shot shows
the prison walls and guard on top shining because of the rain however the next
scene is cut to without a fade hinting at a snappier pace within the prison
walls, the image it cuts to is a another low angle of the prison watch tower
with a searchlight and a guard pacing the walls. (6)The music is still high key
but dramatic, it emphasises the importance of this location and sets a manner
for the entire film. Match on action/continuity editing is used with the
spotlight, as the scene cuts again the spotlight continues the same speed, the
spotlight shows how guarded the prison is, it also creates a beam of light
commonly seen in classic noir. (7) A cut to a clock helps marker the time of day
for the audience(8). Finely one more fade is used to get the audience inside
the prison. The prison hallway is bright in comparison to the outside world; the
cells however are black and gloomy.(9)The scene with the guard blowing the
whistle tells the audience that the prison is in working order and the guards
have authority, a long silhouette is cast on the back prison wall thus keeping
with noir convention. The authority of the guards is shown again as the darkly
dressed warden paces up and down a walkway with a rifle- again casting a
silhouette and shown from a low angle.
Two prison officers are taking a register, keeping check of the inmates, this

2. barrier of them and us is shown throughout the opening scene, the outside
world and the prison, the guards and the inmates, the white halls and dark
cells this creates an even greater cynical perspective. The long shot of the two
prison officers on the ground floor is mechanically shifted to the second floor
where another two officers are checking cells, the first cell the officer’s check
belongs to “James” who sings constantly, possibly down to insanity of out
ofjust plain boredom. The set perfectly shows a stereotypical cell, the bunk
beds, the single window, and hanging light. The guards shift to “R 17” the cell
to the right and ask for “Spencer, Becker,Stack, Lister, Colons “ Colons doesn’t
seem to be there; creating suspicion within the audience, the music has
completely faded out by now, just leaving the diegetic sounds of rain hitting
the window; this possibly could have been done in post-production. The
guards, now on the out-side of the cell, seem quite dark as opposed to
“Macoy” sitting oh is bed stitching up a sock. The guards seem to be behind
bars from this medium long shot, a clever use of the expected barriers the
audience usually sees. (11)The guards move on and the possible main
characters continue to talk about the weather. The insight they give about the
rain reflects the type of characters they seem to be , the first to speak, Becker
says “rained every day for a week”- looking at the negative side, Stack says
how he used to “love the rain as a kid even when it rained hard like now”–a
welcoming hint of nostalgia ( a juxtaposition to the criminals they are said to)
be) Macoy says “last fight outdoors it rained, slowed me up allot” showing he
is a brawler and conforms to the thuggish image of a criminal, lastly, Spencer
says that “one of the most beautiful lady I ever knew I met in the rain, high
heels on wet pavement” spencer is hinting at the more commonly known
femme fetall. (1-11 L-R below)