"Miller's Crossing" A story of unrequited love hidden behind the film noir

Murder in the Woods...The genealogy of homosexual films connected to Bertolucci

The visual image of "gangsters in the woods" dreamed up by the Coen brothers. When it came to actually filming it, cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld apparently insisted that the film should be shot on a cloudy day instead of on a sunny day. It is true that Tom's pent-up feelings cannot be expressed on a bright, sunny day.

Apparently, the Coen brothers were reluctant to accept this idea, as they didn't want to delay filming due to bad weather, but luckily the shooting day turned out to be cloudy. For this forest scene, Sonnenfeld uses Fujifilm instead of Kodak to further reduce the color tones. The murder in the forest (though it ends up being an attempt) becomes a euphorically beautiful scene.

Murder in the forest... When I hear this word, I think of Bernardo Bertolucci's `` The Conformist '' (1970). The story follows Marcello (Jean-Louis Trintignant), a member of a fascist organization, who murders Professor Luca Quadri, a leader in the anti-fascist movement. Anna (Dominique Sanda), his wife, flees into the forest, but is shot dead by ruthless killers.

"The Conformist" preview

What's interesting is the fact that at the beginning of the movie, Marcello, as a young boy, is about to be raped by a gay man and shoots him. Like ``Miller's Crossing,'' ``The Conformist,'' which has a common theme of ``murder in the woods,'' also contains many homosexual elements. Is there something in the forest that induces perverted sexual love and murderous impulses?

It is in this forest that ``Miller's Crossing'' comes to an end. Leo and Tom, who had a falling out, walk side by side as if to confirm their friendship. However, when Leo confesses that he is marrying Verna, Tom realizes that he can no longer be by his side.

Leo: Please, come back to me. I may be a fool sometimes, but so do you. If you come back, everything will be as it was. It will definitely be. As for Verna...you were young. You. I forgive you.”

Tom: "I don't want forgiveness. Goodbye, Leo."

Leo slumped his shoulders and trudged away. Tom looks on sadly. This is where the sweet friendship ends. With melancholic music by Carter Burwell.

Text: Rui Takeshima

A pop culture writer who wants to be kicked by Hit Girl. Host of the web magazine " POP MASTER ".

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