MovieChat Forums > Greed (1925) Discussion > Water vs. desert

Water vs. desert

posted 18 years ago by BlueGreen
5 replies | jump to latest

***** SPOILERS AHEAD *****

This is just a musing... I was just watching "Greed" (again), and when I saw that gorgeous lingering (somewhat) shot of the ocean, just after McTeague had confessed to Marcus that he, too, was in love with Trina (and then Marcus goes on to say that he'll "give her up" for him etc.), it occurred to me that the shot of the ocean - so similar in its vastness to the desert where they are to end up (as anything *but* friends) - was perhaps included as a sort of "allegory" (God, how I hate such words! ;)) or symbol for Life, as opposed to Death.

I mean, water has always been used a a symbol of Life; and at that moment, the rift arising between the two friends is LOVE (a "symbol" of Life itself). Later on, of course, the object of their desire (and the cause of their destruction) is MONEY (which can be a very pleasant possession, but is hardly a "symbol" of life). Hence their lives end in a desert: a scorching, barren wasteland.

Am I reading too much into that shot?
(Bear in mind, though, that the sea is shown as more than just a background - especially taking into consideration how much of this film was cut.)

[–] wtl471629 18 years ago

SPOILER WARNING

Blue I think you are right. I have read the book and seen the short version but your analysis makes sense. I think the Director Mr. Strohein used such symbolisms in his movie that weren't in the book. And you analyis of the sea and the desert makes sense. It turned out that winning that money which whould have been a blessing in most cases turned out to be a curse that destroyed three people who at one time were the best of friends.

The Director also used symbolism to show problems were to come when for example the two lovers decided to go sit on the sewer where a dead rat is laying. That is pure Stroheim. And another time he did it was in the wedding scene which switched from the scene to the funeral shown outside the window. And man TCM did a great job of changing the background music from Here Comes the Bride to the Funeral March.

[–] BlueGreen 18 years ago

Thanks for the reply, Wt.

And yes, that wedding/funeral scene - and the soundtrack! - must be among the most impressive I've ever seen. I've been known to stay up long after my "bedtime", just to see it (again ;).

[–] wtl471629 18 years ago

I know what you mean Blue. I have seen the TCM shorter version but not the longer 4 hour version and when it is shown on July 15 that is one night I am going to stay up and watch it and as a safeguard have one of my nieces record it on her recorder since she has another cable company.

[–] wtl471629 18 years ago

SPOILER WARNING!

Another thing Blue that I am sure you noticed was how Stroheim used the two canaries in the movie. In the book McTeague just had one canary but in the movie they had two and Stroheim used them to tie in with the movie such as when the couple fought the birds would be fighting and when they were loving each other the birds were doing the same thing. Pure genius!

I noticed when McTeague kills his wife the female canary is missing so we can assume at that time that she had died or somehow got away. Of course at that time the second canary was no longer needed.

[–] 18 years ago

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