The theme throughout of the stripes fascinated me. The stripes on the couch, the shadows of the stripes from the shutters on the floor, the shadows of stripes across her face. Did they represent her guilt and indicate that she should be behind bars? I was surprised no one had mentioned this.
shareYes. Stripes are everywhere in the movie. Did the tropical or subtropical climate of Singapore lead to latticed shutters that could throw such shadows?
William Wyler was too great a director to have had so many shadows of stripes appearing in error. I feel it was a subliminal message to the viewer that Bette Davis' character did feel guilt over not loving her husband, but loving the man she killed. She felt that she did deserve at least to be in prison.
E pluribus unum
Great observation. Thank you. Stripes were also worn by (male) prisoners.
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