MovieChat Forums > Gilda (1946) Discussion > Use of POV

Use of POV

posted 17 years ago by theradicaldreamer
2 replies | jump to latest

Hey everyone, I'm in my first year of Film Studies at University, watched Gilda about a week ago with the aim of making a brief presentation on it's use of mise-en-scene. However I have since found out I was supposed to be looking at it from a use of POV perspective (smooth, I know). It's a little to late now to go back over the whole film, but from my recollection I don't remember a vast amount of POV being used (not in a standout way anyhow). Maybe I'm wrong. Just curious if anyone had any thoughts, I'd appreciate them all the same. I'm not looking for in depth analysis or anything, just any particular moments people remember.

Thanks to all,
D

[–] dac287 17 years ago

It's POV work seems a little odd and sparse. While the beginning is narrated by the Glenn Ford character it then becomes only an occasional comment with no apparent starting point so we do not know where the flashback began or ended and what point in his life is he narrating it from. We also see things he could not possibly know (like Ballin getting onto the boat after faking his death). So, while V.O. narration in film noir is notoriously unreliable, what is P.OV. and what is not in this movie? It is completely unclear and may have just been a filmmaking technique used without much thought on its authenticity upon extreme scrutiny that film critics give anything labeled noir since the 1970s.

[–] beware_of_the_mongoose 17 years ago

Well hello there!

Fancy seeing you here.