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Crucifixion Painting - meaning? symbolism?

posted 15 years ago by Pearl_Jade
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In Martha's room there is a painting that appears to be of Christ's removal from the cross. It resembles the sculpture La Pietà in that it shows one woman cradling the dead Christ's head. Another person (I couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman) is holding Christ's body while he is being deposed.

The image figures prominently in the movie. During the sequence where Martha dreams that she and Edwina are sharing McBurney in her bed, the tableau is recreated as we see a clearly composed shot of McBurney (in almost a deathlike, passive sleep) lying between the two women. The similarities to the painting are striking: He is bare-chested; only a white sheet covers him below the waist; his head and shoulders hang limply off the edge of the bed but are supported by Edwina, who is cradling his head; on his right, with access to the rest of his body, is Martha.

Later on, when his leg is amputated, there are more Christ-like allusions. McBurney is strapped to the dining room table, his arms outstretched as if spread out on a cross. Sharp instruments pierce his bones and flesh; blood flows profusely; women are present who are weeping and distressed; and McBurney, not fully unconscious, grunts against the pain.

Now I don't believe that McBurney is being sold to us as a Christ-like figure, so there must be another reason for the use of this imagery beyond pure aesthetics. Could it be that it's a foreboding of his death? That the women regarded him as a saviour? That he was "sacrificed" to protect them?

Discuss.

[–] WarpedRecord 15 years ago

Fascinating observations, Pearl_Jade!

I'm actually a lot more interested in your interpretations of the Christ-like symbolism here, but my take on it is that initially all women saw McBurney as their personal savior, but by the end realize they had been worshipping a false idol.

The fact that this film allows various interpretations and opens itself up to discussions such as this is what makes it so fascinating.

[–] psdhart 13 years ago

I noticed the painting too, doesen't he ask someone at one point if they ever wished for a prince to come and save them or something along those lines?

anyway regarding the Christ symbolism: www.clinteastwood.org/forums/index.php?topic=728.0
:

"The symbolism in this movie can be somewhat disturbing, and some may even perceive it as bordering on the blasphemous - depending on how you interpret it. The religious aspect of it seems to be a deliberate puzzle, letting the viewer ponder in their mind what it symbolizes. Was this heavy symbolism initiated by Siegel? Eastwood? Both perhaps? In any case, there’s no doubt it wasn’t just randomly thrown in. But is it needed? Personally, I don’t think it does much for the storyline - but it’s there. We had a similar discussion like this on the old board concerning Dirty Harry, I think. That discussion got pretty deep.

Well, here’s my 2 cents worth. Since Siegel directed, I’ll focus on him. You almost get the idea he had, at the very least, quite a cynical attitude toward Christianity, or Christ Himself, depending on how you perceive it. The religious visual references, such as the painting where we see it ‘morph’ into something quite kinky during McB’s feverish episode - it obviously places McBurney in Christ’s position. Why? What was Siegel wanting to convey? Was this sort of a precursor to The Last Temptation of Christ? The amputation, or "crucifixion" symbolism (Matt's photo above) seems to imply that Christ was impotent, or was rendered impotent (which personally I strongly disagree with), getting what he deserved – being a deceiver and a fake. Almost a contemptuous-like ridicule for whatever he stood for. Am I going slightly overboard here? Perhaps, but, it’s just one possibility of what it was meant to imply. I don’t think there are any clear answers, unless it’s discussed by Siegel and/or Eastwood elsewhere. The motive(s) behind it? Only they know. I'm curious to see how others view it. "