3/26/2019 1 Comment Analysis VIII: Scene of the CrimeThe balance between work and pleasure is challenged in the 1949 film Scene of the Crime by Director Roy Rowland. This film follows a detective named Mike Conovan (Van Johnson) as he investigates the murder of a fellow police officer with fellow detectives 'C.C' Gordon (Tom Drake) and Fred Piper (John McIntire). Eventually Mike Conovan enlists the help of a popular performer, Lily (Gloria DeHaven), who had presumably former ties to the primary murder suspect. Mike and Lily enter into somewhat of a romantic affair with her in order to gain her trust and find the suspect. Unlike most romantic affairs however, Mike's wife Gloria (Arlene Dahl) is completely aware of the affair and is never really upset by it throughout the movie. Both she and Mike simply treat it just as if he's doing his job (the affair with Lily never goes beyond kissing) and Mike never actually lies to either woman throughout. But this will be a detail to focus on later in the analysis. Eventually, Mike hunts down the suspect, who is warned by a spurned Lily after she is betrayed by Mike and is gravely injured in the final shootout. The suspect is dying in the hospital when Mike visits him, and it's revealed that he never cared about Lily, considering that he knew Lily's 'love' for him was arbitrary and high maintenance all along. This analysis will primarily focus on character study, essential themes, and the genre-firm setting. ![]() Scene of the Crime poses a number of interesting themes that truly strengthen the film by making it more memorable and thought-provoking. First of all, the question of old vs. new. This conflict is illustrated between the characters 'Piper' and 'C.C', while neither of them act antagonistically at any point, the idea is that detectives like Piper are becoming obsolete (as seen when the character is shown to have almost useless eyesight, and this ultimately gets him killed) while detectives like Mike, or his "Carbon Copy" are the future. C.C. himself only strengthens the notion that police departments will continue to benefit from police like Mike, since it proves that newcomers wind up more like him as opposed to any other members of the force. But this is not the most important theme in the film, one of more importance is clearly fidelity, particularly what is true fidelity? This film is explored throughout the film, albeit subtely. For instance, the movie argues that if someone pursues a romantic relationship for their job or to achieve a goal without getting emotionally attached to the person, then they are maintaining fidelity. Yet, modern social beliefs dismiss this notion handedly and even in 1949 this concept would certainly garner a raise of the eyebrow. While the film does not outright say which side of the argument it supports, it seems clear that because Gloria and Mike share no tension over his fake relationship with Lily that he's acting perfectly faithful to his wife. Yet the viewer must appreciate the fact that the film never lectures the audience on what they should believe, true, it has made its stance known, but the subtle nature of the conflict invites discussion. Should this be considered fidelity? Why or why not? What standards constitute absolute fidelity? The answers to these questions change from couple to couple. In the film's case, ambiguity on the matter as a whole acts as a strength as it spurs on the viewer's thoughts long after the conclusion of the film. ![]() As far as the film's placement in the noir genre go, it is as almost tried-and-true as it can get. The presence of a detective in a dangerous city, the seductive bad girl, and a penchant for solving a mystery can all be found here. This film does not present a typical noir story however, rather adding its own semblance of charm into the mix to create an enjoyable and unique story. Overall, Scene of the Crime is effective in its usage of characters, themes, and its genre setting. Perhaps in the future detective stories will continue to be morally questionable and provocative. It truly is a thought-provoking trend that only seeks to empower the genre as a whole.
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