I have been told by many people that all actors give a tremendous performance in all aspects of the film except Russel Crowe. I am not sure if it is his acting or singing that has caused this negative reaction. So there maybe some bias towards his role in the film.
From the first fifty minutes or so it seems that the film follows a standard form of a communication hierarchy based on a social status. It begins with Hugh Jackman as a prisoner/slave and Russel Crowe as the police/enforcer. Obviously Crowe has a higher status and Jackman a prisoner has a lower status. Watching further into the film the roles switch completely as Jackman becomes the mayor and Crowe is the police leader who must succumb to Jackmans every word.
From the first fifty minutes or so it seems that the film follows a standard form of a communication hierarchy based on a social status. It begins with Hugh Jackman as a prisoner/slave and Russel Crowe as the police/enforcer. Obviously Crowe has a higher status and Jackman a prisoner has a lower status. Watching further into the film the roles switch completely as Jackman becomes the mayor and Crowe is the police leader who must succumb to Jackmans every word.
It also seems to be very patriarchal and male driven since the film is set in the nineteenth century and shows how much women are looked down upon. Only seen as mere objects and nothing more. If one was born into a higher status then the more prosperous life one will have. Compared to being born into poverty one would have to work really hard or lie to achieve a higher status as Jackman did.
It will be interesting to see if and how status changes in the film as the story unfolds. Delving deeper into the actors stories that will unfold as the film continues.
It will be interesting to see if and how status changes in the film as the story unfolds. Delving deeper into the actors stories that will unfold as the film continues.
I agree that the society the film represents is incredibly patriarchal. All of the people of leadership and high social status in the film so far are men (Javert, the Bishop, Valjean) while women were relegated to a lower status (Fantine, her co-workers at the factory, the prostitutes) and were entirely dependent on the whims of the men in their lives who apparently held a higher status simply by being men.
ReplyDeleteMy understanding of that time period in France leads me to believe that even women of higher classes were in higher classes because of men they were beholden to (fathers, husbands) and that their status changed with those of the men. It will be interesting to see if that plays out in the film.
I agree that female is looked down upon in the era where the movie take place. However, I don't think that female with higher status shared the same rights as male in that time.
ReplyDeleteSame as you, I am eager to see the rest of the movie and how it will end. I don't think the character that's played by Russell Crowe would be happy when he finds out about Hugh Jackman's character's past. It would be hard for him to be lower and to respect a man that once was lower than him.