A safe behind the imposing neo-fascistic portrait of central character
Ballin Mundson (George MacCready) appears in Charles Vidor's Gilda.
Mundson informs his right-hand man Johnny Farrell (Glen Ford) about the
importance of the safe's content and later gives him the combination.
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Film-Philosophy Salon
>[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of elaine pigeon
>Sent: Thursday, April 22, 2004 8:11 AM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Films which show safes behind paintings
>
>
>If I remember correctly, there is actually a safe in Capote's
>In Cold Blood, both the novel and the film. In fact, I think
>it was empty, thereby putting an interesting twist on Richard
>Read's theory. Surely, this film/novel constitutes "serious"
>stuff! I find this theory quite fascinating.
>
>Elaine Pigeon,
>Concordia University
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Richard Read" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Wednesday, April 21, 2004 10:15 PM
>Subject: Films which show safes behind paintings
>
>
>> Would list-members be able to cite films in which paintings
>are swung
>> away from walls to reveal safes that are opened to obtain
>other kinds
>> of valuable things, such as money. I seem to remember many
>such scenes
>> from Hollywood movies in my youth, but I'm interested in any
>examples.
>> I remember such scenes as being very surprising and I am
>interested in
>> them for several possible reasons. They show how something
>attracting
>> attention to itself actually conceals something. They show casual
>> aesthetic value giving away to serious utilitarian value.
>They destroy
>> a facade and let the viewer into a secret (a 'front' room becomes a
>> 'back' room, and in so doing viewers become insiders). They
>> demonstrate the superior capacities of film narrative to the static
>> images of an older art. They are metaphors of wealth behind wealth,
>> hence of extreme wealth. They serve as a metaphor revealing
>box-office
>> motives behind the pleasing illusions of film-making and, more
>> generally, the greed that underlies high-mindedness. Other
>> interpretations, as well as examples, would be very welcome.
>Also: is
>> there a documented historical reality to such security devices?
>>
>> Richard Read.
>> --
>>
>>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>> --
>>
>> M433
>> Dr Richard Read Email
>[log in to unmask]
>> Associate Professor
>> Faculty of Architecture Landscape & Visual Arts
>> The University of Western Australia
>> CRAWLEY WA 6009 Tel +61 8 9380 2140
>> Australia Fax 8 9380 1082
>>
>> The University of Western Australia: CRICOS Provider No. 00126G
>>
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