"...the editing of the film is similar to the style of the pages—the kind of pages that Bazin calls them. That is, all the scenes are is composed of several sets of shots with extended time spans. This "deception" is not a montage of deception in the traditional sense. We can realize that we are "fooled" by the events themselves, not the way they are manipulated ...
but the notion that Lubitsch did not use editing as a tool to create meaning is debatable. Bazin's definition of montage - "relying on the presentation of the picture, not the picture itself, creates a certain feeling and meaning ” — does apply to many of the moments that make a film special. But Lubitsch created it in a rather unique (montage) approach, not just commenting on the content of the film. Although the use of this editing technique can It can be traced back to the era of silent films, but its final effect cannot be achieved without sound..."
Then the article quoted the "clock" paragraph in "Paradise Trap" for illustration. And for the above argument, the introductory part of the film provides an equally vivid illustration.
The segment consists of three short shots with an "extended time span". The content of each paragraph is similar - Emma explains why she wants to enter the business at the moment when the client pays. But what director Billy Wilder really wants to show is not the heroine's personal background, but a comedic evaluation through three short paragraphs. To achieve this effect, their mutual order must be progressive and cannot be disrupted.
1. Emma said to the first client that she had studied at the music school but suffered a broken hand and fell into the dust. The audience's response to this should be: well, worthy of sympathy;
2. But then when we heard a completely different story statement from the second client, we realized that the woman was lying and cheating tips!
3. After two paragraphs, the narrative and comments are completed. At the same time, the foreshadowing of comedy has been fully accumulated, so the last paragraph will shake the burden. So when Emma concocted the WWII orphan lie as expected, the third client, the American cowboy dressed client, said, "But I only have so much cash. By the way, do you accept travelers' checks?" ...
There's a splendid introductory sequence, but the film then descends into some kind of chaos. It first manifests itself in character building. The heroine Emma's opening quirk disappears before the pimp (though he's cast as a stupid buffoon). The money earned by "hard work" is always easily looted by the other party. In addition, she didn't even recognize the same man who slept with her. And the patrolman played by Jack Lemmon first couldn't tell that Emma, who was soliciting on the street, was a prostitute, and then unfortunately caught his immediate boss while sweeping the brothel. But it was such a man with a naive, simple and almost stupid personality who came up with a plan to pursue Emma that even a talented screenwriter could not achieve? ! Although on a comedic level, we don't have to demand so-called consistency and authenticity. But for the romantic and warm style of "Spring in the Apartment" pursued by this film, such a defect is fatal. Because the audience has never been able to truly empathize with the two protagonists in the film.
The narrative chaos, on the other hand, is a level of ups and downs. The hero's "love scam" could theoretically run the 500 francs round and round. However, due to the debt repayment and daily expenses, the protagonist wakes up at a twilight and makes money from Emma's work. And the fact that the man was very tired in the morning caused by this behavior was logically inferred by the woman that he had another new love... This is a master level. In addition, some paragraphs, such as wearing back the police uniform and escaping the police's entry search, and the ectopic blindfold when pretending to be a British rich man, are also more exciting.
But sometimes I feel like I'm being perfunctory. For example, Lemon's fight to capture the chief pimp, and the incredible escape from behind bars, etc. Among them, I personally think that the most failure is the end of the film. The ghostly protagonist's "stand-in" can be understood, technically, as Billy Wilder's famously absurd ending (the rich man says "It doesn't matter. No one's perfect") of his "Like a Fire". an imitation. But it is obviously too exaggerated and bizarre that the final effect is greatly reduced.
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