The most fascinating place is to show the most gentle temperament in the most calm way.
How to behave? One of the secrets is the subtle "understanding" on all levels of the film, based on the solid logic of reality, and the self-explanatory spiritual communication. You go to the police station investigation scene, the subway escape scene, there is no trace of opening, but you get the same result as opening. There is a good heart, it is Jeff and the blonde woman, Jeff and the sheriff, Jeff and the female luthier, Jeff and the Canary. When most important points of the film should be externalized to show the protagonist's choice according to the convention, Melville internalized this action and used the most subtle expression and composition to show it. For example, Jeff discovered the "action" of the track.
On the other hand, the gentle side and Jeff's silent begging for death, his way of doing things is the same. The director deliberately compared Jeff’s two assassinations, one end and one end. The second time Jeff went to find a lover, but her sincerity made him determined not to let her cause trouble for herself, so he chose to take revenge and commit suicide. The way of suicide is also very interesting. Using an empty gun and being shot to death in front of the female luthier is actually a silent and tragic accusation and protest against the female luthier's betrayal. With self-destruction, the female luthier was burdened with heavy sins, because he was killed because he raised a gun at her.
The relationship between Jeff and the two women in the film is very intriguing. His relationship with his apartment lover is platonic, trusting each other unconditionally, sacrificing himself in order to protect each other. When Jeff went to the apartment for the second time, the lover telepathically found Jeff outside the door without the doorbell. For Melville, silent, no action, spiritual communication, transcends the world, transcends language and time and space, the purest and most intimate relationship.
The other is Jeff and the female luthier. The ambiguity between the two is clearly portrayed. The most obvious is that Jeff came to the female luthier's house. Jeff told her his revenge plan unreservedly, and his words were full of trust. When the female luthier was playing the piano, Jeff stood behind and stroked her hair with her hand. This was Jeff's most frivolous action in the entire film. And the movements when Jeff and the female luthier confessed, with his head resting on the back of his hand, he looked like a big boy.
What's interesting is that Jeff seemed to unconditionally believe in the two women, as if as long as Jeff confirmed each other's goodwill in his eyes, it was enough to give himself to each other. This may be Melville's attitude towards love between men and women, an idealistic and romantic attitude. This temperament makes the cold screen world have a touch of tenderness. (This kind of temperament and feeling reminds me of Scott's "Blade Runner")
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