Analyse how film techniques were used to present an idea in the text – Maddy Thompson

STATEMENT OF INTENT – I am writing an essay based on the film ‘Fargo’ directed by the Coen brothers. Within this essay, I hope to explore the idea of greed and outline how the film shows it through film techniques. From this, I wish to convey to the audience the many aspects of greed the film teaches us and what can be learnt or further understood from this. I do this by writing a 3 point essay which contains 3 different ideas relating to greed which will give an overall message that greed is an unwanted trait within someone’s personality.

An addiction. An overwhelming sense of want. A powerful yet deceiving part of ourselves, that few can control. Otherwise known as greed. ‘Fargo’ directed by the Coen brothers, repetitively displays the theme of greed within characters through film techniques. How the Coen brothers present a character through different film techniques gives a greater understanding of who in this world is greedy and what drives it. Jerry Lundegard is frequently shown through the technique of one-shot mid shot. Marge and Norm, when together, are always viewed together in a two-shot and finally the film technique of low-angle is particularly used to exhibit the greedy characters in the film. These film techniques all individually depict different viewpoints of greed and overall teach us the corrupting reality of greed and how it is possible to stop it from controlling your actions but once it gets to your head it is much harder to get rid of than it was to welcome it.

Specific one-shot mid shots throughout the film outline the theme of greed to be a corrupting and overpowering want that leads to nothing good. This is shown through the use of one shot, mid shots of Jerry. A midshot is a shot that shows a person from the waist up, it can be helpful to see facial and somebody expressions but also to help the audience understand the relationships between characters. Majority of the time when Jerry is seen, the Coen brothers frame him alone from the waist up. Even though Jerry has a family and is believed to have a connection with them he is never shown as an equal in a shot with them. The conversations switch from frame to frame between Jerry and others with Jerry consistently shown alone on his own side, therefore, making the shot a one shot. This is a purposeful action taken by the Coen brothers as it allows us to see the more greedy Jerry gets the more paranoid and nervous expressions he gains and the more separated he becomes from the people around him. A repeated scene of Jerry shown in midshot one-shot is his office scene. Jerry is seen behind his desk from the waist up looking concerned and as if he is stressed and overthinking. This enforces the idea that he is trapped by his greed, his lower body is often unseen so we hardly ever see him moving out from behind his desk. His desk acts as this wall of being unable to break free from his crazed want for money and he will be inevitably trapped under all his fraud and illegal schemes. Through the use of one-shot midshot, the corrupting reality of greed and how it always plays on your mind is shown as Jerry is seen to be stressed out and constantly at the demands of his failing attempts to get money. The stress we see through the use of midshot then develops the use of one shot as it shows how greed pushes away everyone around you and the person will live and act only on what is best for them. Yet all the stress it causes still does not convince a person to stop being greedy.  Through this shot, greed is portrayed to be an addiction that when it doesn’t go in your favour your world around you starts to fall apart. Someone who is greedy has sacrificed everything around them for a sense of power, wealth or to typically possess more than they need end up being left with only themselves because of the obvious selfish traits of greed which result in a person making decisions that push everyone around them away. Jerry is trapped alone in his world filled with greed. This concept can be seen in comparison to Paul K. Piff’s TEDx talk on “the science of greed”. This depicts how as a persons wealth and therefore greed increases so does their “ideology of self-interest” and “their feelings of compassion and empathy go down”. Ultimately stating that this greed makes a person’s beliefs and morals become focused on only themselves and not the matters of anyone else. The film technique of one-shot midshot clearly portrays that Jerry has become imprisoned by his own greed and in doing so his selfish actions to replenish his greed have pushed away his loved ones and lead to nothing but a disaster when everything goes wrong. Although the tempting aspects of greed can seem all fine and dandy we learn the risk of being obsessively greedy has a much higher chance of pulling your life apart and leaving you with less than you started with or even nothing.

The Coen brothers present the theme of greed through the film technique of two-shot to be a selfish act that will never give you satisfaction or happiness through the contrast of Marge and Norm. Throughout the film, Marge and Norm are consistently seen together in the same frame. In all scenes in which both characters are in neither one will leave the frame, portraying that they are inseparable and share everything. This concept that through their marriage and their love for each other that both Marge and Norm will always be by each other’s side happy as equals unaffected by greed, reveals greed to be an act of selfishness to obtain a feeling of satisfaction through wealth at whatever cost. The use of a two-shot proves that Marge and Norm need nothing but each other to be both happy and satisfied in life, physically they share a frame but mentally they share a connection which is seen to be unhindered by the overpowering desire for money or power.  This connection between Marge and Norm is particularly shown in the breakfast scene in Marge and Norms kitchen. A two-shot is used as the characters of Marge and Norm are not separated from the frame even when Marge is outside and Norm is at the table, both characters are seen together in the shot. Through this example the Coen brothers convey greed to be non-existent in a scene in which two characters are shown to interact as equals in a two-shot. It is the people in this world who see themselves as only individuals and treat the surrounding people as irrelevant unless needed to fuel their hunger for greed. This is the purpose of the two shot, as it contrasts against the characters in the film which are only shot by themselves which are the characters who show greed the most. These characters who take up a frame with only themselves are portrayed as lonely which causes the feeling of unhappiness. Further contrasting the two-shots of Marge and Norm always create a happy atmosphere. People who let greed dictate their lives are never seen as happy people. Greed prevents a person from feeling happy because they always want more. Happiness comes from learning to be content with what you have in life. Seen in parallel, this example can be compared to the phrase: “money can’t buy you happiness”. Money is what is typically associated with greed, the extreme want for money which can give you power in life. People in society are often lead to believe that having a large amount of money will make you happy particularly through the way it is falsely advertised in social media as the best thing ever. Yet, if you were to examine it closely much of the advertising is individually focused, of one person being really happy with their new watch rather than two people shown equally happy through an ad. This leaves people feeling nothing but upset or empty because their mindset has become that they will never be okay until they have this wealth or power for themselves. Which by believing this reality people are taught to act selfishly which pushes them away from others who are the real ways they could be happy in life. Fargo teaches us that is is possible to be happy but to do so our mindset must be one that is pleased by what you are given such as the people around you. Marge is grateful for such a caring husband by her side and finds the value in that rather than looking for it through money or power. A two-shot represents the absence of greed because it is displayed through the character of Marge, it is clear to see that if you want to be truly happy in life it must be done through the people around you, through sharing, love and caring. In life, you must take worth in the things you are given and be grateful. It is obvious that the Coen brothers show this through the two-shots of Marge and Norm as it is proof that you can be fulfilled in life if you chose to be uninterested in the tempting obsessions of greed.

The utilisation of characters seen from a low-angle portrays them to be more dominantly greedy. Greed is displayed through dominance and power and as the characters of Carl, Gaear and Jerry who all shows obvious signs of greed in their actions are all seen from a low angle creating the appearance of them looking bigger than they really are. The only common theme between characters shown through a low-angle is their greed in life outlining that the application of a low-angle comes from the Coen brothers want for the audience to see them as greedy. They are consistently all viewed to have such a hunger for money or power and when they get a little bit of it, it massively and quickly boosts their ego making them believe they are doing amazing. Low-angle is used as it enforces the idea that these characters start to believe they are better off than everyone else so they are shown in this way but in reality, if you were to look properly they are just the same, if not worse. An example of this is the development of the character Carl. As the idea of getting 40,000 dollars becomes realistic to Carl he starts to believe he perceptually has power as if he already had this money. This is when we start to see him from a low-angle as he acts with powerful dominance throughout the film. This power is particularly shown in the scene where Wade takes the money to Carl and Carl is seen from a low-angle kicking Wade after shooting him. In the scene, Wade loses all dominance against Carl as he is shot, and to the audience, we fall with Wade so that we then see Carl from this frightening low-angle that makes Carl look oversized and scary. The Coen brothers want us to understand through their use of low-angles which character should be acknowledged as more dominant and that the most dominant character will be the most greedy one. The that the power we see in Carl comes from his greed for money. He is uncontrollable because he would do anything for money and this crazed power is shown through the use of a low-angle. This scene is almost threatening to Carl as he thought the money was basically his because it all seemed so simple but the second this power could have been taken from him he explodes with aggressive emotion and kills Wade all just to obtain the money from him. This shows us how greed can distort our reality of what is happening. Carls greed took over his actions he fully acted on emotion triggered by greed such as anger and hate which lead to him killing more than one person. Greed causes these incontrollable actions which are terrifying to encounter which is why many evil characters in a film are portrayed from a low-angle. The low-angle is a fear-provoking technique because now all of a sudden this character has the advantage of height over you making them seem all mighty and powerful. The Coen brothers want us to fear greed, to fear its deceiving ways and to understand that it can change who you are and make you irrational so you should never be a victim to greed. This low-angle clearly teaches us how the power of greed is a frightening hunger that leads to out of control dominance within a person because they see themselves as better than everyone.

‘Fargo’ directed by the Coen brothers presents the idea of greed through film techniques in the film. The techniques of one-shot, two-shot midshot and low-angle all illustrate the concept of greed. One-shots depict greeds corrupting outcomes and how by being a greedy person you separate yourself from others as your idea of self-worth increases. Two-shot mid shots of Marge and Norm in the film teach us that greed will never give any happiness because you will always be unsatisfied. Finally, the technique of low-angle portrays dominance throughout the film helping us to understand that characters influenced by greed are often believed to be more powerful. Overall this essay teaches us the dangers of greed and that no matter how tempting the sensation of it might be we must never let it consume our mind as it never ends well.