The Differences between Silent Movies and Spoken Essay

The Differences between Silent Movies and Spoken - Essay Example The following analysis will be concentric upon comparing and contrasting the ways in which material and technique are utilized to leverage different interpretations of good vs evil and the American experience to the viewing audience. Moreover, the analysis will discuss how â€Å"The Maltese Falcon†, represents a more nuanced and definitive approach to the film noir era as it encapsulates many more varied interpretations of this good vs evil subtheme that is so pervasive throughout the genre. Secondly, this is represented via the way in which â€Å"The Maltese Falcon† leverages better technology to create a more dramatic cinema effect that more reasonably captures the zeitgeist of the film noir era, the way in which â€Å"The Maltese Falcon† illustrates the genre through better representation of the American experience is represented. Lastly, the way in which â€Å"The Maltese Falcon† paints a better nuanced and three-dimensional example of the male charact ers and the identity of what Americanism is and how good vs. evil must be understood. Before delving into an analysis of the comparisons and contrasts between these two films, it must be noted that both of these films have achieved a great deal of notoriety; both within their own times as well as the present era. Film critics and scholars alike have denoted that these two films are representative of some of the very best plot lines, writing, directing, acting, and techniques that the film noir era had to provide. As such, with regards to the films in question, both of these represent to the viewer a flawed lead character. With regards to â€Å"The Thin Man†, the main character is a hard-drinking detective that suffers from career burnout and whose personal life is something of a disaster. Even though the same motif is represented within â€Å"The Maltese Falcon†, the character growth and differentiation is not as labored and comes off as a much more natural explanation as compared to â€Å"The Thin Man†. By casting the lead detectives in this way, both of the films are able to provide a much more nuanced interpretation of life and the way in which these characters portray their roles; however, only â€Å"The Maltese Falcon† is able to do this in a fully convincing manner and one that is the most indicative of the film noir era. Another shared aspect between these two films is with respect to the way in which the detectives fulfill the role of the simple/every man against a system of crime and intrigue that includes money, power, and politics. By representing the flawed character in a fight against such crime and corruption in such a way, Hollywood began to tacitly define the way in which American films would come to be known by the rest of the world for many decades to come; films where the good ultimately triumphs and the evil is ultimately vanquished. The similarity between good and evil and how it is represented/portrayed within these films is something that cannot and should not be dismissed. Ultimately, the reason for why such a high level of focus is placed upon the importance of defeating evil and undermining the plans that these individuals might have with regards to the crimes they intended to commit was integrally tied to the social and political aspects of the world in which these respective films were created.