Limehouse and One Week

Analyzing a Film: Limehouse Blues vs. One Week

By Carolyn Gregory

Limehouse Blues is told in a linear way. The movie progresses each scene in a consecutive way in chronological order to follow the scene before it to complete the story. Flashbacks or flash-forwards are not used often within Limehouse Blues. This differs greatly from the other movie chosen, One Week, where the story is told through flash-forwards and well as flashbacks throughout the entire film.
Plot
The plot of Limehouse Blues is based within a European culture in London. The story has three main characters who are victims of love, Harry Young, Toni, and Eric Benton. Harry Young is a half Chinese man who owns “Limehouse Blues” which is a nightclub based in New York City. Harry often works in his own nightclub performing dances with Tu Tuan (Anna May Wong). Toni is a woman of white, European heritage that steals a watch for Pug (her stepfather) and ends up meeting Harry as he helps her escape trouble. Toni’s stepfather, Pug, does not get along with Harry because they are business rivals. As he realizes that Toni had been spending time with Harry, Pug tries to get Harry arrested by the police but Toni advises Harry of the plan made for his arrest and the plan does not go through on Pug’s favour. Pug does find out that Toni told Harry of the plan and beats her, and as Harry is upset that Pug would do this he has him killed.
After the death of Pug, Toni goes to work for Harry, and Tu Tuan gets very upset because she is in love with Harry. Tu Tuan tells Toni that Harry is proud of his Chinese culture and will never fall in love with Toni. On the contrary, Harry falls in love with Toni, which makes Tu Tuan angry and hires a spy to watch Toni within the club. As Toni and Harry begin to fall in love, Toni meets Eric Benton who is a Canadian white man, and Toni begins to fall in love with Eric. All this time Harry is still in love with Toni, and as she and Eric fall in love. Harry tries to win back her love by removing anything from the Chinese culture from her room to make her feel more comfortable. As Toni decides to find a new job that is more respectable with a new house she can be proud of, Harry makes Toni’s dreams unable to happen.
Eric asks Toni to marry him and Toni tells Eric the truth about who she was and that she only lied for him to return her love for him. As she tries to be honest with Eric, he goes to find Harry to talk about the relationship he shared with his possible bride. Harry begins to plan to kill Eric and Toni finds out about his plan and begs him not to go through with it. As Harry realizes the love Toni has for Eric, he understands that she does not love him back, but still wants to make her happy. In an act to stop the plan he began, Harry runs to stop Eric from being harmed and sacrifices his own life in order for Toni to be happy. After the death of Harry, the love of Toni and Eric grows and they begin their life together.
The plot in One Week is based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The movie is based around a young man, Ben, and his search for living and adventure to take one week and drive west from Toronto to see Canada. Ben had been unsuccessful in many of his ambitions, such as being a professional singer (until his grade four teacher told him he was horrible), being a journalist (until he gave up), and then wound up as an unhappy school teacher. Ben finds out that he has stage four cancers of the kidneys and lymph nodes and that he has a maximum of two years to live. Ben and his fiancée, Samantha, are planning their wedding at this time. Ben had always wanted a motorcycle but Samantha would never let him get one because she thought they were the ultimate factor of “stupidity”. On the way home from the diagnosis, Ben buys his very first motorcycle. He decides he is going to take a trip before the treatment for his cancer had begun, and against his wife’s wishes. Ben tells Samantha and his family that he is not “ready to be a patient yet” and so Ben heads west on his new motorcycle, in search of himself and happiness in his remaining time alive. Ben experiences many bumps along the way which altogether help him find himself. At a motel, a man who had survived cancer sat with Ben and answered his questions. He was mostly confused with his choices of Samantha and if he truly loved her. When the man at the motel told Ben he had been married for 25 years, Ben asked the man, “How do you know you’re in love?” The man answers, “If you have to ask, you’re not!” With these words weighing on his mind, Ben does not come home when Samantha begs him to. Ben makes it to British Columbia and meets a young woman in the mountains. They make love and the next morning Samantha comes to meet Ben at the hotel he was supposed to be staying at. He tells her of his wrong-doings and she forgives him and he cannot understand why. Ben begins feeling sick on his way home, and his motorcycle gets run over by a car. Before Ben flies home after his week of travelling to Samantha, he goes surfing in British Columbia to just feel the peace of the beach and the water as he goes over the waves. A young couple that have European accents of some kind ask Ben to take a photo. As he takes their photo, they tell him that he is lucky to “live in one of the most beautiful countries in the world.” Ben then realizes how thankful he was to take his trip across his country and feels proud to live where he does. As Ben gets home to Samantha, they cry about how he realized he does not love her as she deserves. The movie ends without awareness of Ben’s death but leaves viewers with the feeling of relief for Ben, as in his last bit of time on earth he realized what makes him happy and pursued that.
Conflict Resolution
The conflict within Limehouse Blues is that Harry is in love with Toni. Harry is of a Chinese background and Toni is a white woman who falls in love with Eric Benton, another white male from Canada. Harry is very jealous of Eric because he is so in love with Toni, but Toni is in love with Eric. This conflict is resolved by Harry realizing that he is truly in love with Toni, and only wants her to be happy in her life. So instead of having the man that is standing in Harry’s way of having the woman he is in love with, he realizes she could never be as happy with him as she would be with Eric, and he risks his own life to save the man she truly loves; Eric. This resolves the conflict because Harry dies to save the woman he loves from being heartbroken, and also allows her to start a life with her true love, Eric Benton, without Harry’s harmful schemes.
The conflict within One Week was Ben’s awareness of his own death, and his realization that he was not happy in the life he was living. As Ben got the news of his life lasting a maximum of two years, he realized how he had not accomplished anything in his life that would truly make him happy. The conflict was within Ben to make himself happy in his remaining time on earth. This was resolved by taking an adventure, heading west from Toronto on his motorcycle he finally bought to make himself happy. He realized he was not happy in his job, he was not happy with becoming a patient of cancer, and was not happy with his soon-to-be wife. Ben has all these realizations and decides to be happy before it was too late and do everything to achieve that.
The conflict within One Week is very different from the conflict within Limehouse Blues, although it is similar in some ways. Although Ben is not going to be happy because he is aware of his time left, he makes himself happier by ending his relationship with his fiancée because he realizes it was not true love. In Limehouse Blues, Harry also realizes it was not true love between him and Toni because Toni did not love him back, so he risks his own life to make her happy. He ends his relationship to make someone happy, just like Ben, but the difference is Ben is trying to make himself happy whereas Harry is trying to make Toni happy.
Viewers
The film Limehouse Blues often gives the reaction of evil with all the plotting by Harry to have people killed. This is complimented by the load, negative sounded music that is being played and the sound effects that are very eerie and not soft and happy. The camera movements of showing the anger in Harry’s eyes help this reaction form for the audience as well. The sympathy at the end is also formed through the music and the characters’ actions for others. The music is less heavy and seems light although it still gives suspense. This light music also is used to give the reaction of happiness as Eric and Toni finally get to be together. The light music is also used within One Week. The light music is used very often to show the peacefulness that Ben feels, and that he is not afraid of dying if he can be happy before he dies. This is an uplifting message that is grasped by audiences and makes the reaction a happy, peaceful one, rather than a sad one because it is relating to death.
The biggest cause in the reactions from the audiences would be the camera movements. The camera movements are the main factor because they show the emotions. These emotions are critical to get any reaction from an audience at all. This is because the audience relates through the characters and their feelings, moods, and tones. While watching a character, an audience grows to feel they know them, and begin to relate to the different characters. As the camera movements show the feelings of these characters and their thoughts are shown through facial expressions and picked up from the camera movements, the audience reacts in the way that is meant to be shown through the film.
Setting
Limehouse Blues setting is quite often stylistic. The atmosphere seems very dark throughout most scenes and makes the setting seem very unrealistic. Limehouse Blues shows things that should be portrayed in a specific way. It is not realistic because there is too much emphasis on certain movements and objects within the film that does not seem natural on the screen. The darkness also shows that there is something happening that is not available for the viewers to be aware of yet. It gives mystery to the scene and suspense is caused because of the dark setting. Within Limehouse Blues, the key serves as a symbolic function. Harry shows the key and it is a symbol of opening a door to fix a problem that has been caused in the house. During the scenes that incorporate death, the scenes are very dark and eerie in a way.
Unlike the setting within Limehouse Blues, One Week has a setting of being realistic for the most part. Much of the setting is shown in different parts of Canada that are well known to most Canadians as well as to people around the world. Many of the landscapes throughout Canada that were shown give a very peaceful, happy atmosphere. These different landscapes are symbols for the peace that Ben has come to terms with his illness, and shows his awe with his country. Also, in scenes where Ben has hard times, there are factors that make the setting obvious he is having trouble. Although most of the movie is very realistic, parts are stylistic but are made that way by the creators. Many of the scenes have cuts to Ben’s imagination which is less realistic because afterwards it switches back to reality. The brightness of the scenes shows the peace within Ben. The movie One Week is made to seem very happy and uplifting rather than dark and sad like most movies including death, such as Limehouse Blues.
Characters
The costumes of Limehouse Blues are old fashioned and meant to appear in the time of the 1930’s. The men wear hats and fancy dress clothes such as suits and ties. This shows the status of the characters, for example the governor. The police officers are in uniforms of that time period as well. Tu Tuan also wears nice clothes, usually long dresses with a lot of jewels that are covering the material. Tu Tuan wears nice jewellery such as earrings and necklaces as well, this helps portray her as wealthy. The makeup and portrayal of Tu Tuan through her accented features show her as very mysterious. The wealthy white men are clean cut and well dressed throughout the entire movie of Limehouse Blues. The not so successful men are portrayed in less wealthy looking clothing to appear as helpers or “poor” people. Harry is often dressed in very dark clothing which shows that he can be evil; this is similar to Anna May Wong’s character, Tu Tuan.
The costumes in One Week are very casual. The women as well as men are not dressed up in any parts of the movie to show wealth. Ben, Samantha, Ben’s family, and the characters shown in Toronto are all wearing clothing of the time (2000s) and dressed in a very casual way. This shows that they are not very wealthy but are also not poor. Some characters’ costumes are used to show professions. For example the man that Ben buys the motorcycle from is wearing coveralls with a name tag. This helps show him as a mechanic without it being stated within the movie. Also, on his trip, Ben runs into a woman that helps him fix his motorcycle. She is in ripped jeans with a trucker hat on as well as no makeup and straggly hair. She is shown very clearly as a woman who lives on a farm. Her clothes portray her as not working and living in a country style town with livestock and chores. The people that Ben comes across in towns are usually dressed pretty casual and showed in the time of the movie which is the mid 2000’s. The characters age is usually portrayed by the types of clothing, although they are all dressed casual the older characters are usually dressed more modestly with clothing of their age range. For example, sweaters and slippers are worn by the older characters, where the younger characters are wearing t-shirts and jeans.
Shots
At beginning of the scene a long-shot distance is used to show the entire scene and give a sense of the atmosphere within that scene. It introduces the atmosphere, and the scenery as well as many of the characters. As people are speaking and interacting the camera moves in to a medium-shot distance. Close-ups were also used to show expression in people’s faces and emotion they are portraying through their characters. For example, the governor has a close-up as he is watching Tu Tuan (Anna May Wong) dance. It shows his expression of interest in this character as she is dancing for people. This creates a tension in the film and knowledge to the audience that something is about to happen between the governor and Tu Tuan (Anna May Wong). Tracking camera movements are often used as well to follow characters as they walk across the screen to approach or confront another character. The tracking also is used to show a setting, for example in Limehouse Blues, tracking is used to see the audience of the dancer at the club. Tracking shows the mood of the characters being followed as well and allows the audience to relate to the characters in these tracking shots. Between the different shot distances the usage is very gradual. The shots are used to give the audience an idea of where to look within the scene as well as to portray a certain atmosphere for the setting of the scene. Tilting camera is used often within Limehouse Blues. Tilting is used at the very beginning as well to show the man playing his flute looking at the ground where a bottle drops, and tilts up toward the ceiling.
Within One Week many different shot distances are used. Many pan shots are used to show landscapes and wildlife interacting in the distance. Also, most of the movie is used to show Ben on his motorcycle driving down the road; so many long shots are used to show him driving a distance on his motorcycle down the road. Medium shots are used when Ben is interacting with different characters, like his parents at dinner, his fiancée as he tells her does not love her as she should be loved, or meeting the woman he makes love to in British Columbia. Most conversations are seen through medium shots. Close shots are used to see the emotion and is often used to see Ben’s face while he is riding his motorcycle feeling happier than he ever had. Close shots were also used when Ben heard his diagnosis to show the emotion he felt of defeated. Similar to Limehouse Blues, One Week has very gradual shifts from different shot distances. As a long shot is made into a close shot the camera is gradual as if the audience member feels they are walking up closer to the person. This helps the audience member feel as though they are there in the movie rather than sitting outside of the movie. Also the different shot distances help show what is important to pay attention to within different scenes. Long shots of landscapes show it is important to view the background to get a sense of where the character is in the scene and the atmosphere of the different places. The close shots show the pure emotion and feelings of individual characters which is important for the audience to be aware of.
Camera Angles
The camera angles are used to show the directors thoughts of what should be seen and what is important to be perceived from the actors within the scenes. The angles shape how viewer’s feel about scenes as well as helps portray the atmosphere that is being created by showing emotion or tone from a specific character. A camera angle can also be used to have the audience feel they are within the characters shoes, and feel the emotion they feel. This can often happen when the camera takes on an angle of which a character would be viewing a specific event. This incorporates the audience to feel they are a part of the film and makes them more interested in the upcoming scenes. The different angles show importance of objects for a scene, like the motorcycle in One Week because it is something that Ben really wants. The camera angles also show scenery within movies that can be important. Within Limehouse Blues scenery of the Limehouse Club is shown and is important to the scene. Also the angles show important interaction between characters as well as characters and objects. For example the angle of the stage is used to show the emotion of the characters within that scene and their interaction with other characters and the stage itself (Tu Tuan telling her boss that the inspector came in). Camera angles are important within One Week to show spaces as well. The camera angles of different landscapes are important to see the things that Ben is experiencing on his adventure across Canada.
These different angles are important to show the audience what parts of the scene are important. The angles usually focus on an object or character if it is what the audience needs to be aware of. This is important to pay attention to because the smallest detail can create interest for the audience to anticipate following scenes.
Camera Movements
Different cuts are used throughout different movies. Within Limehouse Blues the cuts are used to help follow the story in a linear way. In One Week the cuts are used to give flashbacks to the life of Ben and his different triumphs and failures from his past that are impacting him. These cuts help keep the audience entertained and curious to know what will happen next, as well as to make it easy for the viewers to follow the scenes. The changes in the camera movements through Limehouse Blue’s cuts are gradual. These camera movements also provide what is important to the scene by the camera focuses on different characters and objects, for example when the camera closes in on the key that Harry is holding. This shows that the key has a specific meaning to the movie and that it is important for the audience to recognize it. Within One Week the camera movements can be choppy. For example, one scene shows Ben getting on his motorcycle and starting it. The camera keeps cutting in and out at different times of him starting the bike. This gives interest to the audience and shows significance of the bike to the movie and Ben’s life. The different camera movements, as well as lighting and sound, will guide the viewer to look at specific details throughout the movie and show the importance of the different details. The camera movements will also change the viewer’s perception of different characters by the movements of the camera showing emotions and moods that the character is possessing. This can be cutting into closer shots of the character, or circling their bodies. The tone that the camera movements give to the scene is also based on the characters and their reaction to camera. The reaction is not noticeable but the characters must give off tension or different moods and tones with the camera in sight in order for the camera’s movements to be effective in showing the audience what tones and moods are needed to be seen.
Music
Within different films music has different purposes. Music not only sets the tone of a scene but also the mood of different characters. Music also helps demonstrate to the viewers the atmosphere within a scene. Music also helps show emotions felt by the different characters, as well as tension between characters. Music helps build suspense, and interest within the film. Music is also used to direct viewer’s attention within scenes to show something important this is happening or about to happen. Music is used often within Limehouse Blues. It is used at the beginning to show that there is something suspenseful about to happen and that the viewers should pay close attention to the activities occurring within the scenes. Although there is much use of music within Limehouse Blues, there are also many parts where there is no music at all. This helps let viewers know that it is important for them to listen to the dialogue during these scenes to understand pivotal points within the plot. Music is used throughout One Week very often. The music is often very calming and peaceful, which can be portrayed as the peace that Ben has with his knowledge of his upcoming death. The music also helps give the audience a sense of sensitivity by feeling sympathetic for the weight that Ben is carrying with all his thoughts and problems in his life and his overwhelming want to be happy. Music is also used to create sympathy for Ben’s fiancée within One Week. This is caused by playing a song that was played in earlier scenes that remind Samantha of Ben who was still on his trip. With the help of flashbacks of their life together and the song that is used to show the love they shared over the years gives the audience a sense of the characters’ feelings and moods and gives the audience a feeling of understanding.
Music is also used to compliment the different scenes, for example in One Week there are many shots of landscapes. For example there are shots of valleys in Alberta, mountains in British Columbia, a park with the CN Tower and other skyscrapers in Toronto. All these landscapes that were shown were complimented by music to help show the importance that Canada is playing in the movie.
External Conditions
The social conditions at the time that Limehouse Blues was made, influences the clothing that the characters were wearing. This also is true for One Week; the characters are dressing of the time the film is being filmed. The social conditions also influence the fact that Harry and Toni could not belong together because Harry was of Chinese heritage and Toni was from England.
Another condition that would influence Limehouse Blues would be the economic conditions at the time the film was made. The white men were often very wealthy and therefore the white males in the film Limehouse Blues were often of very wealthy background. The social factors of the type of uniforms a typical police officer or people with other occupations at this time would change the costumes the characters were to wear within the film.
The conditions in the filmmaking industry do limit the ways they can portray certain subjects to the public. This is because some members of society may not appreciate certain ways of presenting subjects and the filmmakers do not want to upset or make any viewers uncomfortable. For example, when Ben cheats they do not portray it as a good thing within the movie. This is because many people would disagree and be unhappy with the perception the film is giving to the public. This is also true within Limehouse Blues where Harry has Pug killed. This is against the law and is shown as an evil thing to do. It cannot be portrayed as a good thing otherwise people would refuse to watch the movie.
Ideology/Cultural Tensions
Limehouse Blues seems to critique ideologies of today. The most common ideology that is portrayed in films is that “love conquers all”. Within Limehouse Blues, Harry gets killed rather than winning the girl he is in love with, Toni. This is similar from the film One Week, because in One Week although Ben cheats on his fiancée and she still loves him and forgives him, he decides he doesn’t want to be with her. It is not that he has another woman, although he did sleep with someone else, he was not in love with her. Samantha’s love for Ben could not conquer his ambition to become happy and she could not change his mind. Harry could not change Toni’s mind in Limehouse Blues either, and both Harry and Samantha lost their loves to someone or something else for them to be happier.
Another ideology within One Week is to not give up. Although Ben found out he was dying, he had to do what he could to make his remaining time on earth happier for himself rather than just waiting to die. He had to go out and find what makes him happy, see the beautiful country he lived in to appreciate it and couldn’t stop until he found what he need to be satisfied and happy with who he was.
Some of the cultural tensions that are associated with Limehouse Blues are lying and stealing. Toni lies to her stepfather and also steals a watch. Harry lies to Toni while he is trying to keep her working at his club. Also, the murders that Harry plots to have arranged create tensions in different cultures because it is not accepted. As Limehouse Blues was filmed in the 1930’s, the idea of a white woman and a man of Chinese heritage may be questioned and created a tension between cultures. In One Week, Ben cheats on his wife which can create many cultural tensions to arise as well. Cheating is not looked upon lightly and can get a reaction out of the audience that was unexpected.
Final Reflections
While comparing One Week and Limehouse Blues, I noticed many differences created through the time difference of the two movies. The camera angles and movements were done better in the newer film of One Week because the technology had been around longer. I also noticed many similarities which I did not think I would come across. Within the comparison of the two movies, I realized that the ideologies and use of different techniques were very similar. I did not expect the two movies to have a similar ideology and underlying message. Also the use of the music seems to be similar between the two movies. Although the music itself was very different, both movies used music to create different moods so the audience felt more in tune with the characters and understanding of the movie. I did not expect many things to be similar between the movies at all because of the year differences and this surprised me. I also discovered that my DVD player only plays movies in black and white now, and I did not expect that my 2006 movie would be viewed in black and white and not colour.
I find it interesting that movies with so much time between the times they were made can have similar messages portrayed through the storyline. I was also surprised that a newer movie like One Week would have cultural tensions. It would be assumed that a newer movie would not show things that would offend some viewers but it was present subtly within the film.