Sceptical foggy bridges

Chapter 2 The Secret Life of Paintings R. Foster & P. Tudor-Craig

What's going on outside

This section does as anticipated--bringing some of the particulars together in a way that gives meaning. The meaning is centered on the bridge and the political turmoil that the murder caused. The imagery of the real background and the religious scene in the foreground blend act and intention as the mind does with our actions. The bridge being a scene of barbarism and chaos is in turn baptised by the baby in some holy ceremony. The bridge itself is the same structure but is transformed in the way one looks at it. instead of being the cause of mutiny it serves what it's original function was--to bring to places together.

The lodger (1927)

Hitchcock's silent movie from late twenties involves a suspense between a new love and a serial killer at large. Perhaps an awareness in the human condition that true love can be hard to separate from vengeful hate. New relationships are created at the same time as psychopaths rampage and this causes unease.

In it's quirks the serial killer also brings about the situation where the two lovers meet. The man is in search of his sister's murderer instead finds the love of his life but at the time almost almost undoes himself being chased by a mob and a spiteful sheriff.

The movie also speaks beyond the personal aspects of a relationship towards society in the big picture. Crowds eager for justice chase after what is not murder but a new love budding and law can be coerced by passions that seem pure and protect innocence but are only feelings from a relationship that has produced alienation. The nurturing part of society can turn sceptical and veil the project of maturation of the individual from what otherwise would be seen as a blessing.

The fog that is in the subtitle of the movie comes late in the plot. It happens when the lodger who searches for the killer is seen as identical. His instruments to track the killer seem identical with the way a killer would plan his murders. As the police search his apartment we are place in a situation where we must accept him as broken person in a desperate search or other him as an inhuman murderer. As he runs away and is chase out into the fog we are alerted in two ways that he is a gentle person mischaracterized. One is by the woman who loves him and intuitively knows his heart and the second is by news the actual killer is caught which is relayed by an array electronic communications.

The woman's intuitive understanding does not save him but comforts him-- almost giving him away as she comforts him by bringing him to a bar. He is out of the fog but observable to those who are suspicious of him. The news of shadowy murderer being captured is what saves him from the mob who is reluctant to stop their chase and his jealous sheriff who may be conflicted but dedicated to truth.