The Importance Of Time In Little Caesar
1. Part 1: Throughout Little Caesar runs the motif of “time”. Provide as many examples of this from the film as you can and explain what does this motif have to do with the film’s meaning?
Time plays an important part through out Little Caesar. From the beginning, right after the robbery at the gas station, we have a close up on the dinner’s clock, where Rico turns time back to create an alibi. In the scene where Sam Vettori’s gang planning to rob Bronze Peacock, Sam accuses Joe for being late, even though Rico defenses Joe in front of Sam, when Joe finally shows up he complains by saying “I told you to be here at 8:30”. The ransack of Bronze Peacock is planned entirely around time, there’re multiple signs in the movie, like Olga’s line “It’s almost 12 o’clock” and Joe checking his watch and the clock in the lobby, to emphasize the importance of doing this on New Year’s eve at 12 o’clock. Other examples of time motif including catching Tony in time right in front of the church; Rico accusing they’re moving slow in the funeral whereas …show more content…
Why do you think this is so?
First, comparing to Little Caesar, The Public Enemy emphasizes more on differences among each era. The outside space of streets, brewery, bars and neighborhoods definitely shows more period flavor between each title card of the year than any interior settings.
Secondly, unlike Rico who is a crook with determined goal of becoming someone big at the beginning, we meet Tom Powers when he is still a kid. The Public Enemy has more social awareness by showing Tom Powers as a victim of his time. The historical circumstances(like the prohibition, the war), the social environment and lower class living conditions all together make Tom who he is. And comparing to indoor spaces, exterior city streets definitely shows more about the environment as breeding ground for crimes and
Time plays an important part through out Little Caesar. From the beginning, right after the robbery at the gas station, we have a close up on the dinner’s clock, where Rico turns time back to create an alibi. In the scene where Sam Vettori’s gang planning to rob Bronze Peacock, Sam accuses Joe for being late, even though Rico defenses Joe in front of Sam, when Joe finally shows up he complains by saying “I told you to be here at 8:30”. The ransack of Bronze Peacock is planned entirely around time, there’re multiple signs in the movie, like Olga’s line “It’s almost 12 o’clock” and Joe checking his watch and the clock in the lobby, to emphasize the importance of doing this on New Year’s eve at 12 o’clock. Other examples of time motif including catching Tony in time right in front of the church; Rico accusing they’re moving slow in the funeral whereas …show more content…
Why do you think this is so?
First, comparing to Little Caesar, The Public Enemy emphasizes more on differences among each era. The outside space of streets, brewery, bars and neighborhoods definitely shows more period flavor between each title card of the year than any interior settings.
Secondly, unlike Rico who is a crook with determined goal of becoming someone big at the beginning, we meet Tom Powers when he is still a kid. The Public Enemy has more social awareness by showing Tom Powers as a victim of his time. The historical circumstances(like the prohibition, the war), the social environment and lower class living conditions all together make Tom who he is. And comparing to indoor spaces, exterior city streets definitely shows more about the environment as breeding ground for crimes and