Lumet's Reinterpretation of Rodolpho in the Adaptation of A View from the Bridge
Bernice Sitompul
Dr. Julia Daniel
UCLR 100-01E
13 February 2013
Lumet’s Reinterpretation of Rodolpho This paper analyzes how Sidney Lumet reinterprets the character of Rodolpho in the film adaptation of A View from the Bridge. She focuses on the boxing scene between Eddie and Rodolpho and the scene where Catherine confronts Rodolpho about the possibility of living in Italy. In the film adaptation, Lumet reinterprets Rodolpho as a more mature, experienced, and powerful character than Rodolpho as portrayed by Miller in the play script. One of the factors that contribute to the film’s reinterpretation of Rodolpho is casting. In casting Jean Sorel, a tall and rather masculine man, and costuming him in collared button-up shirts, Lumet presents Rodolpho as a powerful character who takes pride in dressing neatly. Stemming from this idea, Rodolpho’s strong stature and proper work attire causes the audience to associate him with a sense of maturity and authority. Had a man of small or lanky stature been casted as Rodolpho, and had his everyday attire been t-shirt casual, it is less likely that the audience will regard him with the same level of respect. The lines that Lumet eliminated from the script contribute to her reinterpretation of Rodolpho. As I watched the film, I noticed that Rodolpho did not mention some of the lines that he had in the script, some of which were about his dreams of buying a motorcycle. In the script, Rodolpho says, “With a motorcycle in Italy you will never starve anymore…a man who rides up on a great machine, this man is responsible, this man exists” (22). The fact that Rodolpho thinks owning a motorcycle makes a man so powerful, and that he said it was the first thing he wants to purchase when he gets rich, portrays him as a youthful, carefree bachelor who takes pride in appearing as the ultimate “macho” man. In the script, Miller uses this particular line to contrast between Eddie’s idea of a man and that of Rodolpho’s. In talking
Dr. Julia Daniel
UCLR 100-01E
13 February 2013
Lumet’s Reinterpretation of Rodolpho This paper analyzes how Sidney Lumet reinterprets the character of Rodolpho in the film adaptation of A View from the Bridge. She focuses on the boxing scene between Eddie and Rodolpho and the scene where Catherine confronts Rodolpho about the possibility of living in Italy. In the film adaptation, Lumet reinterprets Rodolpho as a more mature, experienced, and powerful character than Rodolpho as portrayed by Miller in the play script. One of the factors that contribute to the film’s reinterpretation of Rodolpho is casting. In casting Jean Sorel, a tall and rather masculine man, and costuming him in collared button-up shirts, Lumet presents Rodolpho as a powerful character who takes pride in dressing neatly. Stemming from this idea, Rodolpho’s strong stature and proper work attire causes the audience to associate him with a sense of maturity and authority. Had a man of small or lanky stature been casted as Rodolpho, and had his everyday attire been t-shirt casual, it is less likely that the audience will regard him with the same level of respect. The lines that Lumet eliminated from the script contribute to her reinterpretation of Rodolpho. As I watched the film, I noticed that Rodolpho did not mention some of the lines that he had in the script, some of which were about his dreams of buying a motorcycle. In the script, Rodolpho says, “With a motorcycle in Italy you will never starve anymore…a man who rides up on a great machine, this man is responsible, this man exists” (22). The fact that Rodolpho thinks owning a motorcycle makes a man so powerful, and that he said it was the first thing he wants to purchase when he gets rich, portrays him as a youthful, carefree bachelor who takes pride in appearing as the ultimate “macho” man. In the script, Miller uses this particular line to contrast between Eddie’s idea of a man and that of Rodolpho’s. In talking
Cited: Miller, Arthur. A View From the Bridge. New York: Dramatists Play Service, Inc, 1983. Print.