Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University

Department of England- and America-Studies
Frankfurt am Main

Title:

"Christopher Nolan′s Memento - 
Analysis of the narrative structure of a noirish revenge film "

by

Torben Schmidt

Seminar:
"Decadence and Modernism in
Late 20^th Century American Cinema"
WS 2002/2003

Table of Contents

0. Introduction ... 3

1. Classic Film Noir: Definiton, primary characteristics, conventions and historical surroundings ... 3
1.1 Definition ... 3
1.2 The role of the male protagonist ... 4
1.3 The femme fatale ... 5
1.4 Further characteristics of classic film noir - Mood, tone, visual and cinematic elements ... 6
1.5 Historical and social surroundings ... 7

2. Neo-Noir Films ... 9
2.1 Definition and Characteristics ... 9

3. The Revenge Film ... 12
3.1 Common Characteristics ... 12

4. Analysis of the narrative structure of Christopher Nolan′s Memento ... 13
4.1 A Plot Summary ... 13
4.2 The Narrative Structure ... 16
4.2.1 Colour Scenes ... 17
4.2.2 Black and White Scenes ... 18
4.2.3 The Opening Scene ... 19

5. Conclusion ... 20

6. References ... 22

7. The Chronological Order Plot Table ... 25

0. Introduction
Christopher Nolan′s low budget film Memento (2000), which is based on the concept of a short story named Memento Mori written by Nolan′s brother Jonathan, was certainly one of the most successful films in the United States in 2000. In most cinemas it was shown for more than 15 weeks in the summer season - the most competitive season of the year. While the success of many modern Hollywood films is a result of "money, hype and more money", Memento "represents a triumph of writing, directing, and performance" (Klein 2001). This film belongs to the so called neo-noir and revenge-film genre. In this paper these two genres will first of all be described in detail. Afterwards, the plot and the narrative structure of Memento - which is extremely complex, clever and demands intelligence and constant attention from its spectators - will be discussed.

1. Classic Film Noir: Definiton, primary characteristics, conventions and historical surroundings
1.1 Definition

In the early 40s a new form of cinema emerged in America. Dark and gloom laden, it reflected the anxieties of a country entering a new era. Cynical and subversive in attitude, here was the antithesis of Hollywood′s glamour productions of the 30s (Cameron 1993; Copjec 1993). The term film noir (literally black film) was first introduced by the French critic Nino Frank in 1946 as he noticed "how dark and often black" (Tims 1996) the settings and themes of these Hollywood films were. John Huston′s detective story "The Maltese Falcon" (1941), starring Humphrey Bogart, can be considered the first film of this genre. Welles′ "Touch of Evil" (1958), starring Charlton Heston, marks the end of the classic film noir cycle (Crime Culture "Neo-Noir" 2002). Unlike other forms of cinema, film noir has no elements that it can truly call its own. Rather, film noir borrows elements from other forms, usually from the crime and detective genres, but often overlapping into thrillers, horror, and even science fiction (Copjec 1993). Certain melodramas, cowboy films, and even musicals also fit in this particular genre (Encarta 2002). The primary moods of classic film noir are "melancholy, alienation, bleakness, disillusionment, disenchantment, pessimism, ambiguity, moral corruption, evil, guilt and paranoia" (Tims 1996). As far as the typical characters in these films are concerned, it has to be pointed out that there traditionally is a classical male protagonist. The main characteristics of the typical film noir protagonist will now be described in detail.

1.2 The role of the male protagonist

This person - in many cases impersonated like mentioned before by the job of a "hard-boiled" (Crime Culture "Film Noir" 1999) private detective¹ - is alienated from society and creates a feeling of social estrangement and disillusion. He is usually a hard-working, "brooding, menacing, sinister, sardonic, disillusioned, frightened and insecure" (Tims 1996) loner hidden in metropolitan architecture who makes his daily way through desolate redlight districts and other filthy and ghetto-like areas of his environment looking for possible hints for his work. Furthermore, the protagonist never succeeds in becoming economically and privately successful. He neither becomes rich, nor does he find a loving woman. Encarta (2002) considers this phenomenon the "opposite of the American Dream." The dark and scary setting of film noir is the everyday-world of the protagonist. There is no room for peace or real happiness in his life. Through his eyes the recipient is shown a world dominated by corruption and greed, violence and crime in which the protagonist sometimes seems to have difficulties with drawing a clear line between right and wrong. As a result of this, he sometimes finds himself closer to the scenery of crime than one would expect a person in his position to be, e.g. illustrated by a friendship to some "syndicate′s big shot underling" (Blaser 1999) or his fatal affection for a woman from the underworld, which usually leads to his own downfall. A description of this type of woman - the so called femme fatale - will follow now.²

1.3 The femme fatale

[...]

1 particularly as exemplified by Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade in The Maltese Falcon and as Marlowe in The Big Sleep (Crime Culture "Film Noir" 1999).

2 For a description of the role of the femme fatale in film noir see Blaser 1999.