The film The Crowd and the novel Manhattan Transfer are both products of the American 1920s, the Jazz Age. It was a time of great economic upswing, and money and success became very important. The society was in a state of flux as well, especially the women of the younger generation wanted to gain more independence. The Great War had not only changed the old conventions of young women, however. People moved into the big cities, harbouring great expectations and hope for a better life. New York was of course one of the cities to go to, not at last because it was considered the ‘capital’ of the Jazz spirit. This economic boom ended with the great Wall Street Crash in 1929.1
King Vidor, producer of The Crowd, was born on February 8th 1894 in Galveston, Texas. His family was of Hungarian origin, which mirrors itself in his not necessarily ordinary name. The Crowd came into the cinemas in 1928 and is one of Vidor’s “Late Silents”, as Durgnat and Simmon call them. Vidor has earned himself the label ‘epic poet’, “given to large, almost abstract expressions of a man’s role in nature and society”. One of this ‘abstract expressions’ we can find in The Crowd in the role of John Sims, of whom will be taken a closer look at later in this work.
About tree years earlier, John Dos Passos published his novel Manhattan Transfer. He was born in Chicago on January the 14th in 1896. After he graduated from Harvard College, he decided to serve in the United States Medical Corps during the end of World War I. In his novels One Man’s Initiation and Three Soldiers he processes the experiences and impressions from those yeas. He continues with an acute awareness of his senses in Manhattan Transfer, a novel full of detailed descriptions, of smells, sounds, and impressions, making the story so real one could forget it is fiction.
This work will first show some of the aspects of mass and cinematography that can be found in The Crowd, and will then continue on to those found in Manhattan Transfer. Finally, the differences and the points the two works have in common will be summed up.
Table of Contents
1. Preface
2. King Vidor’s “The Crowd”
2.1 Appearances and Depiction of the Mass
2.1.1 The Crowd Makes An Appearance
2.1.2 Character Analysis and Their Social Position
2.1.3 Vidor’s Crowd of New York
2.2 Cinematographic Aspects
2.2.1 Camera Moves
2.2.2 Perspectives
2.2.3 Street Scenes
3. John Dos Passos’ “Manhattan Transfer”
3.1 The ‘Manhattan Transfer’ of New York
3.2 Appearances and Depiction of the Mass
3.2.1 Situation of Appearances
3.2.2 Social Situations And A Character Analysis
3.2.3 The City of New York
3.3 Cinematographic Elements
3.3.1 Quick Cuts
3.3.2 Changing Focus
3.3.3 ‘Stage Directions’, Smells, Sounds And Colours
3.3.4 Symbols And Speed
4. Conclusion
Research Objective and Scope
This work explores the portrayal of the "mass" and the use of cinematographic elements in King Vidor's film "The Crowd" and John Dos Passos' novel "Manhattan Transfer", examining how both media capture the essence, speed, and social dynamics of life in 1920s New York City.
- Comparative analysis of mass representation in film and literature.
- Examination of character social positions and individual struggles within the city.
- Investigation of technical cinematic techniques, such as camera moves and forced perspectives.
- Analysis of literary techniques including quick cuts, stream-of-consciousness, and symbolic imagery.
- Evaluation of the city as a protagonist versus individual fate.
Excerpt from the Book
3.3.1 Quick Cuts
Probably the first thing that is apparent when starting reading Manhattan Transfer is the abrupt changing between the partly very short story paragraphs and therefore the abrupt change of the people who are looked upon. This reminds of the cuts between the takes in a film. Dos Passos places these ‘cuts’ practically ‘in medias res’, he doesn’t give any farewell or closing to the part he just left and no introduction whatsoever to the part that is to come. Sometimes he even switches between the different lives from one sentence to the next, without bothering to start a new paragraph. The sections seemingly don’t have any connection to one another, one time the life of Ed Thatcher is presented to the reader, the next second he is forgotten, at least temporarily, and our attention is brought to the ups and downs of Mr. Perry’s existence:
“Thatcher’s hands and feet went suddenly cold. […] He walked home fast, ran up the stairs, and locked the room door behind him. The room was quiet and empty. He’d forgotten that Susie wouldn’t be there waiting for him. He began to undress. He couldn’t forget the smell of coaloil on the man’s clothes.
Mr. Perry flicked at the burdock leaves with his cane. The real-estate agent was pleading in a singsong voice: “I don’t mind telling you, Mr. Perry, it’s an opportunity not to be missed. You know the old saying sir … […]” (Dos Passos, 13).
However, some of the characters we met in an earlier part of the novel meet each other later, creating an almost invisible net of connection threads over the story. The two figures who are practically accompanying us through the whole story, Ellen and Jimmy, even marry somewhere near the end.
Summary of Chapters
1. Preface: Introduces the historical context of the American 1920s and provides biographical background on King Vidor and John Dos Passos.
2. King Vidor’s “The Crowd”: Analyzes how the mass is depicted in the film and discusses the director's use of cinematographic techniques like camera moves and forced perspectives.
3. John Dos Passos’ “Manhattan Transfer”: Explores the literary adaptation of cinematic techniques to portray the mass and the city of New York through quick cuts and symbolism.
4. Conclusion: Summarizes the comparative findings, emphasizing that while both works address the struggle of the individual within the mass, they offer different outcomes regarding fate and success.
Keywords
The Crowd, Manhattan Transfer, King Vidor, John Dos Passos, mass, cinematography, New York, 1920s, Jazz Age, quick cuts, stream-of-consciousness, social struggle, symbolism, urban life, melodrama
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this publication?
The paper examines the portrayal of the "mass" and the application of cinematographic techniques in the 1920s film "The Crowd" and the novel "Manhattan Transfer".
What are the primary thematic fields?
Key themes include urban isolation, the pursuit of success in New York, the representation of social classes, and the intersection of visual media techniques with narrative storytelling.
What is the research goal?
The study aims to demonstrate how both authors use specific aesthetic devices to capture the collective experience and individual fate of people living in a bustling metropolis.
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The work employs a comparative film and literary analysis, incorporating psychoanalytic perspectives and historical context to interpret artistic choices.
What is covered in the main section?
The main sections break down visual and narrative strategies, including the use of forced perspective, quick cuts, "stage directions" in text, and symbolic imagery like fire.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Important keywords include cinematographic elements, urban imagery, narrative speed, social success, and the representation of the modern "mass".
How does Vidor's film use forced perspective?
Vidor uses forced perspective, particularly in scenes like the staircase or building setups, to visually convey the character's apprehension and the overwhelming nature of the city.
What role does the "fire bug" play in "Manhattan Transfer"?
The fire bug serves as a symbol for the hidden dangers and underlying tensions of the city that occasionally erupt, illustrating the crowd's superficial and often cruel reaction to tragedy.
- Quote paper
- Nadine Wolf (Author), 2005, Cinematographic Elements and The Mass in 'The Crowd' and 'Manhattan Transfer', Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/37845
