The work of “Goddess”
The work of “Goddess” was produced in the 1930s. The film describes the tragic life of a prostitute to show the problems in society at that time.
The most serious problem is the rights of women. Ruan Lingyu’s role is a prostitute and a mother. Because of her profession, her son is often bullied at school, and other parents of children want the school to expel her son. For a protagonist who has no money or social status, this is naked bullying. “key visual cues in the film (especially set, lighting and camera angles) imply that social convention is not always reliable or just (Harris, page #134).” There are many pictures depicting the facial details of the characters. When the mother and son confronted the rogue, the camera shot the expression of the mother and son from the crotch of the rogue, showing the fact that the mother and son were bullied, and hinted at the social status of women at that time.
Near the end of the movie, the goddess was put in prison for murder, a picture of her son appears in the upper right corner. The mother and son form a diagonal line. This composition is full of visual effects. On the one hand, it shows the desolation between the mother and the child since they can never meet again in this life, on the other hand, it shows the mother’s thoughts and worries about her son. The author often uses some implicit lens to show that the goddess is a prostitute, but even a great mother. For example, in the dress shooting, when the goddess is a prostitute, she wears beautiful clothes and a pair of high-heeled shoes. In front of her child, she always has simple clothes and shoes; Feet, the time has changed from night to a day. This kind of expression can not only show her working hours, but also retain her image. The goddess is a silent film. Although the pictures of a long history are a little unclear, the film ’s thoughts and progressive consciousness are worth our thinking and reflection.