Daily Dose #1: THE PLEASURE GARDEN
1) There is a dichotomy of representations in this film which is a characteristic in all Hitchcock films. On the one hand, there is a show going on inside. The show itself creates a happy, relatively safe place for audience members to enjoy a stage show. The stage scene, viewed rather lasciviously by the elderly gentlemen in the first row, and not at all by the lady in the first row all the way to the right (she is seen sleeping,) conveys an atmosphere of a good time being had. At the same time, outside are dark characters looking for opportunity to do bad things, and in fact one of them does when he steals from the lady who is the focus of the scene. There is a darkness in this film that resonates throughout all Hitchcock films. A good time may be had be had by all, but the undercurrent of something you can't put your finger on, something not quite right is palpable.
2) I agree with the assessments made by Strauss, Yacowar, and Spoto. As I described in my interpretation above, for me the scene elicited mixed emotions including happiness, gaiety, fear, and dread. I have not seen one Hitchcock film that didn't elicit simultaneous mixed emotions to the degree of making me nauseous on occasion.
3) There were no limitations for this scene even though it is a silent movie. Sometimes words get in the way by telling me what I should think or feel during a scene. I suppose a person completely unfamiliar with silent movies might think there were limitations, but if they just paid attention and watched closely, that person would see silent movies in a completely different perspective.
