WHEN NIGHT IS FALLING (1995)

WHEN NIGHT IS FALLING: SYMBOLISM ON THE BIG SCREEN

When Night is Falling (1995) is a film by Canadian director Patricia Rozema. The movie follows Pascale Bussières’s Camille in her exploration of her sexuality. Rather than using forced dialogue to convey the inner thoughts and feelings of the different characters, Rozema interestingly decided to create stunning, visual metaphors. These well-constructed symbols captivate the audience’s attention by demanding them to actively think about the text rather than simply watching as a passive viewer.

The director’s use of symbolism is evident from the very opening scene in which Camille is seen underwater struggling to break through a layer of ice. This is emblematic of the protagonist’s entrapment. Sexuality, like water, is fluid however; society often restricts one’s possible options, forming this layer of ice. To have the confidence to break through this requires a significant amount of emotional and physical strength. From this allegory, the viewer learns that Camille can endure this kind repression and is therefore a strong, resilient woman. Experiencing this kind of intense cold can be an invigorating experience during which your awareness increases exponentially. The Bible consistently attributes water with clarity and purity. In the film, Camille is at a point in her life where she is re-evaluating her core values and beliefs therefore; this clear water is symbolic of her own newfound clarity.

The subplot regarding Camille’s pet dog, Bob, parallels this metaphor. Near the beginning of the movie, she discovers that he has died. Rather than start planning a funeral, she decides that the best course of action is to place him in her refrigerator. Ultimately however, there is a scene during the credits in which the dog springs back to life. Bob can be interpreted as a metaphor for the life of the protagonist. Only when her love for Petra is clear and her life is back on some kind of track does she experience this kind of rebirth similar to the one her pet encountered.

In the film, Rozema offers another allegory in the presentation of Petra (Rachael Crawford) as Cupid. This was constructed through her outlandish, Tudor-style appearance and the use of a bow and arrow. This playful side of Petra’s personality further differs her from the men in Camille’s life who are considerably more traditional in both their thoughts and their clothing. Petra conforms to the Freudian concept of Otherness. This is the abstract notion that, while somebody can look ordinary, they may have some exotic trait that somehow alienates them. This is depicted through Petra’s unusual clothing and the outlandish music, which accompanies her entrance. These make her appear to be intriguing which positions the viewer with Camille. As an audience, we want to learn more about her.

The director’s use of metaphor is very visual, making her underlying messages clear to the viewer. An example of this is during the carnival performance. The women are dancing with irons while wearing grand Victorian dresses. These costumes, although humorous, intentionally emphasize the femininity of the characters. Without using any dialogue, Rozema contrasts the progressive message of the movie with such an archaic representation of womanhood. This creates a discourse regarding the role of women in contemporary society.

All of these allegorical interpretations can be seen as offering a deeper understanding of the characters without requiring any explicit dialogue. As in books, metaphors in movies allow writers to project the interior thoughts and ambitions of the characters in a more interesting format. By using this style, Rozema proves her proficiency as both writer and director as she can translate ideas to the audience in such a subtle, visual manner.

By creating such interesting images on the screen, the director entices the viewer to actively engage with the content. It is possible to take multiple interpretations from such allegorical scenes. When writing on literature, Roland Barthes discussed the concept of the death of the author. He stated that there is less importance on the ideas of the writer and rather a focus on what the audience decode from a text. This theory can be applied to the film industry and Rozema’s movie. When Night is Falling offers multiple different readings, as though the main purpose of the movie is to inspire the audience to continue to think about the movie after leaving the cinema or switching off the DVD.

To conclude, Rozema’s use of allegories in When Night is Falling encourages viewers to consider their own opinions regarding sexuality and gender. This method of presenting ideas, although used very little in the industry, can be extremely useful, particularly when dealing with such difficult concepts. These provide the movie with interesting interludes that, although not directly progressing the plot, offer audiences a chance to develop a greater sense of empathy towards the characters and what the filmmaker is trying to represent. Through these constant metaphysical concepts, the film offers a pioneering discourse about controversial topics.