Jacques Tourneur creates a dramatic film with elements of film-noir. We see from time to time the long and large shadows that loom behind a character making them appear more menacing. Examples of this arise when we see Jeff’s partner come to the cabin in the woods to blackmail Jeff and Kathie. He faces off with Jeff and we see a low camera angle and the man’s shadow above, making him appear very large in the frame. It gives us the anticipation of danger. We also see Kathie’s shadow when she’s calling to see if Eels is dead. This time the shadow symbolizes her dual nature. How she is constantly willing to betray in order to keep herself safe.
Tourneur also uses the dissolve in editing this film quite often. The imagery shows us how the stories and lives of these characters all blend together in one shape or another. He uses it most effectively when Jeff decides he must tell Ann about his past. The camera closes in on Jeff in a close up, and Tourneur dissolves into Jeff’s past life. The technique helps us to know that we are watching another timeline now. The director also uses this technique to get characters from one point to another. For example, Jeff arrives in San Francisco, hops out of a cab, the shot dissolves and he’s at Miss Carson’s door. This shows that he is going deeper down this path.
Tourneur keeps his film quite simple, which allows the focus to be on the story and not on the special shots nor editing techniques. He simply allows the picture to have it’s own feeling and doesn’t attempt to impede on it in any dramatic way which would ultimately hinder the final telling of the story.
