Sunrise - Amber Merrell

I am choosing to write about the picture where the wife, Janet Gaynor, is sitting in the boat, waiting for her husband, George O'Brien. This picture is part of a very interesting and intense scene in the movie. Gaynor, noticing O'Brien's inattentiveness and moody behavior, finally realizes that something is not right with her husband. When he leaves the boat to take the dog back to the house, she fidgets and makes multiple attempts to climb out of the boat, but every time she starts to get out she is compelled to sit back down again.

The angle that is used to get this shot is perfect for the situation. The camera is above Gaynor, looking slightly down upon her. This helps to instill a sense of being trapped. This feeling fits very well because Gaynor is practically helpless in the situation. Also of interest is how the camera takes a wide enough shot to include the post on the dock. This post looming on the right side of the screen seems to impose a sense of claustrophobia because of the way in which it limits the free space in the shot.

Light, in addition, plays an interesting role. The "sunlight" streams from all around in a rather oppressive manner. It beats down upon Gaynor, unrelentingly. The only parts in this scene that are shaded are areas in the bottom of the boat which hold the ominous bulrush stems that were to be O'Brian's survival method. These shadows seem to be so evil that no sunlight can penetrate them.