Scene Study: Road To Perdition

Episode 001 - Road To Perdition

Film.Music.Media presents an all-new video essay series dedicated to scene-specific analysis. Go in-depth into some of the most memorable scenes from films old and new to analyze all the elements of a scene including editing, cinematography, production design, costumes, acting and essentially anything that makes the scene work in the context of the narrative (or not).

[KALIMAindia]

I love this movie so much, thank you for recognizing this masterpiece! Road to Perdition is one of the most underrated and underseen movies of all time, and at the same time, one of the most unique, beautiful and harrowing films of all time!!!

[TMcD]

Conrad Hall ASC the master of cinematography. All his films make such a powerful and tender statement visually

[RebelDukeTX]

Wonderful, detailed breakdown of this scene. The final showdown between Sullivan and Rooney, had to have a dark, surreal, sad beauty about it. The power of the scene, with just the images and the music. An earlier scene with Michael and John in the church basement. John telling Michael there were only killers in that room, and that neither of them would see heaven. And going forward, John would mourn the son he had lost. And that single line, "I'm glad it's you." If John was to have his life taken, by the life he had lived...best it was taken from him by Michael. This was Paul Newman's final onscreen performance, and by choice. There are many scenes in this movie that I describe as cold, sad, violent beauty. The light, in such a cold, dark movie sets the tone and distinguishes what short periods of redemption there are. Until the end. As many times as I've seen this movie, every time I watch Newman in this...I almost want to cry.

[Rush-tdkp]

Great breakdown to one of the best scenes in Road to Perdition. Every time I watch that scene, I still get chills at Paul Newman's dialogue.

[TheVisionMixer]

One of my top 5 movies of all time. Fantastic story, and brilliant film making from every dept.

[GuzziHeroV]

I read the comic books first, and the entire movie encapsulates it so damned well. It did as well for the comics as The DaVinci Code did for the book. Ironically, both starred Tom Hanks. Amazing work.

[Michael-dtmv]

Thanks for this wonderful, insightful analysis. It’s so rare that find something like this. And it’s really exciting to know that you’ll be doing more of these. This is the perfect venue for short discussions of how film music affects our experience of a scene. Just great

[dfa]

Two movies that are sooo underrated is this one and the other is The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. Both have that beautiful epic quality in a sea of violence.

[InvisibleBully]

Wow I definitely saw the bystanders as angels watching on sealing his heavenly guilt on judgment day... the glowing windows. Good stuff

[Successu]

The movie illustrates that people can do bad things and yet not be evil. While evil people are just evil. O’Neils wasn’t evil but his son was, Sullivan wasn’t evil, but the camera man was truly evil. While at the end the bystanders looking out their window from above were the angels barring Witnesses to the good and evil all around us . My father was my greatest teacher and I loved him deeply and yet I never ever felt loved by him. He was truly troubled and a broken man. And he became a compass forme to navigate my own way through life.

[captainjakemerica]

Gosh this video made me love this moment even more!!!

[robwatkins]

Thank you for providing this scene study. This is such a meaningful scene for so many reasons.

This is an older thread and film but I must agree with Kalima below. Underrated, under-appreciated and under-viewed. Not many films can carry a somber tone virtually the entire time and not crush your soul. One's heart seemingly pains with every death in this film, save the accountant, who was a weasel. Even Connor's demise, although deserved, encapsulates a sad conclusion on the road of revenge. Sullivan paid a hefty price to exact his revenge, and eventually the ultimate price, as revenge was exacted back on him.

[devanshkamdar]

I watched this movie last night and found this on 8hours. It's great!

[keirchallinor]

Thank you for this scene study. I just rewatched it and always use this movie as a way to study film especially cinematography. One thing that I started to notice with Mendes is his focus of rain. To me Mendes uses this element as a symbol of emotion and vulnerability.

In American Beauty the bigger neighbor comes to Kevin Spacey opening up to himself that he is Gay. During this incident, it is raining and is the only scene that has rain. I found this an interesting situation. The rain also involves a storm of some kind. Perhaps similar to the graduate where water represents a world we can’t escape from.

In Road to perdition Rain is presented two times. One Michel jr seeing his father murder someone, along with Michel senior seeing his frightened almost paralyzed child see him for who he is. The rain falls hard Michael explaining his son cannot say anything.

There a lot of great motifs as well. One is the tommy gun fire. The tommy gun is also used when Michel jr witnesses his father murder people. Covering his ears almost as he’s trying to escape the loud noise or even the scream he is presenting.

The other time it’s presented is in this scene. Michel sr screaming with pain but also accepting his fate as you suggested. It’s amazing how many motifs there are in this movie.

Another motif I loved was the dining room. At first it’s bright almost feels like a loving family. Then after Michel jr sees the murder the light changes in the next dinner. The light is dim something is off. Michel leaves the dining room while everyone else stays. Then finally at night after the mother and peter are killed, . Michel sits in the dining room alone. Everything is dark. The house that once filled with love and shelter, is now an empty hallow shell. Everything is dark and low lit. Michel sr looks at his son goes upstairs. Michel jr still sitting down at table unable to move.

[davidknight]

Awesome film that scene is pure artwork

[stephenl]

Such a phenomenal job. Thank you. Top 25 movie for all time

[MrEdium]

ABSOLUTELY BREATHTAKING MOVIE
EXCELLENT INSIGHT

[mikebeer]

Please do Meet Joe black, either the final scene or the first meeting in the library

[gnolan]

When I first saw it I came away thinking that I didn't like it. I thought Tom Hanks was miscast and that Paul Newman had lost his presence...but I kept thinking and thinking about it even late at night. Eventually I watched it four times because, as Sam Mendes points out here, it's a story of images not of dialogue. Conrad L. Hall, who died shortly after the movie was released made every single frame an absolute work of art; a perfectly composed painting with astounding use of light and rain just as he did in Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood".

[mrxtra]

Great start man. Love the way you did this. Amazing movie. Amazing scene. Well done good sir