The scene that I would like to analyze starts 1:53:00 in the movie and lasts only about a minute overall. Amsterdam is making his first trip into public after healing from Bill’s humiliation. An interesting aspect of this scene is the way the camera moves to show what Amsterdam is seeing, or coming from Amsterdam’s point of view. The camera is at eye-level and moves with the not- quite- smooth movements of him walking through the square. This adds to Amsterdam’s character. It shows his strength as he refuses to be ashamed or hide himself from the public. During his entire walk, the camera never lowers (as if Amsterdam was hanging his head) and his stride is not too slow or fast and never hesitant. When the camera does finally break from this point of view, it focuses on Amsterdam’s back, which is tall and broad rather than slouching. After focusing on his back, the camera then stays on his determined face when he turns around and next on the crowd as they stare at him. This increases the suspense of the scene. The camera doesn’t show what Amsterdam was doing until the very end, and the view of grotesque pelt of the dead rabbit hanging with Amsterdam walking away is the perfect conclusion to the scene.
The only sound that can be heard throughout the scene (except for the indiscernible grunts and mumblings from the crowd) is that of an unseen drum and whistle. The rhythmic, pulsing drum beat and an unsettling tune both increase in volume throughout the scene. The beat seems reminiscent of a battle drum and the escalation invites more anticipation and suspense.
Additionally, while no dialogue is discernable in this scene, there are a lot of things being said silently. Everyone Amsterdam passes in the crowd stops quietly to look at him and judge him. This silence of the onlookers is as damming as if they all were yelling profanities at him. Nevertheless, Amsterdam strides confidently through the crowd, telling all of the city, and Bill, that he refuses to be ashamed or run away. Then, before he shows the public what he’d done he stares down the crowd, as if daring them to confront him. The dead rabbit that he hangs in the middle of the square is a loud declaration of war.
This scene, which occurs two thirds of the way into the movie both advances the narrative, showing that all is not peaceful and defeated in the Five Points, and reveals Amsterdam’s strong and determined character.
