NOT REQUIRED: some thoughts on the ballet sequence in TORN CURTAIN

FRANCESCA DA RIMINI

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IN THE FILM Torn Curtain, a ballet is performed, based on Tchaikovksy's tone poem, Francesca da Rimini. In this sequence, the protagonists, Michael and Sarah are surrounded by police. At this point, source music (the ballet score) functions as underscore, reflecting the emotions of the ballerina in the film as well as the characters in the ballet.
    It's useful to explore all elements of a film and assume they reflect its theme. This may not be the case. The director may have chosen a piece of music, for example, because it cost less, or for a similar practical reason.
    But the principle of unity is basic to art appreciation (all parts reflect the whole), as can be seen in readings of Bunuel's films, which critics insist on interpreting in terms of unity though they are surrealist in design and should elude critical analysis in those terms! Still the educated film viewer tries to make parts cohere as a whole. So how does Francesca da Rimini fit in Hitchcock's film?
    The story of Francesca da Rimini is famous from the Fifth Canto of Dante's Divine Comedy. Francesca and her lover, Paolo, were murdered in their passion and hence went straight to Hell, according to Christian beliefs Dante shared. In Dante's vision, the lovers are punished by their sin, which was foolish passion; hence they are whirled through space for all eternity, an image of foolish passion. Dante pities the lovers but his Christian scheme makes it impossible for him to see them otherwise than as condemned by their sin, in Dante's famous principle of contrapasso, or "counter-passion": we are punished by our sins, not for our sins.
    Hitchcock uses extremes of temperature in his film: ice and fire (students might find it useful to check Robert Frost's short poem, "Fire and Ice"). The romantic couple, Michael and Sarah, begin and end the film shivering while huddled under a blanket. Bear in mind, the couple are on the ship only because of Michael's selfish professional ambition (he wants to succeed in Washington).
    On the other hand, the mythic element of a descent into Hell (East Berlin) as part of a quest (finding a physics formula) is apparent, also related to Michael's selfish ambition.
    The Hell motif is apparent in the ballet, based on Tchaikovsky's highly emotional music. Papier mache fire is shown on stage, which gives Michael the idea to yell "Fire!" in the theatre, enabling the lovers' escape.
    How can we tie this sequence in with the film as a whole?
    The key, it seems, is the ballerina, who is both actress/ballerina of the stage ballet but also participant in the real-life drama of the film: her hostility to Michael for stealing attention away from her, a familiar image in the film. We first see her ignored by photographers when Michael arrives in East Berlin and, at the end, when she tries to have Michael killed on the ship.
    Throughout the film we have seen no satisfactory man-woman relationship, except that of Michael and Sarah, itself threatened by Michael's professional ambition, which brings him (and Sarah) to Hell (East Berlin) in the first place.
    It is, in fact, professional ambition that seems to govern the lives of the people in Hitchcock's East Berlin Hell: Gromek, Professor Manfred, Professor Lindt, the ballerina (among others) are all dedicated to their professions, at the exclusion of any love interest: unable to love, they have made their own Hell. (We see Professor Lindt flirting at the ballroom dance, but that suggests he has no current love relationship.)
    Michael, as "Professor Armstrong," is threatened by this same Hell (his professional title and name are called out repeatedly in a context of menace). Thus, as a "cure," the film ends only on his first name, spoken lovingly by Sarah: "Michael."
    Unfortunately, this theme is not realized successfully in the film: as drama. It's only apparent on critical analysis. Hence the film's relative weakness.
     For those interested in hearing the main melody from Francesca da Rimini, played by a youth orchestra, see the video icon below. The other two parts are easy to find if students are interested in listening to the entire composition.