The Corpse on the Floor
The body of the dead man on the floor of a home ruptured by infidelity and suspicion could not be more Hitchcockian. The marriage has been poisoned—contaminated if you will—beyond all hope of repair and what could possibly pollute the trappings of a happy marriage more than body slowing rotting on the floor which those trapping surround?
The Keys
The keys play a vital role as an object affecting the narrative in the movie, which only serves to intensity their symbolic significance. That the keys are a…key…component in the construction of the husband’s murder plot underscores the traditional symbolism of patriarchal domination in American cinema given to these simple objects infused with great power. He who controls the key to the lock wield control of whatever locked away. This would remain so even if the key were actually those that belonged to the husband. That they are his wife’s set of key that he steals from her purse just confirms the power of the key as a historical tool of male domination tracing back to the keys that unlocked chastity belts.
The Key is a traditional phallic symbol which stands for power and control. In a family, the person who controls the keys is the unquestionable figure of power. In Wendice’s household, both husband and wife control the keys, which signify their equality and mutual respect. As Tony plans to divest himself of his wife, he must first deprive Margot of her latchkey. As Tony robs Margot of her key, she loses the source of her power. Tony then transfers Margot’s power to Swann, by allowing him to gain control over her key. By having control over Margot’s key, Swann becomes a dominant figure, he is able to invade Margot’s private apartment. The Chief Inspector Hubbard is also empowered when he gains control over the Wendice household key. By controlling the key, Hubbard is able to lock Wendice out of his apartment and watch him fall into his carefully contrived trap. Therefore, whoever controls the keys holds the reins of power, and is in a favourable position to shape events to his liking.
The Rape of the Purse
The purse or handbag is a distinctly feminine symbol open to great interpretative import by a creative mind. The creative minds behind this Hitchcock film clearly wanted to fully exploit the sexual suggestiveness of the purse as an object that is almost an appendage for women. If they aren’t holding it, they are aware of where it sits in proximity to their abandonment of it. The scene where the key is deftly extricated from the mysterious folds inside the wife’s purse is about as explicitly symbolic of rape as it could get in the 1950s. Once penetrated and the key removed, the wife is no longer the woman she was before it the penetration.
The Scissors
Expanding upon the theme of male sexual domination established by the keys and the purse is the tool that the wife uses to defend herself and ultimately over the ultimate domination: death. That body on the floor is there courtesy of a wife desperate to save her own life whose quick thinking falls upon the perfect instrument for delivering feminine payback to patriarchal violence. While it is certainly true enough that scissors are inherent asexual in their symbolic power as object, the truth is undeniable that they carry overt indications of femininity. Whether used for cutting material for making clothing or to restyle hair or a thousand other possibilities, the scissors are irrefutably enthused with the estrogen in this utilization.
Tennis
Tennis is perhaps the most subtly engage symbol or motif to be found in the film. While the fact that a major character is a former tennis player should be more than enough to alert viewers to its significance, Hitchcock alludes to the game in such subtle ways that it can be very easier to ignore. In the first place, only an athlete who thrives on competition and vanquishing his foes would likely go to the lengths that Tony Wendice goes in devising his murder plot. Secondly, despite the fact that it is suspicions of his wife’s infidelity that sets his plot in motion, the marriage seems curiously loveless. Of course, in the game of tennis the scoring of Love equal zero. Then there is beautifully subtle composition of the tense encounter between Tony and Swann which is choreographed and edited to resemble two opponents squaring off on the tennis court.
A Woman’s Handbag
A woman’s handbag is not simply a piece of accessory. It is a unique representation of the feminine identity. A handbag’s a woman sacred private space. Only the owner of the handbag has the right of admission into this highly individual space. The personal space of the handbag is sacred and inviolable. The sight of a man putting his hands into a woman’s handbag is suggestive of sexual violation. An exemplary gentleman would never get his hands into a woman’s handbag because he would respectfully keep out of a woman’s private space. Margot is acutely conscious of the symbolic significance of a woman’s handbag. When she sees her husband reaching out for her handbag for some cash, she puts up a determined resistance. She knows that her handbag is a inviolable place where she hides the darkest secrets of her life- her love letters. Tony’s theft of Margot’s handbag is an act of uninvited entrance into Margot’s private world. His forceful entrance into Margot’s private space allows him to gain knowledge of Margot’s secrets. Tony’s uninvited violation of Margot’s handbag indicates the brutality of his character, as well his wish to dominate Margot.
Swann as Tony Wendice’s Double
Tony Wendice leads a double life. On the outside, he plays the part of the loving and considerate husband who turns a blind eye to his wife’s friendship with another man. Deep down, Tony is a greedy, unscrupulous monster who is willing to play any card to get hold of Margot’s fortune. Swann is the perfect double of Tony, for he too was an unscrupulous criminal who leads a double life. Tony and Swann share many similarities. Both of these men present a gentleman-like demeanour to the world. Both of them had attended Britain’s most illustrious university. Both of them are greedy men who seek to use women’s fortune to better their social positions. Tony marries Margot for her money, while Swann lures rich heiresses into his arms. Both of them are sophisticated criminals who act with great caution and deliberation. They both disguise their criminality behind their irresistible charisma and gentlemanly behavior. Swann’s failure in murdering Margot foreshadows Tony’s ultimate failure in framing Margot for murder.
The Male Gaze
The dominating, threatening male gaze is a recurring image throughout the film. Tony Wendice and Inspector Hubbard both have very penetrating gaze. When Hubbard askes Margot why did she not notify the police immediately after the incident, Tony casts an extremely forceful gaze upon Margot, forcing her to operate under his orders and to lie to the inspector. When Margot returns to her apartment, the first thing she sees is Inspector Hubbard’s powerful gaze gazing down at her on the balcony. Margot feels so threatened under his gaze that she turns on her heels immediately. Margot’s repeated exposure to the threatening male gaze highlights her vulnerability. When a woman is repeated subjected under the male gaze, she is usually a disempowered and marginalized object, devoid of power and agency. In this film, Margot is a disempowered, victimized woman who blindly follows her husband’s instructions and unconsciously incriminates herself. However, in Margot’s subconscious mind, she seems to be terrified by the threatening male gaze. She tells Hubbard that she is terrified of Swann’s gaze, even though she did not even get to see his face in darkness of her apartment. Her terror towards Swann’s gaze reflects her fear towards the male gaze in general.
Tony Wendice’s Gray Suit
Tony Wendice has a penchant for the colour gray. He wears gray most of the time. In this film, the colour of one’s garment often reflects one’s character and feelings. The colour gray is perfectly in keeping with Tony’s temperament. Gray stands for emotional nonchalance and an imperturbable demeanour. Tony Wendice is someone who possesses an unruffled demeanour at all times. Despite the danger of the situation, he is always calm and collected. Neither his manners nor the tone of his voice could betray his fears. The grayness of his clothing highlights the wearer’s inner stability and emotional restraint.
