Road to Perdition Revision Booklet

Scene by Scene Analysis

The Wake Scene (Scene 4)

1. Mr. Rooney does not trust Connor and tells him to take Mike with him when he goes to talk to Finn. Mr. Rooney obviously suspects that Connor wants to kill Finn as well, because he says, 'Just talk, nothing more.'

2. When Mike and Mr. Rooney play the piano, hands are symbolic of affection and we get a close up shot of them playing together. The mise-en-scene reinforces this closeness as they are shown sitting very close together and at the end Mr. Rooney puts his arm around Mike. They look like father and son. The camera cuts to Connor, and the mise-en-scene shows him standing alone, with a sad, resentful look on his face. We pity Connor in this scene, as he is clearly loved much less by Mr. Rooney than Michael is. We also pity him because, as the camera zooms in to his face, we see him looking around and smiling, as though pretending to everyone he is okay with it.

T he Wake Scene (In Detail)

The mise-en-scene shows Mr. Rooney at the centre of the room, to emphasise his importance. He is confident, makes jokes and his speech is fluent; this contrasts to Finn, who is hunched over and shaking. Finn deliberately contrasts to Mr. Rooney so that we understand Mr. Rooney’s personality better.

There is a long shot of the room, which shows everyone dancing; this is to show how big the mob actually is.

The lighting is low key, as it is a funeral and something underhand is going on, which Finn tries to bring up but is immediately hushed.

Mr. Rooney does not trust Connor and this is shown through his dialogue when they are talking about Finn outside. He says: ‘Take Mike with you. Just talk, nothing more.’ to Connor, who tries to insist he goes on his own. Mr. Rooney is obviously concerned that Connor will not ‘just talk.’ The mise-en-scene is important as it displays the three men in a line, with Mr. Rooney in the middle, highlighting the theme of conflicting loyalties (Mr. Rooney is torn between the two of them); however, Mike is at his right hand side, indicating that – in terms of respect at least – Mike is higher up in his esteem.

When Mike and Mr. Rooney play the piano, the camera pans to the left to reveal their close relationship. It then tilts down to reveal their hands, which are symbolic of affection and represent how they rely on each other (just as they rely on each other to play the duet). The mise-en-scene reinforces the close relationship as they are shown sitting very near to each other, touching, and at the end Mr. Rooney puts his arm around Mike. They look like father and son. The camera cuts to a mid shot of Connor and the mise-en-scene shows him standing alone, with a sad, resentful look on his face. We pity Connor in this scene, as he is clearly loved less. The camera zooms in on his face and we see him pretending to laugh, even though his is hurting inside.

Michael Spies on Mike and Connor

The scene begins with very slow non-diegetic piano music reflecting the secretive, quiet mood. The rain beats down outside; this adds to the depressing mood and suggests nothing good will happen tonight. Likewise, the lighting is low key, also to emphasise this.

The dialogue between Mike and Connor sets up the scene to follow. Mike says to Connor, ‘We’re just talking to him, right?’ indicating he has no intention of hurting or killing tonight. Connor replies by saying, ‘Sure’, but it is non-committal and suggests he is only agreeing because that is what Mike wants. This builds tension as we do not believe Connor. We see this with a point of view shot, as Michael is hidden in the back seat. This helps us to understand Michael’s perspective and see everything as he does.

The camera tracks out, moving in front of the car to allow the mise-en-scene to show the car’s lights being turned off. This is significant as it tells us that Connor and Mike have reached their destination and thus do not wish to be seen. Mike may not intend to kill anyone tonight, but we are reminded that they are influential men who belong to a powerful mob and they mean business. The business they attend to is outside of the law.

A close up shot of Michael’s face shows him hiding beneath the back seat. The diegetic sound here is important as we hear the sound of sound of the men preparing the machine guns for fire and then Michael breathing very heavily; this tells us that Mike and Connor’s ‘job’ is dangerous. Our suspicion that Mike’s job is that of a gangster is confirmed. This builds tension as we realise that, despite what Mike said earlier, the men are prepared to kill, if they need to. More tension is built through dramatic irony (when the audience knows something that the characters do not) as we know that Michael is hiding and understand that he is going to find out something terrible about his father tonight.

Several point of view shots are used to show the action from Michael’s perspective as he spies on his father and Connor. This adds to both the secrecy and mystery of this scene and also helps to build the tension as we feel tense for Michael, especially as we can guess at what will happen. The hand held camera when Michael is spying through the crack in the wood also adds to this effect, as it draws the viewer in and heightens the tension we feel. Suddenly the mise-en-scene shows Mike’s feet just in front of the crack Michael is looking through. This adds to the tension as he is so close to Michael we fear for the consequences should he be discovered.

Characterisation is important in this scene as we are shown early on of Connor’s weakness and the distasteful aspects of his personality. When the man he is interrogating agrees to keep quiet and not protest that his brother was not a thief (even though, of course, his brother was not a thief) for the sake of his family, Connor provokes him as he walks away, by telling him that his recently deceased brother was a ‘f***ing liar’. This is also important to plot development as it sparks off a retaliation as the man accuses Connor of fiddling the books and stealing Mr. Rooney’s money (something that Mike would try hard to prove later in the film, and which we find out Mr. Rooney actually knows of, yet turns a blind eye because Connor is his son).

The diegetic sound of Connor’s gunshot is important here as it creates a sense of shock. We hear the gunshot before we really process what we see – the mise-en-scene showing Connor shooting the man. Clearly, this was not supposed to happen. Furthermore, we are led to understand what a significant moment this is in the film, as the mise-en-scene shows the man falling from his chair in slow motion. The non-diegetic music also slows and becomes very off key, which further adds to the sense of unease. A close up of Michael’s eyes show them widening in shock as he watches these events. The suddenness of the sound of the machine gun and the chinking of the bullets (the sound tells us just how many bullets have been shot – not one or two, but several) give us a shock and a close up of a dead man’s face with blood on it helps us to understand just how badly

this ‘talk’ has gone wrong. Mike’s dialogue shows he is angry with Connor and that Connor should not have shot this man.

The turning point comes when Connor sees movement and spots Michael. The low key lighting and the rain add to the dark atmosphere as Michael runs outside; the mise-en-scene shows him hunched over, in a vulnerable position and helps us to understand that what he has just seen has shattered his world. It has also put him in a very dangerous, weak position with the mob.Mike’s reaction to Michael seeing these events reveals the distance in their relationship at this point. Although we understand he feels for Michael through his dialogue (he says, ‘Oh Jesus,’ in response to Michael telling him he saw everything) he immediately switches to being practical, adopting a commanding tone of voice when he says to his son, ‘You are not to speak of this to anyone.’ This is reinforced by the mise-en-scene which shows him pointing his finger at Michael with a stern look on his face. He does not comfort him or respond to him on a personal level. This is in contrast to the relationship they develop later in the film, when they are on the run. Low angle shots of Mike and Connor reveal their powerful position and high angle shots of Michael reinforce his weakness and vulnerability at this point.

Nightclub Scene (Scene 8)

The scene opens with prominent diegetic sound – fast paced jazz music which reflects the frantic, reckless mood of the nightclub. Low key lighting suggests that something subversive and secretive will take place. This idea is also reinforced by the mise-en-scene: Mike’s controlled demeanour and the way in which the bouncer and the nightclub owner react to Mike also tell us that they do not feel at ease around him and remind us how important Mike’s status is within the mob. The bouncer does not ‘frisk’ (search) him, even though he is supposed to, which tells us he thinks Mike is too important to attempt to take weapons from. His dialogue also tell us he both respects and fears Mike: he speaks very quickly and stumbles over some words and asks Mike to ask Mr. Rooney for a job. The nightclub owner, however, is obviously not pleased to be visited by Mike and thinks he is in trouble. His dialogue reveals this when he says, ‘Oh shit,’ and then asks the bouncer to stay with him, telling us he does not feel safe in Mike’s company. Furthermore, the mise-en-scene further enforces this as the nightclub owner is seen to place a gun underneath a book on his

desk, which tells us he believes Mike is dangerous.

Tension is built in this scene as Mike hands over the letter to the nightclub owner. For a moment all three men are silent, and we can only hear the diegetic sound of the music, which begins to get louder and faster, reflecting a build in tension towards a climax as both the characters and the viewer wait to see what the nightclub owner’s reaction to the note will be. The mise-en-scene reveals the note is something unusual, as the nightclub owner clearly does not know how to react. A close up shot shows the conflict in his face as he decides whether or not to attempt to shoot Mike. The camera then cuts very quickly between Mike, the bouncer and the nightclub owner, and the close up shots focus in more and more on their faces as they watch each other. We are then given a Point of View shot as Mike spots the gun. The diegetic music becomes louder and the mise-en-scene shows the table vibrating more and more vigorously, so that the book moves and reveals the gun to Mike. There are some more close up shots before the mise-en-scene shows Mike seizing the gun and shooting both other men. The music then finishes, reflecting that the action has now come to a climax. The mise-en-scene reveals what was written on the note: ‘KILL SULLIVAN AND ALL DEBTS ARE PAID’ and we understand the sudden development in the plot: Connor has written the note to get the nightclub owner to kill Mike. Mike realises what has happened as well, as his dialogue reveals. He says but one word, ‘Michael’ and we understand that it is because Michael saw Connor killing the man at the beginning that this has happened.

Connor Kills Mike’s Wife and Child (Scene 8)

This scene begins with very off beat, sinister non-diegetic music, which suggests to the viewer immediately that something bad will happen. The lighting is low key, reflecting the menacing atmosphere and the mise-en-scene shows that Connor has covered his face in black cloth. This tells us that he is acting secretly, and therefore that his actions have nothing to do with the rest of the mob, who are so powerful they do not need to hide their identity. So we deduce that Connor does not want the rest of the mob to know he committed this crime. This is key to Connor’s characterisation, as it is one of the first things to show his cowardly nature. This is in direct contrast to Mike, who Mr. Rooney prefers, as Mike is capable, courageous and moralistic.

The high key lighting in the bathroom is in stark contrast to the low key lighting in the rest of the house. It shows bathroom is reflective of innocence and purity; the mise-en-scene also suggests this as mother and son are in a very homely, loving scene. They are laughing together and the mother is drying Peter (Michael’s brother) as he has just come out of the bath. The way that the actors are arranged within the scene shows their closeness. There is then a close up shot of Connor’s gun to highlight to the viewer just what is about to happen and to symbolise the violence that will take place. The mise-en-scene shows Connor’s hand shaking, which tells us that he is frightened of what he is about to do, and also tells us that he knows he is doing wrong. There is an extreme close up shot of Connor’s eyes as he murders them; his blue eyes are seen to widen as the reality of his actions kicks in. We do not see the murders, but a long shot of the house from the outside shows us the gunshot flashes. These sudden flashes of light quickly go out, symbolising how the ‘light’ of Mike’s wife and son’s lives has also gone out.

As Connor leaves the house, a high angle shot shows him stumbling down the stairs and suggests he is not a powerful character. This is also key to Connor’s characterisation as he is just not the capable, powerful person that Mr. Rooney would like as a son. In this sense we can pity Connor, because he has never been able to live up to his father’s expectations of him and has never been able to achieve in the same way that Mike has been able to achieve. Here, Connor can be compared to Mike in the previous scene. Mike was in control, capable and powerful and murdered men very coolly, to their faces. Connor is not in control: he is shaking, his eyes widen, revealing shock and a lack of resolve, and he stumbles down the stairs as he runs outside. Connor’s incompetence is also shown as he murders the wrong son. He also murdered innocent people in a very underhand way. These two scenes clearly show the huge differences between the two men’s characters.

As Michael approaches the house, the mise-en-scene shows his fear: his slow movements reveal his trepidation; he is frightened to approach the house as he knows what he will find.As Mike approaches the house, the non-diegetic music is still off beat, maintaining the uneasy atmosphere, but becomes much faster, reflecting Mike’s panic as he hurries to try and get to his family before Connor does. As he arrives at the house the mise-en-scene shows Michael sitting alone. The camera zooms into Mike’s face to reveal anguish and panic. Diegetic sound is used to depict the strength of this anguish as all we hear is a loud cry of ‘No!’ from the other room as Mike discovers the bodies. This is far more effective than filming Mike’s reaction as we are left to picture his grief ourselves. Later there is a close up of his distraught face and we are shown for the first time Mike’s feelings. This is the first time he reveals how he really feels.

The Boardroom Scene (Scene 7)

This is the scene after Connor has killed Finn and he, Mr. Rooney and several business men in the mob are sitting around a table in the boardroom. Mr. Rooney publically humiliates Connor here and shows just how little respect for him he really has. This scene is important in highlighting to us Connor's motives in shooting Mike's family.

'We lost a good man last night and you think it's funny?' The camera cut quickly between Connor, Mike and Mr. Rooney. A long shot is used to show Connor apologising so that the viewer can see all the men around the table, with Connor at the head. This is effective because it allows us to feel more fully his humiliation, as we can see how many people Mr. Rooney is embarrassing him in front of.

As the boardroom clears, the mise-en-scene shows Connor left at the table alone; the camera zooms into his face and we see that he is both humiliated and furious. He is resentful of his father. Uneasy music begins to play to mirror the tension and unease of the situation. As the zoom goes in close to Connor's face, the camera switches focus from Connor onto Mike and Mr. Rooney behind him. The mise-en-scene shows Mr. Rooney putting his arm around Mike. We can see that Connor is completely left out and the fact that he is clearly so unwanted gives us his reason for killing Mike's family. He is obviously very jealous – probably rightly so – of how much his father respects Mike while disregarding him.

Mike Finds His Wife and Son Dead (Scene 9)

The scene begins with very sinister, eerie music which gives the audience an unsettled feeling; we know that Mike will be grief-stricken and that something worse than just murder will happen after this.

The mise-en-scene shows Michael sitting alone at a table, with low key lighting to emphasise his isolation and desolation. A zoom into his face also accentuates this. The diegetic sound of Mike’s anguished scream from upstairs further serves to depict the despair and desolation of the moment. The camera cuts to Mike and the mise-en-scene shows him slumped on the floor. This shows that his soul is broken. This is the only time we see Mike lose his composure, so we understand just how much he loved his family, and how much their murders have affected him. A close up shot reveals the anguish on his face.

When Mr. Rooney is hitting Connor, a low angle shot makes him appear powerful and intimidating. His dialogue reveals the anger and hatred he feels towards his son: “I curse the fucking day you were born.” This is a very, very harsh thing to say, but it is in response to Connor’s terrible behaviour. The mise-en-scene successfully shows the conflicting feelings that Mr. Rooney feels towards Connor, as after he has been shown to hit him, he embraces him in a hug.

As Mike and Michael leave their house, the mise-en-scene shows Michael’s bike, which is symbolic of his childhood, lying abandoned. This shows he has had to leave his childhood behind.

Michael’s purity is shown by the mise-en-scene and the dialogue when Michael refuses to take the gun.

When Mike shoots Mr. Rooney’s man, the music builds to a climax to emphasise the importance of the moment, of the ‘message’, as he shoots him. A sudden, very fast zoom into Mike’s face shows his clear desire for revenge and the focus he has on it.

Michael Learns to Drive (Scene 15)

This scene is pivotal in the relationship between Michael and Mike; it is the scene where they finally begin to bond. The reason that this happens is because Mike is forced to rely on his son to help him like an adult and in doing so they break the barrier that was keeping them distant from each other.

High key lighting in this scene contrasts with the low key lighting used in most of the rest of the film. It signals a change in mood as we move from tension and fear to light-hearted cheerfulness. The humour in the dialogue is also used to break the tension of the previous few scenes and give the viewer some relief:

'Know what the clutch is?' Mike asks.'Sure. It does the...er...clutching,' Michael replies.

Michael's comedy answer amuses the viewer and also tells us about Michael's character: he wants to appear knowledgeable in front of his father so pretends to know the answers to things he has no idea about. However, he is also determined, as he wants to do this alone, without help. This is also apparent when Mike says to him: 'Can I just make one suggestion?' Michael refuses steadfastly, defiantly saying to his father, 'NO! I'm doing this.'

This humour is continued by the use of diegetic sound as we hear exaggerated comedy screeching noises coming from the car and the mise-en-scene shows the car jerking violently along the road. It is humorous as Michael is clearly struggling to control the clutch (which does the 'clutching').

Mise-en-scene adds comedy as we see Mike closing his eyes in exasperation and Michael throwing his head back in frustration as they are both thrown forward violently as Michael loses control again.

This humour builds as non-diegetic brass music begins – upbeat, with an irregular trumpet sound, which emphasises the comedy moments. A long shot of the car shows it swerving dangerously across the road at a speed which seems unsuitable for the situation (i.e. a twelve year old's first time driving a car). Mise-en-scene shows Mike's nervous face and his dialogue also displays this

('forty-five miles an hour...that's a little fast, Michael. Watch out for the tractor now.'). Mike's dialogue (he repeats, 'Michael, look out for the tractor' several times, with increasing urgency) coupled with the point of view shots from Michael and Mike's perspective of the tractor, which shows them hurtling towards it, despite Mike's repeated warnings, make this part particularly funny. This comes to a climax as they narrowly miss the tractor. A medium shot inside the car shows Mike's anxious face and Michael's ecstatic, grinning face. The contrast in their reactions, along with the fact that Michael is so small we can only see half of his face above the steering wheel, also make us smile. Dialogue finishes this off as Michael exclaims, genuinely, 'We made it!' His father's ironic reply of, 'Oh yeah, we made it' reveals that, finally, the two are beginning to bond. This is the first time we see Mike relax and joke.

Mike and Michael Rob Chicago's Banks (Scene 16)

High key lighting and cheerful, upbeat music continue this light-hearted humour into the next scene. After Mike robs the first bank, he leaves to go to his getaway car. However, instead of jumping straight in and driving off quickly, as would normally be expected of a bank robber, he is forced to wait for Michael to arrive. A medium shot shows the car slowly coming into the camera's line of vision and the mise-en-scene shows Mike's unamused face as he has to wait patiently outside the bank he has just robbed for his getaway car to arrive. His ironic humour shows again through his dialogue as he says to Michael, 'There's no rush.'

The camera crabs right through many different scenes to show the passing of a lot of time as they rob several banks. Each time Mike is forced to wait for his rubbish getaway car which the mise-en-scene either shows screeching and jerking along, or overshooting the distance and driving right by him. A close up shot at the end focuses our attention on a pile of money, which tells us how much they have robbed from the banks. The scene ends as the music ends.

The Final Sequence (Scene 20 – 24)

John Rooney and Michael Sullivan’s Conversation in the Church Basement (Scene 20)

The upstairs of the church is bright, daylight lighting but as Mr Rooney and Michael descend into the basement, the lighting becomes dark and low key. This is to create a sense of foreboding and unease in the viewer: something bad may happen; it will be a tense conversation. The beautiful choir (Diegetic) music of the church represents peace, yet this fades as they move downstairs, showing that the likelihood of peace is getting further and further away with every step. It also provides a contrast to the dark, underground life of the mob and the normal everyday lives that other people lead.

In the basement, there is a close up shot of Mr Rooney as he gets upset at the conversation they are having.

The dialogue in this scene reveals a lot about the two characters and the relationship that they have. It also highlights the theme of conflicting loyalties, as Mr Rooney is clearly conflicted as he tries very hard not to have to choose between Mike and Connor: “I’ve always loved you, like a son…” tells us that Mr Rooney’s love has been constant, since he has known Mike from when Mike was a child. “Like a son” reminds us again that Mike holds the place in Mr Rooney’s heart where Connor should really be and is a reminder of Connor’s motive for killing Mike’s family. It also tells us of Mr Rooney’s conflict: he knows that eventually he must choose between Mike and Connor, but is trying to avoid having to do this by urging Mike to go to Ireland and ‘disappear’.

The background is very dark and low key; the only light shines on their faces and is used to focus our attention on them and show the viewer that this is a significant moment: we cannot see anything else in the room because nothing else matters except Mr Rooney and Michael at this point.

After their conversation, the director uses a long shot to show Mr Rooney walking away. He has turned his back to Michael: literally in that he is walking away to the door, but metaphorically he is walking away from him completely as nothing will ever be the same again. He cannot have him as a son now because both Mike and Connor are so intent on revenge.

Mike Sets Out to Murder (Scenes 21 and 23)

At the start of this scene, deep, slow non-diegetic music creates a sense of unease in the viewer. A bird’s-eye-view of Mike getting his machine gun out of the case focuses our attention on it and we realise that this will be the grand finale: Mike is setting out for his final revenge. The lighting is low key and very dark and the weather is used to mirror the bleak situation as rain falls heavily and continuously into the darkness outside. The diegetic sound of Mike putting his gun together heightens the tension. The mise-en-scene adds to this tension as there is a stark contrast between the religious picture on the wall and Mike putting his gun together in front of it: we realise that nothing peaceful will happen tonight. Adding to a sense of foreboding is the diegetic sound of very heavy rain. It reminds us of the last time in the film we saw such rain, which was the fateful night when Michael saw Connor kill Finn and we remember that nothing good came from that night either.

As the mob come out into the street, a crane view is used to give the viewer a clear indication of how many of them there are (several) and we wonder how one man, Mike, is going to get past them all. Slow non-diegetic music starts and there is a sudden silence of everything else – we cannot hear any diegetic sound and the non-diegetic music blocks everything out. Very dark, low key lighting continues the atmosphere of foreboding and tension. There is a sudden zoom in of Mr Rooney’s face and the camera pans round to show Mr Rooney as his men are shot dead all around him. The absence of any diegetic sound is stylish and creates a sense of unreality. It also focuses our attention on the action, on the actual death and Mr. Rooney’s resigned, sombre composure. Mr Rooney’s men are denied any sense of identity: we cannot hear them shout individually and they die collectively; they are merely part of the mob, not important as people.

After they are all dead, there is a low angle shot of Mike as he walks towards Mr Rooney. This makes him seem tall, important and dangerous. He is completely in control of the situation. The non-diegetic music becomes louder and louder and builds up to their meeting, building up to a climax. There is a close up shot of Mr Rooney as he says, “I’m glad it’s you.” This is especially poignant because it tells us that he still loves Mike unconditionally, right to the very end. Another close up of Mike’s face reveals anguish and determination as he aims his gun. The very sudden,

diegetic sound of Mike opening fire with the machine gun is louder than the viewer expects, thus shocking us. This sound is more shocking because all previous sounds have been drowned out by the music, and thus the murder itself is more shocking and has more significance. It helps us to understand just how difficult and how terrible this murder is for Mike. After Mr Rooney is dead, there is a long shot of Mike turning his back and walking away. He is alone, and the long shot, which takes in all his surroundings – empty now of living people – emphasises his aloneness.

Mike Kills Connor (Scene 23)

Low key lighting is used as Mike is walking to and through the hotel in which Connor is staying (remember, because Mr. Rooney is dead, the mob no longer protect Connor and are willing to tell Mike where he is) to show the darkness and seriousness of the moment. Non-diegetic music plays which has a distinct drumbeat; each beat of the drum helps to emphasise the decisiveness of Mike’s actions.

At one point back lighting is used (lighting from behind). This means we can only see Mike’s silhouette, making him appear more menacing and powerful. This is appropriate, as he is about to kill Connor Rooney, who is technically the head of the mob with Mr. Rooney dead.

The mise-en-scene shows Mike walking very purposefully, with a stern, set look on his face: he obviously means business. The camera tracks in as it follows him up the hallway, emphasising how quickly and purposefully Mike is walking. There is also a crane view of Mike as he walks to Connor’s room. This has the effect of hiding his face underneath his hat, which again makes him seem more powerful and menacing.

The mise-en-scene adds to the uneasy, tense atmosphere as the hallway is made up of a very dark wood and carpet and walls which are painted a very dark green. Neither black nor green have positive connotations. Moreover, the bathroom in which Connor is killed as a pristine, pure white. This is so that when Connor is shot, his blood will stand out against the white and shock the viewer. The non-diegetic music at this point reaches a climax and we hear the diegetic sound of Mike’s gun.

The camera tracks in very slightly to follow Mike walking away, putting distance between himself and Connor. This is also metaphorical: Mike has his revenge and is now walking away from the past.

When Mike returns to Michael, the mise-en-scene shows them hugging closely. This is important as it shows how much their relationship has developed since the start of the film, when they barely spoke to each other.

Harlen Kills Mike (Scene 24)

The scene begins with high key lighting signalling a change in the mood of the film: it is more cheerful and we immediately expect a happy ending. The mise-en-scene shows Michael hanging out of the car, like a normal twelve year old boy would, smiling and laughing. He is obviously happy and it seems as though everything has gone back to normal for him. Pathetic fallacy is also used, as the weather is sunny and warm, indicating happiness and contentment.

The mise-en-scene shows the setting as idyllic (perfect): it is peaceful and deserted; sand dunes stretch on in front of a clear blue sea. Diegetic sounds such as birds singing add to this atmosphere of peace. As the dog runs out (a symbol of family perfection and contentment), we are led to believe that Mike and Michael have their happy ending. Michael is a changed boy: laughing, joking and running to meet the dog.

It is very important that over all of this we hear the sound of the waves. The director deliberately amplifies this sound so that we hear it over everything else. This is because the sound of rushing water is peaceful and relaxing, and it adds to the sense of peace and contentment. We are certain that the film is about to end perfectly for Michael and Mike.

Mise-en-scene: the living room of the house is deliberately painted white, which has connotations of peace and purity. Everything in this final scene is set up to lead us to believe there will be a happy ending. The sound of the waves is amplified even more, and all other sounds fade out as

Mike looks out to the sea.

***This moment is deliberately drawn out, to lull us into a false sense of security. All we can hear is the sound of the waves, which is rhythmic, therefore after a moment or two we get used to hearing it. So when there is very suddenly the sound of a loud gunshot, the viewer experiences a very big shock.***

The mise-en-scene is also very clever here, as the camera is viewing Mike through the window which he is looking out from, therefore when he is shot we do not see straight away who has shot him. This is effective as it draws the twist out for longer as we try to work out who is could be, as Mr. Rooney and Connor are both dead.

A close-up of Harlen’s face reveals the deep scars which were caused by the shattered glass when Mike shot him. His motive for killing Mike is immediately made clear. Harlen’s evil character is highlighted by his dialogue, when he tells Mike, sarcastically, to “smile”.

There is a zoom in to Michael’s face as he points the gun at Harlen, trying to muster the courage to shoot him. The camera also cuts to a close up of Mike’s face to show him shaking his head, but too injured to speak, as he silently tries to tell his son not to shoot. However, Mike is not in the scene when we hear the sound of the gun shot. The camera cuts between a zoom in on Harlen’s face and a zoom in on Michael’s face, so that we think Michael is the one who has shot him because the camera shot of Harlen’s face as he is killed is from Michael’s point of view. When the camera cuts to Mike, we realise it was him. This is the final twist in the story.

As Mike dies, a high angle shot is used on both he and Michael to show them in weakened, vulnerable positions. The mise-en-scene also shows them huddled close together. The characterisation of both is complete, as Mike kills Harlen to protect his son from sinning. He has protected his son from ‘perdition’ (hell). As he says before, to Mr. Rooney, Michael will see heaven. His last words to his son are, ‘I’m sorry’, which complete this very moving, tragic scene.

Additional Notes on The Final Sequence

Road to Perdition Final Sequence

Dialogue:

At the very end of the final sequence, Michael tells us that people often ask him whether Mike Sullivan was a good man or a bad man. Michael tells us that his reply is always just, “He was my father”. This is significant because it highlights the theme of love between father and son and the strength of the father and son relationship. For Michael, just as for Mr. Rooney with Connor, it does not matter whether Mike is good or bad: he will always love him unconditionally and this is something he cannot help. It indicates that blood is thicker than water.After Harlen has shot Mike, he whispers ‘Smile’ to him before he takes his picture. This is an example of sarcasm. It is sarcastic and not ironic because Harlen really means to be cruel and sadistic in saying it. We understand he hates Mike for ruining his face and, more importantly, for getting the better of him. Harlen is a man who prides himself on his ‘work’ as a hit man and sees it as a reflection on himself that Mike got away. He also has a sense of hatred for him because Mike

was clever and capable enough to escape him, and to injure him greatly in doing so. This hatred turns to revenge and a desire to hurt Mike.Finally, as Mike dies, he uses his last breath to say, ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry’ to his son. This is poignant, as Mike is not only apologising for his death, but apologising for failing his son, for the deaths of his wife and children, for almost corrupting Michael by bringing him into a world of murder and crime. The repetition helps to emphasise Mike’s emotion and his need for Michael to hear and understand him; it also accentuates the poignancy and feeling of this very tragic end for the viewer.

Sound:

The sound of water is important in the final sequence. The diegetic sound of the rain lashing down when Mike kills Mr. Rooney is important as it highlights the misery that Mike is feeling and tells us how difficult it is for them both. It contrasts with the soothing sound of the waves later on in the final sequence. This sound is diegetic, but it is emphasised at one point to block out any other diegetic or non-diegetic sounds. This is so that we focus on the sound alone, which normally represents peaceful situations; we therefore believe that they really have made it and that nothing bad will happen. However, after Mike is shot, we also realise that the waves ebb and flow and are symbolic of the way that human life ebbs and flows as another life is washed away.

Mise-en-scene:

When Mike is fixing his gun in preparation for killing Mr. Rooney, Michael enters the room to find out what his father is doing. We are shown the room from Michael’s perspective and the mise-en-scene shows Mike, tall and grim, holding the gun in his hands. He is represented as strong, powerful and dangerous. However, the director has placed a religious picture behind him on the wall. There may be several reasons for this:

to provide a contrast between the violence that Mike is about to undertake to show us that, despite the best attempts of God to remind Mike of His presence, nothing

peaceful will happen tonight to suggest that although the traditional view of good and evil is very black and white (the

Bible preaches that murder is wrong), in reality there are many shades of grey in between.

Mike is setting out to murder many people tonight, including the person who took him in and cared for him like a father. Some of the people he will murder have done him no wrong and many will have families and children themselves. On the surface, this is evil. Yet, in part his motivations are good: he is doing it to protect the only son he has left, so that there is no possibility that the mob will ever hurt him and he is doing it to protect himself, so that his son will have a father. He may be doing it out of a sense of justice for his wife and other son, yet even that is not clear cut, as there is no saying where the line between justice and revenge is drawn. So by placing a simple religious picture on the wall, the director subtly indicates the many shades of grey in the morality of Mike’s actions. This also links to the dialogue when Michael says, ‘He was my father.’ Michael understands these grey shades of morality. For him, Mike may have been a ‘bad’ man in the eyes of many people, but he was his father, and loved him and did what he thought he needed to do at the time for the best.