Introduction
A good or memorable movie usually has several elements making it special. For this reason, directors and filmmakers try to combine various approaches to convey their messages and make their creations different from others. Black humor and noir elements can also be viewed as features helping to create a specific visual image of a movie and atmosphere that would affect viewers. “The Missing Gun” combines these aspects to depict an unusual protagonist and make the story original. Employing these elements, Lu Chuan, the director, created a detective movie with the elements of black humor and a contradictory hero.
The movie revolves around a simple and popular plot which is also used in many other stories. The main character, Ma Shan, is a police officer who loses his gun after the party. Correctly realizing the severity of possible punishment, he starts looking for a pistol, trying to remember his past day and avoid being fired. The given story introduces multiple unexpected situations, such as chasing a robber and discovering a factory producing counterfeit wine (Chuan). The film has an open ending, leaving the viewers to guess what happened to the main character as the final was ambiguous. However, the simplicity of the script helps to introduce specific noir and black humor elements making this film unusual.
Noir Elements
Speaking about the movie, it is vital to outline the extensive use of noir elements. This style is usually applied to crime dramas to emphasize the main character by outlining their cynical attitudes, motivations, and overall unattractiveness to the viewer. At the same time, specific colors and methods to work with a camera can be used to make the visual appeal even more specific. For Missing Gun, the noir elements become a core factor structuring the movie and making it different from other ones.
As stated previously, the cynicism of protagonists is one of the basic elements of this unique style. Ma Shan, the main character, can also be viewed as a hero who has multiple negative features. This decision transforms this police officer into an unusual figure with a set of bad qualities. He is cynical and has various behavioral patterns making him less attractive. Ma Shan neglects his wife, cries and beats his son, and seems not interested in his family life (Chuan). He drinks a lot and cannot even remember what happened the last night and how he lost his gun. It also means that Ma is not a good police officer who can be used as a role model. These characteristics differentiate him from the traditional heroes who can be seen in other detective movies. Moreover, his personality makes viewers hard to empathize with him, as Ma cannot be called a good man. All these features contribute to the creation of a noir atmosphere in the movie.
The use of flashbacks is another element typical for film noir. The plot of The Missing Gun leaves much space for using this tool. Ma constantly tries to remember the events of the drunken night and understand where to start his search for the pistol. That is why the viewers see numerous flashbacks depicting events preceding the loss. The use of this method also contributes to the establishment of a unique atmosphere. The whole story is presented in small portions, with little detail shown through such memories about the previous days.
At the same time, the main character has a unique philosophy which is also typical for noir films. He does not want to be an ideal officer or to become a good father and husband. Ma lives his life not thinking about the consequences of his actions, preferring to resolve problems when they emerge. This philosophy is not similar to traditional main characters, who are usually depicted as outstanding people trying to act in a good way. On the contrary, Ma is neither a good nor a bad person as he follows his grey morals, trying to survive and avoid being punished. Even his chase for a thief and an attempt to find a shooter is motivated by the desire to find a gun. This philosophy is one of the elements which can be seen in the film.
Finally, the work of the camera and a set of colors also create a specific atmosphere. Shaded colors and the absence of bright accents till the description of the skis at the end of the movie make it similar to other noir detectives. The film also has numerous scenes with an unusual selection of angles or specific visual choices. A spectator often sees scenes with the camera careening down through various streets (Chuan). Combined with neutral or even subdued tones, it helps to introduce specific effects and create a depressive depiction of the main character and events occurring in the film.
Black Humor Elements
Another distinctive feature of the movie is the use of black humor. The nature of the main character, his weak attractiveness, and the overall situation set a scene for using such elements. For instance, a thief’s encounter can be viewed as one black humor element. Being a police officer not allowed to wear a uniform because he lost his gun, Ma still performs his main functions and chances a criminal. Moreover, the comic situation becomes hilarious when it turns out that the weapon is fake (Chuan). It shows the meaninglessness of Ma’s attempts and his motifs.
Additionally, being a detective story, “The Missing Gun” offers scenes that can be viewed as a police investigation. Ma tries to find a shooter and pretends to be Zhou hoping to find a person. It helps him to discover the illegal factory and make a good thing. However, because of the selfish motifs and the desire to find a gun to avoid punishment, it can also be viewed as a black humor element. Ma does not act of his own will, meaning that he is not an outstanding police officer who wants to punish criminals. The only thing he wants is to find the pistol and return to his ordinary life, which makes the whole situation ironic.
Conclusion
Altogether, “The Missing Gun” is a movie combining the elements of film noir and black humor. The unattractive and cynic main character has selfish motives to find his gun. It results in the emergence of several comic situations full of sarcasm and black humor. At the same time, the colors, the use of flashbacks, and the work of the camera also contribute to the establishment of a unique atmosphere and the unusual visual image of the movie. Combining these elements, the director created an outstanding film with unusual methods to reveal the plot and attract viewers.
Work Cited
Chuan, Lu, director. The Missing Gun. China Film Group, 2002.