"Meet Joe Black" - the hidden meaning of the film

Three hours of life-affirming action in a film about… death. The film received no status awards – neither the Academy Award nor the Palme d’Or at Cannes – but it touched the heart of audiences who had seen it, either accidentally or on purpose. What is the secret of its success and what is the true meaning of the story about the “holiday” of Death who is tired of reaping his sad harvest every second? Martin Brest – the director of the picture breathed new life into the old play by Alberto Casella.

In 1929 there were 180 performances on Broadway under the title Death Takes a Day Off. The play was later filmed in 1934 and 1971. The film “Meet Joe Black” is the third attempt to recreate on screen the image of a mystical, frightening everything that exists on earth – the image of death. An encounter with her is inevitable. She is relentless and ruthless.

Every living person thinks so, but Martin Brest presented them in a different form, mixing so many colors that a cold-blooded and prudent killer suddenly appears as a naive child, then a trembling lover, and then a wise man who found the only right solution. How many meanings in history as old as the world. Not only mysterious death reveals the secrets of his “work”, but also a person learns the true values ​​​​of his essence.

Great acting trio

Anthony Hopkins is the jewel of the film. The role of Bill Parrish is not played – lived on screen. In The Silence of the Lambs, Hopkins is a maniac, a ruthless cannibal with a frosty gaze. Now the viewer has a father whose eyes are full of tenderness for his girls. Such a contradictory reincarnation is only possible for the genius Hopkins.

Young actors Brad Pitt and Claire Forlani resemble their older counterparts. Claire is the epitome of natural femininity. Pitt managed to create two images at the same time – a charming earthly fellow and a creature smelling of the chills of the grave. Together, the actors created the atmosphere of the film, filled with sincere love and self-sacrifice.

An elderly man suddenly wakes up in the middle of the night, alarmed by a vague illness. He tries to straighten his left hand, which is stiff in his sleep. He is many years old and of course there is a suspicion that heart failure could be the cause of the malaise. A mysterious voice answers his silent question aloud. That “yes” comes out of nowhere. Bill Parrish is having a nightmare. He is careful and does not panic. These qualities and many other virtues helped him become a media mogul – as successful and rich as Croesus. Perrish’s birthday is approaching. Respectable age – 65 years.

The eldest daughter, Ellis, is preparing a big celebration to which the country’s elite is invited. From the first minutes of the morning dialogue between Parrish and his two daughters, the director skillfully sets accents. The older father calls Ellis and the younger Susan – Baby. They are both grown women, but one of them is a beloved child, a girl in need of parental care.

The Father’s Counsel as a Guide to Action

A very brief conversation on the way to work comes as a complete surprise to Susan. Her father gives her worldly guidance, but it’s not about a career and a lucrative party. He speaks of love. That she must open her heart to an arrow that will pierce it with love. If that feeling doesn’t exist in her life, then “it means she hasn’t lived.” Susan is dating Drew, her father’s partner, but there isn’t that passion in their relationship that Father suddenly spoke about with such piercing frankness.

A chance meeting in a cafe, as if to confirm the words of his father, turned out to be so useful that when parting from a new acquaintance, Susan, despite her natural reluctance, confesses her sympathy. They say goodbye without even naming each other. He spoke of the same arrow that pierced their hearts at the same time. Susan rushes to work at the clinic, and he – to death. Here’s another meaning – you need to be resolute. Susan should have given in to the feeling, called out, added a minute to the conversation, and things would have changed.

Meet Joe Black

Death comes to Perrish’s house and categorically tells the owner that he is tired of the endless work. She decided to relax and have fun. Bill is chosen as a guide into the world of human pleasures. He’s lived a decent life, knows a lot about it and will fit for the role. All of this is said of the death through the lips of Susan’s morning acquaintance. His body became a temporary home for the essence that chose to taste, color, and smell this world.

Once Death is bored with the earthly “business trip”, Perrish’s existence ends. From that moment she acquires not only a body, but also a name – Joe Black. Joe becomes Parrish’s inseparable companion at home and at work. Confusion and silly questions are caused by the emergence of a stranger in everyone around Bill. Joe behaves with the spontaneity of a child new to everything: the taste of nut butter, jelly beans, the softness of the mattress.

All uncomplicated worldly pleasures amuse death until he discovers for himself the most important human destiny – love. Susan has been in love with Joe since that meeting at the coffee shop. He is overwhelmed by her tenderness, femininity and for the first time experiences all the charms of love: the obsession of his beloved, the warmth of her body and the radiance of loving eyes, the unity of souls. New sensations leave the embodiment of universal evil vulnerable, arousing feelings that she inherently lacks.

courage parish

Another discovery for Joe is Parrish’s behavior in the last hours of his life. On the edge of the grave he doesn’t think for a second about the millions he leaves behind in this world. Parrish remembers his wife’s blue jacket the day they met, is heartbroken at his daughter’s fate, worries about the future of the company – the business of his life. He lives as before, without changing his usual schedule. Only family meals are now daily. Bill really regrets saying goodbye to them – his family.

By example, he teaches Joe to enjoy simple human pleasures – to see in them the main meaning of life. Such behavior on the part of the victim, who behaves boldly and with dignity even after the verdict has been pronounced, causes involuntary respect for death. It’s the only way he listens to his father’s arguments against Joe’s decision to take Susan with him. Bill finds words to prevent his daughter’s death. Convinced that a true feeling should bring the benefit of a loved one, even to the detriment of one’s own.

Using your power is selfishness, not love. Death, previously unshakable and cold as a stone, begins to tear apart human emotions – doubt, bitterness of loss, anger at Perrish’s truthful speeches, remorse. She acts entirely humane – sacrificing her interests in the name of her loved one’s happiness. In addition, it helps Perrish to head to another world and save another of his descendants – the corporation.

The meaning of the film or of life..

Drama, beautiful music, well-formed dialogues, persuasive words reveal the main message of the film to the viewer – what is the true meaning of life. In a word, love. There is a lot of her here and she is multifaceted, love for children, parents and of course a man for a woman.

In a short time, Joe Black learned to understand and enjoy life. He learned all the best there is to know about her. Maybe he has a successful conductor.

Source: tayni-mirozdaniya.ru

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