Representation of Gender in Prime Suspect: Helen Mirren's Character
In the clip of Prime Suspect, gender is represented in many ways using mise en scene and camera movement.
One way camera movement is used to show gender is during the scene when the Super is telling his team that their investigation is going to be led by a woman. The camera pans around the room depicting the officer’s reactions, all of which are men. This camera movement coupled with the unhappy reactions from all the men in the room shows us that this is a man’s world and that Helen Mirren’s character will struggle to be taken seriously. Another example of gender through camera movement is after Helen Mirren’s character is told that she has got the job. The clip starts with a shot of the Commander sign on the door, that she then opens from the other side and walks through. As she walks down the corridor, the camera tracks her movement by staying just in front of her for a few seconds before halting and letting her walk past. The fact that she walks through the door labelled Commander depicts females in a good light because she is being associated with a high position. The fact that the camera follows her movement suggests that her career has been set in motion and she is now walking towards her ambitions.
During the interview with the Super and Jane Tennison at the start of the clip, the first shot is of the boss and this lingers on him. This immediately establishes for the audience that he is in charge and has authority over her. He also looks down at her while she looks up at him to reinforce the idea that he is in a higher position. This is mirrored in the scene after Tennison gets the job when she is giving her female constable orders, this shows how much more at ease she is with other women and that that she can exercise her power over them much easier than over the other men. The only difference between her behaviour towards her officer and the Super’s behaviour towards her is that she is much less aggressive which already sets her apart from him
One way camera movement is used to show gender is during the scene when the Super is telling his team that their investigation is going to be led by a woman. The camera pans around the room depicting the officer’s reactions, all of which are men. This camera movement coupled with the unhappy reactions from all the men in the room shows us that this is a man’s world and that Helen Mirren’s character will struggle to be taken seriously. Another example of gender through camera movement is after Helen Mirren’s character is told that she has got the job. The clip starts with a shot of the Commander sign on the door, that she then opens from the other side and walks through. As she walks down the corridor, the camera tracks her movement by staying just in front of her for a few seconds before halting and letting her walk past. The fact that she walks through the door labelled Commander depicts females in a good light because she is being associated with a high position. The fact that the camera follows her movement suggests that her career has been set in motion and she is now walking towards her ambitions.
During the interview with the Super and Jane Tennison at the start of the clip, the first shot is of the boss and this lingers on him. This immediately establishes for the audience that he is in charge and has authority over her. He also looks down at her while she looks up at him to reinforce the idea that he is in a higher position. This is mirrored in the scene after Tennison gets the job when she is giving her female constable orders, this shows how much more at ease she is with other women and that that she can exercise her power over them much easier than over the other men. The only difference between her behaviour towards her officer and the Super’s behaviour towards her is that she is much less aggressive which already sets her apart from him