Suzhet And Fabula

A major concept studied in film today is formalism. Formalism is the use of different and multiple elements of film production, and the effects these elements have on the audience. Formalism is basically the emotion it evokes from the audience. Some specific examples of these elements include editing, sound effects, score, lighting and shot choices. Formalism focuses more on communicating ideas and emotions across to the audience.
Originating from Russian Formalism, two specific terms are studied that describe different aspects of playing with time and structure of events in a film or narrative. These two terms are suyzhet and fabula. Suyzhet is the employment of narrative, or way the story is organized in the film. Fabula, on the other hand, is the
“Stanwyck’s portrayal of Phyllis Dietrichson was a defining moment in America’s popular reception of noir based characters in that it brought the vice and scandal of the femme fatale into a setting of a domestic home life” (Ricci). The Femme Fatale (The Fatal Female) was created during this time period of Film Noir also, and broke the typical pure, innocent feminine mold. She often uses sex and feminine charms to manipulate men and usually destroys the men she uses. We see this first hand in the film “Double Indemnity”. She facilitates her plot by using her feminine charms and seductive nature to drive Walter to do as she pleases, ultimately murdering her husband. She fakes being naïve and weak to hide her scheming goals. Although Phyllis gets destroyed too, Walter of course gets ultimately ruined, not only emotionally but physically. He gets destroyed emotionally by Phyllis, we see this in the film when she pulls a gun on him toward the end of the film, and at first, he doesn’t want to shoot her dead. We then see he has been physically destroyed by her, as at the end of the film he is shot and wounded not able to walk out the door of his office