Film Noir: Character Profiles

Ed Beard - "Detective John Carter"

This character posesses the arrogance and intelligence of the typical male potagonist that we see in so many film noir films, e.g Double Indemnity, but he actually loses out to the Femme Fatale (Bonnie Kensington) at the end.

I think it is important that our character can show some kind of emotional attachment to Bonnie because otherwise we cannot interpret the 'falling in love' process across to the audience effectively. This actor has a very soft look about his eyes which can contribute to understanding that he is a very gentle man at heart, but money and policing have hardened his exterior. This is obviously what makes him vulnerable to Bonnie.

When he goes to the Mob Boss's house (Bobby's) we know that Bobby murdered his father and that revenge could be his driving force, however Bonnie's power over him could also be responsible. As an audience we are left wondering who he actually did it for. If he did it for Bonnie, we then feel pity for him because he has lost not only his father but now his love through the conning scene.

Of course this character will wear a suit and a hat throughout the film, which is of course conventional. One idea we have had is that when Bonnie is in scenes with Detective Carter, he does not wear his hat. The hat can be a symbol of control, and he therefore only wears it when he has complete control over a situation.

One of the most common scenarios presented in film noir is when the main character begins the story from his point of view, and introduces the tale as a flashback. Carter has many narratives over the course of the film and I think this will strengthen his relationship with the audience, but also make our film similar to other film noir movies.

As the character is an 'anti-hero' (a term often used to describe the main character in this genre of films) we assume that his morals are not perhaps as innocent as they should be. His position as a detective does not stand in his way of getting revenge on Bobby - Bonnie provides the way in that he's been waiting for. However, it's important that the audience still feel pity for Carter because he is playing a depressed character and by the end of the story, despite a hope he might have found love, he ends up right back where he started.