In
Presumed Innocent we can see the corruption of the whole legal system from the
judge to the cop. There are many moments that we can agree that the killer was
in deed Rusty but when we start to uncover more about the case and other cases
we start to doubt about everything. The corruption as well helps Rusty at the
end to use the information about a B-file that implements the actual Judge that
is in Rusty’s case. Evidence is very important in this film that changes the
side of the situations in many levels beginning with “ When Carolyn’s body is
found, all evidence points to Rusty. The murder is particularly scandalous
because of its kinky nature. “She has been raped, and Rusty’s semen and blood
type are found within her body.” (Pfeiffer 184”
Rusty was put in
the case no question asked by his boss but his boss Raymond and many people
except his friend knew about his affair with his colleague which is found
murdered and raped. The people that not
knew that they where having an affair gives them one more reason to show that
Rusty was guilty with no doubt.
Especially when Raymond tells some misguided information saying that Rusty
begged for the case when in reality he knowingly wanted to pass it to another
person considering he had a sexual interaction with the victim.
Rusty
also in his flashbacks presents the worst side of Rusty in his desperation of
trying to have Carolyn and have a sexual relationship with her. When Carolyn
tries to stop the affair Rusty becomes more persistent, angrier and even start
to stalk her seeing her with another man giving her a reason to kill her.
When
they were seeing the Crime scene there where no forced entry, no items missing
and there was two glasses used meaning that the two people knew each other
pointing everything towards Rusty.
Rusty asks his
partner to hold on the glass cup that has his fingerprints, which without that
evidence there is a great help to prove his innocence. The scene is at the end
on the boat where they through the only hard evidence that could of put him as
well on the apartment.
Rusty also asks
his partner to discard the phone records that could tie to him calling in which
he says it was him calling to his house to tell his wife that he was ok, but in
reality he was having an affair. These
phone records are important considering that is showing that even they ended
the affair rusty was still calling her former lover. Lighting is something that is very important throughout
the film considering its pretty dim and dark throughout his conviction and when
he is talking to his partner as well to hide evidence. Its very dark as well
when he is having the affairs, but when he is dismissed of all charges against
him then the light changes and becomes clearer as he is not found guilty though
then realizes who was the actual murderer.
Jonathan Lam
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you about the corruption. It almost seemed like an afterthought to me because even though it was not the main plot of the film, it was a very pertinent plot device. Rusty's boss Raymond definitely threw Rusty under the bus in order to cover up his own affair with Carolyn. Showing the flashbacks where he could not give up on Carolyn, especially when she tried to end the affair really does force the audience to think that he is guilty. The scene that was put into the film by the filmmakers grossly undermines Rusty's innocence. Usually, one would only think that the characters can undermine each other, but in this case, we see that even the filmmakers get involved and ultimately place scenes into the film that keep the audience swaying back and forth in believing whether Rusty is in fact guilty or innocent. I like how you brought in the idea of conviction because now that I think back to it, every scene that almost acted as incriminating evidence or as a scene meant to build up our belief in Rusty's guilt has generally been shrouded in darkness. The light at the end of the film is a great identifier of Rusty's liberation from his own guilt, but in place, he takes on another guilt of knowing that he is married to a woman who killed another person.