A Force To Be Reckoned With
A Force To Be Reckoned With: Masculinity's Portrayal in A Better Tomorrow (1986)
In the film, A Better Tomorrow (1986), the idea of masculinity in Hong Kong was portrayed in numerous scenes and changed greatly from character to character and scene to scene. One scene, in particular, that stood out in its portrayal of masculinity was Mark’s revenge scene in the bar/restaurant. The scene itself was set incredibly well with the careful inclusion of the gun placement in the flower pots, but beside that, the aspects of the scene somewhat outlined the masculinity of Mark. Throughout the movie, Mark was known as the person to say little, and allow his actions to speak for him, and this scene was no different, from the low music, accented by the sounds of his shoes as he walked, Mark’s masculinity is described as quiet, yet effective in getting what you want. Besides this, the context of this scene highlights the importance of loyalty in the scope of masculinity as all of the violence portrayed in this scene was done in order to seek revenge for the betrayal of Ho, which landed Ho in jail.
In the film, A Better Tomorrow (1986), the idea of masculinity in Hong Kong was portrayed in numerous scenes and changed greatly from character to character and scene to scene. One scene, in particular, that stood out in its portrayal of masculinity was Mark’s revenge scene in the bar/restaurant. The scene itself was set incredibly well with the careful inclusion of the gun placement in the flower pots, but beside that, the aspects of the scene somewhat outlined the masculinity of Mark. Throughout the movie, Mark was known as the person to say little, and allow his actions to speak for him, and this scene was no different, from the low music, accented by the sounds of his shoes as he walked, Mark’s masculinity is described as quiet, yet effective in getting what you want. Besides this, the context of this scene highlights the importance of loyalty in the scope of masculinity as all of the violence portrayed in this scene was done in order to seek revenge for the betrayal of Ho, which landed Ho in jail.
The colors used in this scene also work well in emphasizing the toughness and force that Mark possessed, with Mark being clad in black with matching black guns. With Mark depicted almost like the grim reaper, his lack of dialogue or substantial facial expression even further help the argument of Mark’s masculinity being portrayed through his actions, how he carries himself as a tough, no-nonsense character in scenes of seriousness. In addition, all of Mark’s targets wear mostly light colors, and the walls in the scene were white in order to add to the shock value of the bright red blood against the clean background. In conclusion, while A Better Tomorrow (1986) changes the idea of masculinity through the movie using its different characters, Mark’s example of masculinity in this scene is an example of coldness, of action, and of effectiveness.