Erich Von Stroheim's Greed Film Analysis

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The 1920’s in the film industry today can be seen as a decade filled with many landmarks in technology as well as overall progression in all aspects of on-screen storytelling. Director Erich von Stroheim serves as somewhat of a symbol of 1920’s film as he directed so many important and notable films during the era. Stroheim’s Greed is the one film always referenced when mentioning Stroheim’s catalog due to the magnitude of the film when considering costs and enigmatic legend that comes along with its release. The full-length seven-hour version of the film has never been seen as the version released was just a tad over two hours in running length, meaning there are five hours of unseen cinematic history stowed away with hopes from many to …show more content…

In Greed the three main protagonists involved are McTeauge usually referred to as Mac, Marcus identified as Mac’s best friend and Trina who becomes the wife of Mac after being introduced by his best friend Marcus. The relationships and roles of these characters change as circumstances with lust, greed and selfishness influence each. Mac works as a dentist in San Francisco and is initially introduced to Trina strictly as a patient with the help of Marcus’ friendly referral. During his dental work with Trina that spans over the time of two weeks, Mac realizes that this he feels a need to please Trina by completing the dental work correctly and as painless as possible. Working with her daily for two weeks he grows interest in her romantically and once her daily visits stop, McTeauge realizes that “She's been the first girl I've ever known. I couldn't help myself!... -- I was so close to her -- an' smelled her hair -- an' felt her breath! Oh!...you don't know!” as he expresses to Marcus. After hearing Mac’s feelings towards Trina, Marcus arranges for a get together that is eventually the start of the McTeauge and Trina …show more content…

Marcus once had a love interest for Trina but realized how strong Mac’s feelings for Trina truly are and, in turn, sacrifices his love interest for their friendship. As the film progresses, certain events transpire with Trina eventually engaging in marriage with Mac. Not all that long after the engagement, Trina also assumes the winnings of the lottery and a sum of five thousand dollars. The winnings pose a conflict between the main characters, as Marcus feels shorted and overly jealous as he senses that the lottery money belongs to him, considering the fact that he was initially the one to be with Trina. Considering the recent engagement, this newly won money also now plays a role in the life of McTeauge as his friendship with Marcus comes to an end as jealousy takes control of Marcus. This money demonstrates the role in which the environment allows money to play within relationships and eventually the ending them. Five thousand dollars to the average person within the world of Greed, in theory, acts as a key to a worry free life when in reality, it acts makes the protagonists lives worse in the long run. Marcus envies both Trina and Mac after they win their money and makes an occupational change to cattle ranching moving away and out of the city. In the goodbye scene between Marcus and Mac Stroheim carefully places a metaphorical shot of Marcus’s cat attacking two “love birds”

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