Interracial Couples, White Femininity, and Racism: "Touch of Evil"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yg8MqjoFvy4&NR=1

Above is the epic opening scene from the film, “Touch of Evil.”

When reading Fregoso’s “Haunted by Miscegenation” chapter in MeXicana Encounters, I immediately thought of Orson Welles’ 1958 masterpiece “Touch of Evil.” The film seeks to challenge conventional representations of race in film, both directly and symbolically, in addition to paving the way for visual styles and techniques that rebel against the classical Hollywood standards. The focus in the Lee and Fregoso readings seemed to be the shortcomings of films from this era, which are critical to examine. But I think it is equally important to look at how films during this time were able to successfully establish new controversial frontiers related to issues of race and sexuality, such as interracial marriage.

Not without its shortcomings, “Touch of Evil” has two interracial couples that are portrayed in a positive and sympathetic way, uses real Mexican actors (with the exception of the star of the film, Charleton Heston in “brown(?) face” playing Vargus, the Mexican cop), promotes audience identification with Vargus and the other Mexican characters, and displays Vargus as educated, highly moral, and motivated. In contrast, Quinlin, the crooked cop is portrayed as a hotheaded racist slob devoid of a sense of right and wrong.

The basic plot of “Touch of Evil” is that Vargus and his white American wife, Susie, cross the border to Mexico for an ice cream soda date and witness a murder. Vargus then goes on duty to try to uncover the murderer. The suspect is Mexican, Sanchez, and Quinlin frames Sanchez for the crime he didn’t commit. Vargus then discovers Quinlin’s corrupt nature and tries to expose him for what he is.

Anyways, “Touch of Evil” destabilizes race relations in several important ways. The valorization and protection of white womanhood described in both Fregoso and Lee’s “Inner Dikes and Barred Zones” is openly challenged; interracial couples of white women and Mexican men are portrayed as morally acceptable. Susie is not portrayed as polluted or lacking agency, and is actually kind of sassy. “Touch of Evil” also highlights racial tension with visual cues, lighting, camera angles, ambient noise, shadows, etc.. The bizarre high shots and disorienting backwards motion of the camera make the audience hyperaware that they are, in fact, watching a film, establishing a more critical audience perspective and anti-normative movie experience.

Below is the scene in the apartment where Sanchez is framed for the murder:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyNrgfBXWjQ&feature=related