Sound Motifs

In the film, The Limey, there are different sound motifs that are used to help tell the narrative of the story and give the audience cues to how the action or character is related to the sound. Music or sounds help the audience associate and connect certain scenes with their implicit meaning. Wilson’s love for his daughter joined with a regret over lost time that might have, or should have been spent with her, leaves him bound to investigate and avenge her untimely death. “Tell me about Jenny”, is Wilson’s quest to find out what happened to Jenny and his quest causes the narration and action in this film. Wilson’s memories (flashbacks) of Jenny are what keeps him driven in his search for answers.

The reoccurring sound motifs in this film are wind chimes, the sounds of the ocean (waves), Wilson’s humming and a unique melody of piano music. These reoccurring sound motifs aid the audience’s understanding of the film’s non chronological temporal order of the story. The film uses different sounds during flashbacks to help add or reveal new information to the viewer about Wilson’s past and the film’s scenes that occur out of the story’s chronological order. The flashbacks are used to create suspense and intrigue in the narration by gradually revealing the entire events of the story.

The piano music motif is associated with Wilson’s quest for the truth about Jenny’s death. The piano music is used for different purposes throughout the film. One use of the piano music is to cue the audience that important information is being revealed usually during flashbacks about Jenny. The piano music is also played at different parts of the narration to cue the audience that the action that is occurring in that scene has direct cause and effect to what is going to happen next. For example, the piano music is playing in the background when Wilson is buying two guns in the park. The music is cueing the audience that the two guns are going to play a major role in the...