Amish and Witness Film Analysis

How does peter weir present his ideas about conflicting worlds in Witness? The way an individual has been influenced by certain morals and beliefs connects them to a sense of place or world. An individual could be connected or stereotyped by gender, age, religion or culture defining their identity and the world in which they belong. Peter Weir’s film witness composes two worlds that are diametrically different through the use of symbols that highlight their differing beliefs and morals. Peter Weirs film Witness distinguishes two very different worlds of the Amish and the city.

Weir presents the tranquil and traditional simplistic lifestyle of the Amish society juxtaposed with contemporary American society with its inherent violence and modernity. Weir engages the film into a three act structure providing an effective narrative to juxtapose their lifestyles and to distinguish the themes of corruption, violence, loss of innocence, forbidden love and justice. In Act One the murder scene we are thrust into a violent criminal world. Samuel who is an innocent traditional Amish boy loses his innocence from the witness of a murder. We see the murder from the subjective point of view shot of the child.

Samuels view point of the murder is through a slightly ajar toilet door; metaphorically the use of a door is a transition point or lens from one world to another. Close up shots of Samuels terrified face is paralleled with the dramatic building of the music as McFee searches for the noise of Samuel then resumes with a close up of Samuels face along with silence symbolising his loss of innocence. Furthermore in Act One, we see the character John Book interacting with the Amish community and how his modern world has inflicted on their peaceful tranquillity.

The structure of the narrative is essential in presenting Weir’s concern that it is essential to both respect the positive aspects of worlds as well as challenge negative consequences of violence and greed. Furthermore in Witness the impact of the modern world towards the Amish is presented as Weir distinguishes Samuels’s loss of innocence when Samuel finds Books gun. Books gun is a symbol of John Books modern world of corruption and violence that abruptly seems out of place in the world of the Amish.

Both Rachel and Samuel are changed by Books presence as in this scene Weir has presented how Books modern world has inflicted on Samuels viewpoint of Amish morals on human life. Eli Lapp, Samuels’s parental grandfather admonishes him about the evil of guns and Gods exclusive right to take human life. Weir highlights how Samuels viewpoint on human life has been inflicted as Samuel makes a statement “I would only kill a bad man” is followed by Elis comment on the act of witnessing evil “what you take into your hands, you take into your heart, wherefore be ye spate, saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing”.

Weir conveys through his grandfather’s well-meaning homilies Samuels recent experience of the modern corrupt world is unlikely to be erased. The conflicting worlds is further explored in the second Act of witness as the dramatic focus is juxtaposed as it shifts from the outside world and onto Johns forbidden love with Rachel. The ‘turning point’ of the second act is the scene where Book sees Rachel bathing. In this scene slow close-ups of Rachel’s neck, back and arms are used over dialogue to convey Books magnetism towards Rachel.

Again it is played out from one room to another through a doorway, once again the door motif is used to justify the two worlds that cannot come together only conflict. Water is a harbinger of evil in Witness. Book stares at the naked Rachel in a shower of water, which is a provocation for the illicit sexual union- an ‘evil’ act in the eyes of the Amish law. As Book apologizes to Rachel in the next scene, he explains that crossing the threshold and consummation their obvious desires would have meant a turning away from Books past.

Rachel if we made love last night I’d have to stay”. This statement recognises the irreconcilability of their desperate worlds and is a clear turning point which signals the movement of the movement of the story to its climax and resolution. Due to respecting to one another’s beliefs and values brings the barrier between them not allowing them to come together. In the third Act, in the scene ‘the final assault’ we see Books renewed resolved to confront his pursuers in revenge of the death of his partner. The scene the final assault shows how Book defeats his tormentors.

After trying to escape in the car, this modern world symbol fails him and must seek other more recently learned ways to overcome his enemies. He drowns the first cop in the wheat silo which is ironic as to the Amish wheat is a source of life. McFee on the other hand was killed in a more modern way, on the wrong end of a shot gun, but even here Book digs the gun out of the wheat. At this point the triumphant music from the ‘Barn Raising’ scene returns depicting Books sense of triumph by defeating his pursuers. The close up shot of Schaeffer kneeling in the doorway presents an image of confession and redemption.