Character Qualities
One of the specific ways in which color is used throughout toga movies is to communicate traits of the characters. By associating particular colors with a character, or group of them, the audience is subtly given information about them and their characteristics. This is used to convey more straightforward characteristics such as personalities, status, and relations to other characters, though can also become more complex; representing weaknesses, being used for foreshadowing, and even showing the changes of an individual’s values over time. All of this comes together to communicate intricate emotional messages to the audience without words, and helps the films communicate both smaller and larger themes visually.
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There are many colors that are consistently used to convey specific qualities. For example, as seen in the majority of the female love interests in early toga films, the color white. Associating pure white with a character has been used to represent a kind, gentle, and pure nature. For example, in Ben Hur (1925), Esther is often seen in fair clothing, and visually tied to the stark white of doves. It is a visual representation of her generous and kind actions seen throughout the film. This same association with the color white is used for Cabiria, from Cabiria, Lygia, from Quo Vadis, and even Philia, from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.
Interestingly, this association of white and morality can be seen used in more subtle and specific characterizations as well. For example, in Marcus Vinicius from Quo Vadis, who wears a white tunic beneath his leather roman chestplate. This could be to represent his morality and purity underneath his surface level role as a selfish Roman general. Contrarily, we see the opposite demonstrated with Messala from the 1951 version of Ben Hur. In the beginning of the film, as he is reunited with Ben Hur and his family, he also wears a stark white cloth draped across his body. Though below this, he wears a maroon tunic. This may be to show how he is a true Roman underneath his agreeable exterior, foreshadowing his future betrayal of Ben Hur’s entire family and role as a villain.
Figure 1: Messala, Ben Hur (1951)
Figure 2: Lygia and Marcus Venicius, Quo Vadis (1951)
Figure 3: Cabiria and Fulvius, Cabiria (1913)
Figure 4: Philia, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the forum (1966)
Figure 5: Ben Hur and Esther, Ben Hur (1925)
Figure 6: Lydia, Quo Vadis (1951)
Other distinct color and quality associations are used throughout the films, too. Such as the link between maroon and Roman strength and leather brown and masculinity, two colors and qualities often found represented together, such as with Hercules in Hercules, Leonidas in 300, Marcus Venicius in Quo Vadis, or Messala in Ben Hur (1951). Purple and gold are continually related with royalty and wealth, as seen with Nero in Quo Vadis and Cleopatra from Cleopatra, and blues, blacks, and grays are similarly connected with darkness and negativity, as seen in Gladiator and even Disney’s Hercules.
Brown and Red
Figure 7, Ben Hur (1951), 8, 300 (2007), 9, Quo Vadis (1951), 10, Hercules (1997)
Purple and Gold
Figure 11, Cleopatra (1963), 12, Quo Vadis (1951), 13, Cleopatra (1963)
Blue and Gray
Figure 14, Hercules (1997), 15, Gladiator (2000)
As there are many well established color and trait connections, changes in these connections can subsequently show changes in those traits. For example in Julius Caesar’s personal arc in Cleopatra, he is shown as a very grounded level headed character in the start– cemented with constant depictions of him wearing deep reds and browns. Though with his return to Rome, his ego grows and he begins to be portrayed wearing royal purples, golds, and whites. The previously associated leather browns and reds are left behind, as are his grounded and selfless nature. This shift in associated color palette subtly displays the changes of his internal character.
- Before -
- After -
Figure 16, 17, 18, 19, Cleopatra (1963)
Though Caesar’s color palette and quality changes were gradually implemented, some shifts in character-color representations are more immediate. For example with the villain Hades from Disney’s Hercules (1997), he undergoes a dramatic shift in color when angered, as his skin and hair of flames turn from their typical gray and blue to a bright fiery red. While this does effectively work as a visual gag for the audience, the color shift does change the underlying meaning of the fire itself. Blue fire, his resting shade, is known as the hottest of all flames, while red, though bright, is deceptively the weakest. The audience would assume his flames to grow hotter and more dangerous when angered, when it is in fact the opposite– representing one of Hades’ weaknesses as a character. When calm and collected, he is able to strike deals and manipulate with ease, though when allowing his anger and jealousy to take hold he makes the drastic mistakes that result in his swimming in the river Styx. With just a shift in color, deeper meaning and weaknesses of this character can be revealed.
Figure 20, 22, Hercules (1997)
This deliberate selection and use of color isn’t only useful in communicating qualities of individual characters, but also the connections and qualities of many. For example, in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966), groups of characters are visually connected by the colors associated with them. Throughout the movie, many of the characters belonging to the house of Senex are all seen wearing warm tones, ranging from earthy reds to yellows. The characters working for their own common goal share a similar color palette, while characters not sharing this goal have their own respective colors. This can be starkly seen in the musical number, “Everybody Ought to have a Maid,” in which Pseudolus, Hysterium, and Senex are all seen close together, demonstrating this visual relationship. Contrastingly, when Lycus joins this number, his deep purple robes make him stand out, a very obvious reminder he is at odds with the group of Pseudolus.
Figure 22, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966)
These concepts of individual colors representing both individual and group qualities can be combined, as seen in Hercules (1997). In this film the two sides are represented by cool toned blue for evil, and warm toned orange for good. Meg, Hercules’ love interest of the film, is always portrayed in purple, a mix of warm and cool colors. This puts her in the middle of the spectrum, her loyalties and morals made more ambiguous to the audience, foreshadowing her position in which she is working for Hades while also supporting Hercules.
Figure 23, 24, Hercules (1997)
Overall, the use of color is an incredibly useful tool in visually conveying traditionally non-visual qualities of both individual characters as well as groups. It allows for straight-forward characterizations, such as specific colors and traits being directly associated, as well as more complex characterizations, with the combining and changing of colors conveying more specific underlying messages or foreshadowing.
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