Film Analysis: A Single Man

The film A Single Man, tells the story of George Falconer on the day plans to kill himself after he learns of his lover’s death. George, being gay, is not told of the accident killing Jim for several days after the fact, and is then banned from the funeral. Eight months later, when “waking up has actually hurt” everyday since Jim’s death, George resolves to shoot himself. On this last day of his life, despite urging himself to “just get through the goddamn day,” imagery of clocks, their ticking, and discussions of the past, present, and future indicate George’s misled attempt to control time. Clocks are shown on screen around George’s life throughout the day, no matter where he goes. The first one is in the first scene where he wakes up. He glances again at the clock in his car on the way to the university, as if it could get him away from his neighbors more quickly. A clock ticks the entire time he packs up his office, marking the seconds until he can get away. Another clock is stopped on the moment before George unlocks his box to retrieve his things, marking the time 2:45. Each time he is in his home office, a clock’s ticking is almost the only noise, whether he is setting up for his death, or packing things away after Kenny removes the gun to protect George.

Because he was happy then, he didn’t feel the need to speed up time, to get his life over with. He clearly states that the only thing worth living for is “ those few times that I was able to truly connect with another person,” mainly referring to Jim, but possibly also to Charley and Kenny, as the clocks disappear in those scenes as well. When George awakens to find Kenny asleep on the couch, the first thing he opens his eyes to is the clock on his bedstand, reading around 3 in the