I Hear an Intruder!

Sound plays a crucial role in marking the intrusiveness of Melanie's behavior. By taking on roles and tasks that are normally handled by men, Melanie transgresses into a world that is predominantly occupied by men (racecar drivers, the wealthy elite, and spies; sailors, hunters, and soldiers). Hitchcock and Herrmann use diegetic noise to mark these intrusions. In the driving scene the viewer is constantly confronted with the sounds of squealing tires, engine revving, and grinding gears. These sounds destroy the serenity of Melanie's peaceful surroundings. The shot shown above is a particularly good example of this. The viewer is presented with a beautiful vista of the Northern California coast, which is disrupted, not only by the presence of the highway and Melanie's car, but by the noises that Melanie's car is producing as well. One can't help but be frustrated by the fact that instead of natural noises, like the ocean or wildlife, man made noises are presented instead. A similar effect is obtained in the scene in which Melanie is traveling by boat across the bay. Instead of hearing rolling waves or bird noises, which are yet to obtain their negative connotation, the viewer is again forced to listen to the murmur of the engine of the boat. In both cases, the disturbance in the tranquility of the scenes produced by the diegetic noise serves as an auditory reminder of the fact that Melanie does not belong in the situations the viewer finds her in.