THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (2008)

This David Fincher film feartures actors Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Teraji P. Henson, Julia Ormond and Tilda Swinton.

Welcome to my blog post for David Fincher's film "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."

Benjamin Button has a disease called Progeria syndrome which is a variety of illnesses or conditions that brings about rapid aging children. It is also known as Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome or (HGPS). This is a rare deadly hereditary disease with visible characteristics of premature aging. “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” is about a man who ages in reverse from agedness to babyhood by Scott F. Fitzgerald.

In Fitzgerald’s tale, Button’s mother has more of a presence despite the fact that she is not much involved in Benjamin’s life or upbringing due to her death during childbirth. She is briefly mentioned and there is a sense that she existed at one point in time whereas in the film, the mother is not seen, talked about, or witnessed at all. The film displays the hummingbird as an image of infinity and since it produces the figure of eight at all times, it insinuates that passing does not drive the story’s close but unfolds a fresh beginning. Just as Benjamin dies as a baby his death marks originality in life.

The hummingbird is the only bird on earth with the ability to fly backwards. While the hummingbird also embodies living in the moment it also is a sign of healing. The hummingbird is also frequently expressed as a stopper of time, following the slow motion appearance its wings invent while flapping. To some, sighting a hummingbird signal that challenging times are over and healing can begin. To a few, these petite fliers are an encouraging indication of aspiration and good fortune. Hummingbirds can also possess a spiritual importance and convey the soul of one's beloved is close by which is why its presence made me think it could be the soul of Benjamin’s mother still somehow watching over him. The existence of the hummingbird also indicates something notable is bound to transpire. The observation of the bird outside the window of Daisy’s hospital bed throughout Hurricane Katrina also exemplifies death. Benjamin Button’s character illustrates uniqueness. Born as an elderly man, Benjamin is powerless to age backwards. The author applies his disposition to reveal the manner in which the outsider is treated by society overall.

The backwards running clock presented at the start of the film provides the intention of being connected to Benjamin Button and his condition. Just as the clock reverses time, Benjamin’s evident age returns to a former or less developed state. Just as in the short story, his greatest foe is time. The backwards running clock is a representation of the loss of the young men in WWI. To remember them and long that time could turn back, returning them home to work as well as live full lives which were taken far too early, are one of the implications that this clock stands for. Benjamin merely grows younger and younger until he is physically a newborn baby.

Because he was born with the physical ailments of an eighty four year old man, his lifespan is determined by the state of his birth. “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” argues that age has to a great extent more to do with frame of mind than anything physical. It argues that the age of one's intellect is completely dominated by the age of one’s body.

Meghan L. Grady