Fingersmith, 2005, BBC Drama Sexuality

Editing

Editing has been used to represent sexuality through the use of a dissolve. This can be seen when the man is licking Maud's hand, while her facial expression is showing a disgusted face towards the man, there is then a dissolve to the maid getting undressed and has her back to Maud. This suggests Maud's desire for a physical romance with the maid as she is thinking about her getting undressed and is completely putting aside the fact that the man is licking her hand. This also implies that the love for the maid is unrequited as the maid has no idea that Maud has feelings for her and suggests that lesbianism is passionate.

Another way this dissolve is used is to contrast between the man and Maud's maid is that when the man is licking her hand there is discordant and tense music which is displeasing and suggests she is uncomfortable, when the dissolve happens to the maid getting undressed the music changes to soft symphonies suggesting that the atmosphere is peaceful when she thinks about her or is with there. The dissolve is also used to compare the lighting in each shot, when Maud is being held up to the tree by the man, the light is harsh and her face is red to suggest she may be sun burnt and when the dissolve happens to the maid the light is soft and lit by candles to present the contrast from harsh to soft when she is with the man to when she is with the maid. This suggest that lesbianism is pleasant and soothing.