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I am confused by (spoilers in my plea for assistance)

posted 14 years ago by DonnaLevin
6 replies | jump to latest

I'm either missing something that is obvious to others or, just possibly, the script has a bit of a flaw here. First, is Harriet/Russell's *only* motive for lying about her phone call to keep a mention of her husband's name out of the paper? I was sure that the story was leading up to her more serious involvement with dead couple, such as an affair or blackmail -- or even that *she* was the killer.
And what is her motive for keeping her niece away from her fiance? Again, I imagined that we'd learn that she wanted fiance for herself, or wanted revenge on dying sister based on a past grudge. It was out of character to take Ethel in as a house guest without some ulterior motive since who knows -- Ethel might have left a dent in the pillowcase...

"I've loved you my whole life."
"You've only known me three days."
"That's when my life began."

[–] wmoores 14 years ago

Harriet is just mean to the core. She wants no scandal associated with her name, hence the lie. Again, it's meanness with the lie to the niece.

[–] studebaker62 14 years ago

This is a play was written at a time when it was good and rightous for a married woman to put her husband and family and home first, beyond her own needs. What makes Harriet truly shocking is that she is a calculating woman, who has placed herself, her home and her position to the forefront - it is her reason for being.

Harriet is not souless, but she is controlling and a bully. And like all good bullies, she needs a flunkie - hence her treatment of her niece: she blocks her niece's path to love to keep the niece under Harriet's thumb - the nieces lack of security means that she needs Harriet, and Harriet perceives that need as a contract of loyalty. Without that guarenteed loyalty, Harriet has no use for the niece.

The thing about Harriet is that all interpersonal relationships are based on deals and trade-off, except for Harriet, she has to control all the deals and monitor thier execution to her liking. So the audience knows that the house of cards that Harriet lives in will come crashing down, the only question is when.

[–] AvaSinatra59 (195) 6 years ago

Great analysis. Thank you.

[–] stratorick 14 years ago

The main reason she lied about the call was that did not want her husband to find out that she was checking up on him. The issue with the niece and her refusal to call her to the phone was another example of her need to control everyone around her.

Waste anything except TIME time is our shortest material

[–] jolypm 14 years ago

Just saw it recently. It's an oldie, a real one but surprisingly, it's a very good one. The subject is interesting too: love and attachment to Materialism. You wouldn't see a movie with this subject nowadays. Rosalind Russell was very good as a dramatic actress. Remembered her mostly in comedies like Auntie Mame or Picnic. Quite good. What I like about old movies is the great black and white cinematography. Pure visual delight. Want to see it again (got the VHS).

[–] stratorick 14 years ago

Yes, I could't agree more. A very compelling drama with beautiful black and white cinematography. I am grateful to have a VHS copy to watch time and again. It constantly surprises me as to what gets (and more importantly what doesn't) get transfered to DVD. This picture would benefit enormously from conversion and would be more accessible. Roz Russell does an amazing turn as the Ice Queen. If you compare her performance to Crawford's in Harriet Craig I think Russells is more laudable because Crawford didn't have to dig too deep to find her character's core. Russell's performance is complex, even tragic.

The sets are flawless and the entire supporting cast are memorable. Hope it gets a DVD treatment soon!

Waste anything except TIME time is our shortest material