Does anyone know what illness Isabel comes down with and succumbs to?
People in movies often come down with some mystery illness that seems to be brought on by emotional stress or sadness. I believe they said she was having trouble breathing but that's about it. Was it mentioned and I missed it? Was something going around in those days that I'm not aware of? Could it have been pneumonia?
In Welles' initial edit, Uncle Jack tells George during the bathroom scene that Isabel has been seeing a doctor due to heart problems, but this footage was deleted from the released version. What we are left with is Jack's comment to Eugene late in the film that Isabel suffers from shortness of breath like her father. Heart failure is implied, but, of course, it would have worked better dramatically to provide this information earlier in the story as originally intended.
shareMagAmbersons says > In Welles' initial edit, Uncle Jack tells George during the bathroom scene that Isabel has been seeing a doctor due to heart problems, but this footage was deleted from the released version.Ah, I see. Another casualty of the edits. Now it makes sense. Thanks!
I always considered it to be a wry poke at George. "Heart Problems" can also be a euphemism for a "Broken Heart". Isabel and Eugene had been in love, and still were. Sadly, she deferred to "The 'man' of the family", and sent Eugene away, not wanting any more pressure and squabbles.
Cardiac Issues may have been the physical cause, but the depression, tension and being at the center of an emotional Tug of War did NOT help.
I do hope he won't upset Henry...
I guess women were just more delicate in those days. Did you catch the way Lucy faints before the pharmacist can get her the aromatic spirits of ammonia?
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