MovieChat Forums > The Big Clock (1948) Discussion > The green-stained napkin (SPOILERS)

The green-stained napkin (SPOILERS)

posted 16 years ago by filippobardazzi
6 replies | jump to latest

Great movie! It works out just like a big and perfect clock: one of the best film noir I've ever seen. But i just have one question for you I cannot answer. At the end of the film Hagen gets in trouble and discovered by Stroud as he pulls out from the wooden cigarette box stroud's napkin with the mint stain on it.
Why this should be such a great evidence? I mean: anyone can paint a napkin green or get it dirty with mint, I don't think it is something that can prove your guiltiness.That could even be another different napkin, and not necessarily THAT napkin they're looking for! Did i miss something? What do you think?

Thank you!

[–] ange_gabb 16 years ago

Methinks it's a maguffin.

[–] caaro1947 16 years ago

It wasn't a napkin. It was Stroud's handkerchief. When he saw it in Hagen's office it helped him figure out that Hagen was somehow involved in the blonde's murder. Stroud knew that the blonde had his green mint stained handkerchief; when he was in her apartment after the murder he looked for it in her purse. It doesn't precisely meet the definition of a MacGuffin but I guess you could stretch it.

[–] dsfa2020 14 years ago

Also, why did Hagen take the napkin/handkerchief in the first place? I can't figure that one out.

[–] AvaSinatra59 (195) 5 years ago

It was evidence that could have pointed to the man Pauline was with. He might have stashed it in his cigarette box to use as some sort of leverage against Janoth, if he threw him under the bus, as he did.

[–] LTUM 13 years ago

i think it's true that it 'could' have been any old napkin, or whatever

but that's missing the point

the point is that stroud knew hagen would know it was the real one, and he was counting on hagen's reaction. infact, hagen even said the very thing you typed in your post: 'anyone could have put that napkin there to frame me'

so it wasn't about the napkin, it was about stroud SHOWING hagen that he had him by the youknowwhats which (stroud hoped) would put hagen under pressure to then offer up janoth. (which he did in fact do, as planned)

it was psychological warfare, and stroud played it perfectly.

a better question is what the other posted said, which is why did hagen take it in the first place? i assume he thought it could be janoth's handkerchief. but then he just crammed it in a box and never asked janoth, so that's kindof murky for me.

but in any case it's a slight, slight plot issue, which for me had no bearing on enjoying the film

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2dKNeLqNas

[–] liscarkat (19418) 3 years ago

The stained handkerchief might not have held up as strong evidence in court, but that didn't matter because it led to Hagen ratting out Janoth, who panicked and ran, falling to his death in the elevator shaft.