I agree with the OP. I have posted here years ago. Returned here now by accident. Years ago I was in the minority about the doctor. Here is one of my posts back then:
OK, so the Doctor insults Catherine ONCE in a tirade. (A few other slights are explainable in the Doctors' favor.) He was exasperated and reached the breaking point -- he had taken her to Europe to forget Morris, and she still said she was going to marry him. The Doctor said that "for months" he made an effort "not to be unkind" to Catherine, but then let it all out in that one scene -- that she has nothing to offer a man other than money, that she only embroiders well. Big deal, so he made a mistake there, but he said the truth about Morris, which Catherine was blind to see (she once said something obtuse like "I am everything he wants in a woman"). She was a grown woman. She had a mind and experiences with many people in her circle. Why couldn't she be understanding of her father's exasperation? Anyway, in the very next scene with her, the Doctor corrects his heated remarks: Catherine tells the Doctor that Morris deserted her, not the other way around. The Doctor then tells Catherine that Morris is a scoundrel she is fortunate to be rid of. The Doctor says: "you'll find some honest, decent man some day;" "You have many fine qualities;" that her fortune will make "it possible to choose [a husband] with discretion." " That seems OK to me. What more could he have said? Meanwhile, her boycotting her dying father is horrible and unforgivable.
(The other scene where the Doctor was harsh to Catherine: in the red dress scene, he says "but your mother was fair and dominated the color..." Harsh, I'll admit, but before that, in the same scene, he was gracious and told Catherine that she is "never a disturbing person" when she wants to see him and asks "Am I disturbing you, Father?" When he sees her in the dress, he says,"Is it possible this magnificent person is my daughter?. .... .... You are sumptuous, opulent. ... ... ... Look like a person with an $80,000 income!" Only when Catherine and Lavinia bring up the subject of the late mother and red did the Doctor make the harsh remark about her mother dominating the red color.)
(Also the Doctor spent much time trying to instruct Catherine himself and in showering her with outside socializing influences (best instructors, family, etc.) He implored family members to socialize her, accompany her about and beseeching her to join in on their doings. He could see that she was a "social mess" and tried every way he knew to correct it. This shows the Doctor's concern for his daughter. Also, with all the outside influences on her, it is hard to blame the Doctor for how she turned out.
Sorry for the long post. It makes me madder the more I see this great movie. To me the Doctor is the best person in the movie, and both Morris and Catherine are horrible people. On one hand we have the Doctor -- OK, so he is a little cold and sarcastic. So he expects too much of dull, introverted Catherine; he should have finally given up trying to socialize her long ago, I guess, and loved her unconditionally. But any normal parent would be concerned about and eager to educate such a shy child, who had to be unhappy with such shyness, withdrawal and awkwardness. That showed some love. I don't think he hated her or even came close to that.
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11 years ago
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happybkwrm
11 years ago
He blames her for her mother's death.
He despises that she's not a carbon copy of her "dazzling" mother.
He tells her she has NOTHING to attract a man but money.
He doesn't love her.
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Venus-25
11 years ago
I agree with you.
We only see a short period of these characters' lives. What we don't see are the years before during which Dr Sloper had to have been criticizing Catherine at every turn, all because he holds her responsible for the death of her "perfect" mother. Cruel words are never forgotten.
The Fabio Principle: Puffy shirts look best on men who look even better without them.
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catbookss
10 years ago
We only see a short period of these characters' lives. What we don't see are the years before during which Dr Sloper had to have been criticizing Catherine at every turn, all because he holds her responsible for the death of her "perfect" mother. Cruel words are never forgotten.
I agree. He was a bitter, cynical, and arrogant man, who had a severely diminished capacity to love. The irony is, he had much to do with the creation of the "dull" and very insecure daughter, whom in ways he despised for just those qualities.
But I do think he loved her, in his limited way. He really didn't want her to marry a man he knew would only bring her unhappiness.
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Forlorn_Rage
9 years ago
We only see a short period of these characters' lives. What we don't see are the years before during which Dr Sloper had to have been criticizing Catherine at every turn, all because he holds her responsible for the death of her "perfect" mother. Cruel words are never forgotten.
I agree. He was a bitter, cynical, and arrogant man, who had a severely diminished capacity to love. The irony is, he had much to do with the creation of the "dull" and very insecure daughter, whom in ways he despised for just those qualities.
But I do think he loved her, in his limited way. He really didn't want her to marry a man he knew would only bring her unhappiness.
I agree about Austin Sloper.
As I said in another post: I think Sloper does love his daughter with the natural emotions that come between parent and child. Even Catherine never said her father never "loved" her, she said he never "liked" her. There is a difference. You can be protective and caring over a relative even if you don't personally admire their character or qualities.
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mimosa_mirabella
9 years ago
Venus, I agree. Dr Sloper's essential nature was restrained but cruel. His character type wasn't and isn't rare among successful physicians.
MDs used to cultivate facades of 'caring' needed to win and maintain a happy patient base. But in this era when most MDs are salaried corporate employees instead of responsible for the success of private practices, we're seeing less of doctors showing 'kind attentiveness' for vulnerable patients and more of the clipped detachment which MDs used to conceal.
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Forlorn_Rage
9 years ago
He doesn't love her.
I disagree. I think Sloper does love his daughter with the natural emotions that come between parent and child. Catherine never said her father never "loved" her, she said he never "liked" her. There is a difference. You can be protective and caring over a relative even if you don't personally admire their character or qualities.
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