A villain? Boy I couldn't disagree more. Evil and cold? Where did you get all of this? IMO no one was the villain in this picture. Everyone was flawed yet had redeeming qualities in one way or other. George Eastman to me was a tragedy and my heart went out to him in more ways than one. He was a sort of Icarus, who flew too high, too close to the sun, and paid for it in the end. Even if he wasn't convicted and got away scott free, I don't think he would've gotten the girl nor his job back. He would have to slink away to the nondescript life he lead, prior to the start of the film. He was an ambitious young man, who saw all his dreams, the possibility of it, coming true. I sympathized with him, with his claustrophobia, with the feeling of being trapped and wanting to run away to this nice meadow, Taylor represented yet could never attain. We've all had bad thoughts, even in any religion, bad thoughts do not make one a sinner, it can lead to sin, yes, but you aren't convicted just by having them. His pastor at the end, may have been right though, that perhaps, he could've willed himself to save Shelley yet deep down, subconsciously, made a choice to swim away. How many of us do this in our day to day lives? We make tons of excuses to not do the right thing, so that in the end, the responsibility doesn't lie with us but on those excuses we just made. I have a slight flu yet I have an important presentation that I'm unprepared for, so you call in sick relying on your flu to give you more time. Or we can flip it, you have the flu and yet have an important presentation, instead of calling in sick, you push yourself to work relying on the excuse of the importance of the presentation rather than staying home nursing your illness. We do this daily, and I believe George did this that night at the lake, subconsciously.
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[email protected] (2017)
2 years ago
I can't believe how short the word quota is here!
CONT....
Shelley is made to be nagging, annoying, pestering, and whining but then again, look at her circumstances? She's a poor naive girl who got pregnant out of wedlock. And now the boy she gave herself to has set his sights on someone far beyond her in looks and circumstances. He will go off with a wonderful life leaving her alone, ostracized, with a kid she cannot afford. Her circumstances are as dire as George's, the difference is, George has a way out if she allows it, with her left in the dust alone to suffer the consequences of 1 night of indiscretion. Together, it may not be so bad, it would be a happy conclusion (for her) even if only she could hold him to his responsibilities.
Both Elizabeth and her parents are pretty open characters to me. Elizabeth knows of George's circumstances, yet has fallen for him. She knows too that with his name and hard work, his circumstances can be overcome. The fact that she visits him in the end, when all is lost, shows that her love for him was genuine, though never meant to last. Her father was the most pragmatic of all the characters, his concern for his daughter is understandable. YET despite learning of George's lack of education and poor upbringing, learns to welcome him because of his frankness, his honesty, and his sincerity for his daughter. What more can we ask for from anyone really? George asked for a chance, and he gave it. He even hires the best defence for George. Still, I doubt that even if they had won, Vicky's father would've welcomed George back, and I do think Vicky's love was not unconditional. Vicky's father gave George a chance, a second one too with the trial, but there are no third chances for George after that. I also doubt George's Uncle Eastman would've welcomed him back to the company despite it all. He was a poor relation he didn't owe any favors to, yet he gave him a shot, several times to promote him twice even.
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[email protected] (2017)
2 years ago
part 3....
In the end, people's kindness and generosity, and openness stop short of when it intrudes on them. They will extend a hand but only if you don't pull them with you. This is human nature, there are exceptions of course. But how can we judge others' own selfish desire for survival when most of us are guilty of the same thing? Even George's 2 loves are the same as his uncle and would-be-future father in law.
Take Vicky for example, her love for George, like Shelley, was always conditional. Shelley, if she truly loved George, would've let him go, only to hold him to a promise to take care of her and their child (maybe in writing). Vicky on her end, would not have given up her lifestyle and reputation for George, even if he had won his case. And I don't fault either of them for it. Even George's mother was not immune to this, in the end, she only came after the trial, on his last day, but never before. Her community service was far too important to up and leave for a son. And when she sees him, what does she say? Does she comfort him? Does she profess her love? No, she assumes as many do that George is somewhat guilty. Maybe her intuition is right. But there is no comfort and love from her along with her assumptions. Even Vicky's last-ditch visitation, though a sign of her love for him, was also a sign that she would continue on and move on from him. The words and embrace they shared were far different from before, understandable of course, but there was a detachment too despite the words ' I will love you for the rest of my life.'
In the end, the whole movie was a tragedy, for the promise of a bright future that was impossible for George to have ever achieved. The tragedy was that hope, that promise, he could almost touch it, but it was always elusive. It was best that he died, because his life was over once he tasted of a promise that could never be his to begin with.
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