MovieChat Forums > Charade (1963) Discussion > Grant as good guy turned bad (turned goo...

Grant as good guy turned bad (turned good)

posted 13 years ago by km9000
2 replies | jump to latest

With the first plot twist (Grant meeting up with the three bad guys in the hotel room), was anyone skeptical that Grant was legitimately working with them, and was instead using them? I get the feeling that Grant didn't seem the type to play sleazy villains and was too well-established as a hero type (though I'm sure there are exceptions).

Once it seemed like Grant's character actually was a bad guy who was impersonating Dyle's brother, and chases after Regina, I though it was a more interesting twist. Alas, it turns out he actually was a good guy after all. I loved the movie, and the leads, but I sort of feel like Grant's reputation affected how I saw the plot unfold.

[–] HoneyBakedHam 13 years ago

I didn't mind the double twist. I reckon I would have paid finer detail to the script if I watched it again for the first time. When they mentioned that "they put bullets in his chest and legs and left him to die" That seemed to be a big hint, that Carson might be alive and trying to get the money as revenge.
Grant (too many names to list :P) probably knew they were all after the money for themselves and based off his briefing maybe he knew there was a chance Dyle was alive and that's why he impersonated his brother? (well that's what he told Regina) (although he never mentioned that to the authorities), just called himself Dyle.
It twists the mind a bit and that's why I think it's one of the better action goosechase movies out there.

[–] hka-3 10 years ago

I suspected Matthau right off the bat. After that it was sneaky and clever how the film made me forget I suspeced him (lol). Part of that was accomplished by not giving Grant an alibi when Scobie (George Kennedy) was murdered. Everyone else -- Regina, Tex, etc. -- were with other people roughly around the time Scobie was killed, so that got me heavily suspecting Grant. I like that the other characters didn't notice that he did not have an alibi. At one point I believed Grant was a greedy murderer, then I believed he was just greedy. He was neither! As far as I know ;)

Shortly before it was revealed that Bartholemew was the bad guy, I laughed for having to remind myself that he could've done it.

Mag, Darling, you're being a bore.