Question about the fate of the four at the end:
So they kill the sleazy general who kills Angel. Yet nobody else shoots at them. So why didn't they just walk away then?
It seems like they decided to do what they did on purpose. Am I right?
Thanks for spoiling the movie for me in your post title. [/sarcasm]
Have some consideration for other film-goers.
I always kind of wondered whey Pike shoots the German officer since the German was not ignorant to them or threatened them where some of Mapaches closest men were ignorant to them, threatened them, and would have deserved it more. I also don't think they were dead set on going out in a blaze of bullets but most likely just thought it would be a strong possibility. They first asked for Angel back and thought they were getting him back, if they were so angry and dead set on a shootout they would have just walked up to where Angel was being held and started blasting away at everyone around them instead of asking for him back. If they got him back I doubt they would have started shooting everyone. When Dutch looks in amazement and then starts laughing after Pike kills the Mexican general, Dutch is shocked that just those 4 guys are holding at bay and scaring a entire army(some of Mapaches officers even put their hands up) and they probably could get away with just leaving or even taking over. I was kind of surprised that they did not try to leave since they had everyone so scared but they were the "Wild Bunch" and decided to start shooting.
shareI rewatched the film. I say they decided to die. Pike shoots the Austrian officer (more likely than German) , and I think it's a " what the hell" way of ending the momentary impass. For me the moment where he pauses, thinks then aims at the Austrian is a very key scene. I never read any kind of analysis of the Austrian not feeding info back, more he was the next highest ranking person and "Hell, why not ?"
share/I never read any kind of analysis of the Austrian not feeding info back, more he was the next highest ranking person and "Hell, why not ?"
Me, either. I figured that the officer would feed info. back.
"Two more swords and I'll be Queen of the Monkey People." Roseanne
There was no "info" to feed back. The Germans know how to make guns, and the US and Germany were on perfectly friendly terms in 1913. Pike shot the German because he realized they had no way out other than to attempt to shot their way out, and he knew the German was the most competent officer in the compound. He had one free shot, and he used it to take out the most dangerous guy.
They knew it would be their last stand. I got the feeling they wanted to go out in a blaze of glory. Their way of life and doing things was over, they were tired old men for the most part, men of the old West who couldn't make it in the encroaching modern world.
sharePike shot the German because he realized they had no way out other than to attempt to shot their way out, and he knew the German was the most competent officer in the compound. He had one free shot, and he used it to take out the most dangerous guy.
Mapache was brave, his men were loyal & he to them, & he was definitely not an idiot-but he was a drunkard & rather brutal. Stuff picked up from deleted scenes & small bits added a bit of character to Mapache.
Why can't you wretched prey creatures understand that the Universe doesn't owe you anything!?
AGAIN watch the whole movie.. in the end they died for what they ALL believed in!
The bunch stays together or they are finished.. all of em! (pike discusses it a few times throughout the movie)
They go back for Angel, realising they let the mexicans have him over the money! and the general, in his F-U rage killed him, in front of the bunch and the general got it!
Right at the end after the hooker scene, pike exits the building and says to the Bunch.. ""LETS GO""! and they all AGREED
in the end they went out blazing for what the whole movie was about, and that was **sticking together**! NO MATTER WHAT!
cmon guys this is a simple movie
Go on youtube and search ""The Wild Bunch: The Making Of The Final Shootout.""
they talk about exactly what i said..
the LETS GO, instead of the whole speech at the end of a movie.... they give the guns away to the peasants at the end and go back for what they believe in.. STAYING TOGETHER, and goin back for Angel!!!
Go on youtube and search ""The Wild Bunch: The Making Of The Final Shootout.""
they talk about exactly what i said..
the LETS GO, instead of the whole speech at the end of a movie.... they give the guns away to the peasants at the end and go back for what they believe in.. STAYING TOGETHER, and goin back for Angel!!!
The march scene at the end was a BIG DEAL, it shows them ALL together goin back for Angel... then they die for Angel and a CAUSE! and that cause was gettin rid of Mapache and his soldiers!
after they shoot the general, they know they can get out BUT instead they want it all!!
watch the utube making video, and they explain it!
search utube for
The Wild Bunch: The Making Of The Final Shootout
they explain it again there
They did take a long time to 'die hard' didn't they? No wonder Robert Ryan, when he's on the chase after Pike and the others of the Bunch, says "We're after men and I wish to God I was with them". He makes us know that what counts out there is having some sort of loyalty to something and if it was to each other then that was all to the good. Those old West values were great but they're shown in a twilight of a time that was passing.
And one thing I thought intriguing in the film was that Pike got the German guy. His shooting and death kind of looks forward to WWI coming up in '18. Pike and the Bunch if you want to look at it got in the first shots against our future enemies. You can tell they felt real good about it.
Seems like just plain suicide. You wonder why they robbed anyone in the first place if they're just going to get themselves killed.
I guess it's for honor for their fallen friend. Or, because Peckinpah wanted a super-bloody finale!
"I. Drink. Your. Milkshake! [slurp!] I DRINK IT UP!" - Daniel Plainview - "There Will Be Blood"
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Yes. The two older ones felt with Robert Ryan's gang waiting, there was no possibility of escape, so they'd go with a bang. Just saw it for the first time last night (45 years old), and it was outstanding.
sharePike and his gang were clearly tired of being hunted, they saw a chance to go out in a blaze of glory and redeem themselves: wiping out Mapache did the local people a favor.
The stand off that ensued after Pike shot the general was great: Dutch was anticipating a big shootout and he was enjoying himself. The wild bunch had already decided to make their last stand, whether they could've walked away or not after killing the general makes no difference in the end.
Yes I think so
share