Ronny Cox ?(Dies.)
Ned Beatty ?(anally raped by a hillbilly man.)
Burt Reynolds? (bone snaps in two and a jagged half of it protrudes out of his thigh.)
Jon Voight? (Falls on arrows, tips puncture his side.)
Nobody comes out of this movie in very good shape!
Ronny Cox
(He dies an unpleasant but somewhat "Christ-like" ("he was the best of us") death... tied to a tree with outstretched arms, no less. His sense of right and justice takes a hit and he goes loco, but he doesn't suffer long...)
Ned Beatty
(His sense of manhood is irrevocably shattered after the rape, but he's still alive and apparently coping via denial and repressed memory. This will cause him psychological issues in the future, most likely.)
Burt Reynolds
(Likely, crippled for life, perhaps even losing his leg. His sense of rugged male identity likely takes a hit as well. Hmm... I wonder if losing a leg was a metaphor for losing another part of one's anatomy?)
Jon Voight?
(His injuries aren't as severe as Reynolds', but he seems to be suffering from PTSD and recurring nightmares. He'll need to seek some counselling for that and I'd imagine could make his marriage suffer as well.)
Now, which character do you think grew the most and maybe learned something about themselves that might help them in the future? Probably Voight.
OINK OINK.
shareOINK OINK.
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Yes, grim though that fate is, at least Beatty doesn't end up dead(like Cox) or with permanent physical injuries(like Burt or Voight.) The emotional damage will be long lasting. Its always poignant to me how he says, in a matter of fact way to his friends "I don't want this getting out, OK?"
Ronny Cox
(He dies an unpleasant but somewhat "Christ-like" ("he was the best of us") death... tied to a tree with outstretched arms, no less. His sense of right and justice takes a hit and he goes loco, but he doesn't suffer long...)
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The movie isn't too "preplanned," but it is good FOR the story that Cox dies. He's the most conscience-ridden of the four, the one most likely to "crack" and squeal (so to speak) to the authorities, so he "goes," just like that.
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Ned Beatty
(His sense of manhood is irrevocably shattered after the rape, but he's still alive and apparently coping via denial and repressed memory. This will cause him psychological issues in the future, most likely.)
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Agreed on all parts. The emotional trauma will be a lifetime getting over, but at least he didn't die and he didn't suffer the painful injuries of Burt and Voight.
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Burt Reynolds
(Likely, crippled for life, perhaps even losing his leg.
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I had not thought of his maybe losing his entire leg...but now I see it, sure.
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His sense of rugged male identity likely takes a hit as well. Hmm... I wonder if losing a leg was a metaphor for losing another part of one's anatomy?)
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Hmmm...THAT's quite a good analysis. I misspoke on another thread of Burt "folding" after the injury-- he doesn't become a coward or anything -- but he likely has a crippled life ahead of him. On the other hand, he's a strong, tough guy. He might come out just fine.
Trivia: I've seen a photo from a deleted scene in Deliverance meant for the end of the movie -- the three survivors with the police. Burt is on crutches.
And Burt himself said that he had to agree to a most painful scene deletion -- in which his injured character gives a "pep talk" to Voight to go out there and kill those hillbillies. Boorman took Burt aside and said, "I'm sorry, I have to cut it. Voight has to decide to fight them on his own."
CONT
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Jon Voight?
(His injuries aren't as severe as Reynolds', but he seems to be suffering from PTSD and recurring nightmares. He'll need to seek some counselling for that and I'd imagine could make his marriage suffer as well.)
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Leaving out the dead guy, I figure ALL of their marriages will suffer. Except I can't remember -- were they all married? As I recall, Burt was NOT, the others were. Anyway, Bobby's sex life will suffer and Burt won't be quite the man he used to be.
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Now, which character do you think grew the most and maybe learned something about themselves that might help them in the future? Probably Voight.
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Yes, probably Voight. Burt Reynolds became the bigger star, but Voight was bigger at the time(an Oscar nominee for Midnight Cowboy) and the protagonist of the film. He would likely use his new-found heroism to become a tougher, better man.
Biden on Banjo seemed to fare pretty well.
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