MovieChat Forums > The Long Goodbye (1973) Discussion > question about the Doctor

question about the Doctor

posted 16 years ago by hairylime
5 replies | jump to latest

I think I've got all the important plot points wrapped up, with Terry and Mrs. Wade and the gangsters and all that... but where does Henry Gibson's character come into play? Was he just determined to get Wade to pay his doctor bill, or was there something more significant to the check he forced him to write out? Did the doctor have anything to do with Mrs. Wade or Terry Lennox, or was he merely incidental to the story? If anyone could summarize that character's role, that would be great; Thanks.

[–] satamshadow615 16 years ago

I think he was pretty much incidental to plot, besides playing a large role in causing Wade to commit suicide.

[–] jsharpied 16 years ago

I just watched this film for the first time last night. If I remember correctly, through the discussion that Marlowe had with Lennox in Mexico (before shooting him), it was revealed that Dr. Verringer was being paid off by Roger Wade, not for providing medical services, but for providing Wade with an alibi on the night that Mrs. Lennox was killed as the cops already knew that Wade and Mrs. Lennox were having an affair, and would have otherwise included him as a suspect.
The ending was a bit convoluted, but if I understood it accurately, although Lennox had in reality murdered his wife, part of the Terry Lennox/Mrs. Wade plot in covering up the actual circumstances and throwing Marlowe off-track, was to make Mr. Wade think that he had actually committed the murder in an alcoholic stupor/rage, and Dr. Verringer was a key player in the plot to drive Mr. Wade to either go insane and/or commit suicide.

[–] WarpedRecord 15 years ago

That is an excellent analysis and confirms that the doctor was indeed a major player in the plot about the plot. I was puzzled by the confrontation at the party when the doctor goes to collect this bill (how many doctors do that in person?), but it stands to reason that it was further attempt to break him down, ultimately to the point of suicide. This would further implicate Mr. Wade in Mrs. Lennox's death, making it look like he was riddled with guilt.

And didn't Henry Gibson's slap of Sterling Hayden look real? Great performances all around here, and amazing dialogue. It appears much of it was improvised.

[–] Pearl_Jade 15 years ago

There's a flaw in the theories presented about the doctor. You're saying that Eileen Wade and Terry Lennox wanted the doctor to provide an alibi so that Roger Wade WOULD NOT be suspected of Sylvia Lennox's murder. Then they pay the doctor to drive Roger to suicide so it WOULD be assumed that he killed Sylvia Lennox and was eaten away by guilt. Which is it -- was he paid for his alibi or was he paid to drive Roger Wade insane? If Eileen Wade wants her husband out of the way, why pay the doctor to provide any alibi at all? Let him have no alibi, let him get arrested for the murder, and let him be tried and convicted to spend his days in prison. If he's suicidal to begin with and conflicted about whether or not he murdered Sylvia Lennox, he will likely kill himself in prison.

But if the doctor was paid to drive Roger Wade to suicide, that leaves a heck of a lot to chance. When if he doesn't commit suicide but simply drinks himself into a stupor? When if he lashed out and beat the doctor with his cane instead? And how would Eileen Wade know that Roger would attempt suicide in the presence of Marlowe (otherwise, she could be suspected of killing him)?

This whole question about the doctor illustrates how convoluted the plot of this movie is. Things are made artificially complicated just to pad the movie and provide backdrop to Philip Marlowe's wisecracks. Maybe that was Altman's intent, but that's another discussion.

[–] cleptomaniac24 15 years ago

Dr. Verringer served two primary purposes in terms of the plot. First was to create a situation in which Marlowe and the Wade's could meet. Secondly and more importantly he was instrumental in developing Roger Wade's character.

Wade supposedly gives off this impression of ultra-masculinity, but Varringer's presence contradicts that. When you first see Wade and Varringer together Wade is completely submissive to Varringer, it isn't until Marlowe is there to back him up that Wade grows a backbone. Then in their second encounter Wade tries to impress his guests by belittling Verringer, but as soon as Verringer shows the slightest amount of physicality (despite being much smaller) Wade backs down. It's all meant to show how much of a coward Roger Wade is and set the stage for his suicide. The reason Roger Wade checked himself into the mental hospital is because he was distraught over his wife's affair, not because he believed he had killed Mrs. Lennox.