MovieChat Forums > Cría cuervos (1977) Discussion > questions (spoilers)

questions (spoilers)

posted 18 years ago by WeGetIt
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Something I don't get. I read in an Amazon review that we find out the poison is acctually baking soda but I've seen the film twice and havn't spotted the part where this becomes apperant. The can that the supposed poison is in says "bicarbonato" on it which could be baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), but that is just the container, it could be from anything. And Ana is old enough to read it and see that it's not poison or perhaps she doesn't know what sodium bicarbonate/baking soda is yet. So I'd like to know, when does it become clear that it's baking soda and not poison, and which one is it really? I was trully under the impression that she did poison her father and was responsible for his death. And why would her mom give her the can, tell her to throw it away, and tell her it has a horrible poison in it if it was just baking soda?

My second question is: why didn't her aunt die from the poison in the end? And of course if it wasn't poison to begin with this would make perfect sense. I thought Ana might have dreamt poisoning her.

My last quesiton is about the part where Ana points to "the postcard of the lake" and tells the grandmother details about it that she doesn't seem to remember or recognize. My first impression was that Ana is being a little cruel to her and making up false things knowing the grandmother can't talk back to correct her or tell her to stop. And knowing how much the grandmother loves to look at her pictures, havng Ana make up some lies about one of them must be hurtful; the granmother looks to me like she sees what Ana is trying to do, to confuse her old mind. But I also wonder if the grandmother simply can't remember all those things because she is just old. Can anyone offer some thoguth on this.

[–] kpjf 18 years ago

perhaps she doesn't know what sodium bicarbonate/baking soda is yet

I don't think i would've known what that was at her age, and if someone had of said to me it was poison i probably would've believed them.

So I'd like to know, when does it become clear that it's baking soda and not poison

I assumed it was only definite when the aunt walked into the room when the children were playing/getting ready for school, as summer had ended, at the end of the film when ana heard her aunt's voice and realised she wasn't dead that you knew for certain that it wasn't 'poison'.

Part of me thinks you're thinking too much into this poison (no offense meant). I just that i feel it fitted in well with the story in that ana wanted her aunt dead ( !quiero que te mueras! !quiero que te mueras!). I don't know why her mum would say it was poison if it wasn't, who knows...maybe she was just saying it so that ana wouldn't touch it, not really meaning that it was poison, or ana might have misinterpreted what she meant, but as it didn't happen in the film, you can only guess!

2nd question- well as you say it wasn't poison

Personally my thinking on your last point is that it's not a really big issue. The film focused mainly on Ana, her playing, doing things etc and i feel that this was just another thing. Although my thinking was that the grandmother may have lost a bit of her memory or been a bit sick maybe and she was maybe just saying is this the one you like- as she might have had a favourite photo. I do remember that she mentioned the hotel/honeymoon in the photo etc and the grandmother looked at her like what are you talking about, maybe ana could've been making it up or the grandmother forgot. Can't really say.

I watched this mainly without english subtitles so might have missed a few things here and there...

[–] marsisaplanet 17 years ago

I just finished watching the criterion release of this film and just after Ana describes details of her grandmothers honeymoon to her she asks if she wants to die. To which she responds yes, Ana then offers her help. She brings her the can and tells her it's baking soda and that a teaspoon can kill an elephant. Due to the fact that the grandmother can't speak she is unable to tell her what baking soda really is, simply shaking her head. Ana understands this as the grandmother no longer wanting to die, yet still believing baking soda is a very strong poison.

[–] Elmtree64 17 years ago

My take on the mystery powder is that it is a drug (cocain or heroin?). That would explain it being in a tin labeled baking soda. I get this mainly from the mother telling Ana "it's no longer needed." I.E. early in her unhappy marriage she felt the need for it, but at that point no longer did. I don't know anything about drugs, so don't know if a spoonful of something could kill the father, but simply give the Aunt a good night's sleep. (Different people will react differently, and the father's strenuous 'activity' combined with the drug may have been a contributing factor.)

Of maybe it was just old baking soda, and mother was playing a game with Ana when she said it was poison. In which case her father's death was just a coincidence...

I assume Ana was describing the postcard as Grandmother had previously described it to her before her stroke. In which case her confusion was indicative of her declining mental capacity.

[–] nycbrent 16 years ago

It's been about a year since the last post here, but I just watched this film so thought I'd comment here...

It seems likely that the powder is some form of drug, a pain killer, that is no longer needed because Ana's mother has died. When given to Ana's aunt, it didn't kill her but seemed to put her into a very deep sleep, from which she did not awaken when Ana entered her room and touched her.

[–] Bklyn4ever 16 years ago

The can says "bicarbonato de soda" if you look closely. That is basically Alka Seltzer--a totally benign and over-the-counter gastritis remedy.

Her mom was pulling her leg saying it was poison and she believed it, so she believes that she killed her dad and she offers to give her grandma some for an assisted suicide. Her grandma is able to read and understand the label and that's why she shakes her head "no" (she's aphasic from a stroke and cannot explain the mistake to Ana).

When the aunt wakes up, Ana cannot comprehend why the "poison" did not work on her.

[–] Bartholomew (102) 15 days ago

I'm going to throw in my two cents in case anyone else has the same question...

The can contains baking soda. We know for sure when Ana brings it to her grandmother and we can read the label and see grandma's amused reaction.

But even before that scene...
It's Ana herself who first suggests that the can contains poison. Her mother just plays along.
Who would so dumb as to store a poisonous white powder in a baking soda container?
What mother would give her 8-year-child a container of poison, even to throw away?