MovieChat Forums > Eaten Alive (1977) Discussion > What was going in the Finley and Burns ...

What was going in the Finley and Burns marriage?

posted 20 years ago by mcintyro
10 replies | jump to latest

Upon seeing this film many times, the relationship of the married couple is as scary and bizarre as anything in this excellent film. Why was the husband freaking out so much? I don't mean when he is dying, I mean before the dog went into the water. Also, it seemed the couple were wearing disguises upon their arrival at the place. Marilyn, I think had on a black wig. At first, when I saw this film, I thought they might have kidnapped the child, Kyle Richards, or been an evil aunt and uncle guardians after her inheritance.

Can anybody shed some light on this relationship? The disguises? The freaking out of the Husband. Didn't seem like a happy marriage. Would appreciate it.

"Will somebody pass the cranberry sauce. Pass the cranberry sauce" – Herman Munster, Thanksgiving episode of THE MUNSTERS, circa early '60's

[–] 20 years ago

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[–] paulduane 20 years ago

I really can't imagine what the hell was going on in their marriage but I loved Finley's performance - the guy was on a Crispin Glover-like level of weirdness! It was during this scene that I definitively decided that I loved this movie but must never watch it on any form of hallucinogenic substance. And isn't it odd that so many of the characters - including the little girl - seem to walk funny? Watch it again and you'll see what I mean. This could have been made by the Coen Brothers at their best, it is a work of genius.

[–] mcintyro 20 years ago

Intereresting observation. He will give it a another look. I've seen this film quite a few times, even back in the theaters in 1977. I must admit I was high when I saw it, and I thought my heart was going to stop. It's interesting that the little girl is wearing a leg brace, which only makes me wonder how she got it judging from those bizarre parents. What was the mother's deal with the wig? Anyway, your comments are interesting because either the girl walks with a leg brace or has an artificial one, and so does Jed.

[–] 20 years ago

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[–] 20 years ago

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[–] jayanxiety 18 years ago

Finley's character was sort-of like the "Franklin" character from TCM. He went against the typical "good guy" victim role and was a wacky, annoying creep who seemed to just be asking to die. I also think he was a bit of a sadist who liked to freak out his wife and daughter (e.g. the "dog barking" sounds after the daughter just witnessed the gator eating her dog).

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] asgard-5 13 years ago

I thought they were a couple on the verge of breaking up. That's pretty much how men dramatize things when they go through it. And the kid was probably not his.

[–] cdjunkee-1 11 years ago

In the 70's it wasn't unusual for Women to wear Wigs. My Mom who is in her mid 60's now said she would go to work wearing a Wig for the day and take it off at night. By today's standards it sounds odd but back then it was the norm.

~I love the rhythm it is my methoood!~