What the cuss was wrong with Fletcher? - The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) Discussion

[–] nickm2 10 years ago

Did you not see the movie? Clearly Fletcher knew he'd been double crossed when his men where gunned down; he was forced into a position to have to hunt down & kill Wales because:
(a) Wales would no doubt think Fletcher betrayed them.
(b) Fletcher had a gun stuck to his temple by one of the Senator's flunkies.

Why can't you wretched prey creatures understand that the Universe doesn't owe you anything!?

reply

[–] chilone 10 years ago

No. I didn't see the movie.

Sheesh...

I don't love her.. She kicked me in the face!!

reply

[–] nickm2 10 years ago

Had I known I would have put a 'spoiler' on it.

Why can't you wretched prey creatures understand that the Universe doesn't owe you anything!?

reply

[–] chilone 10 years ago

Umm... That was a sarcastic answer to your condescending reply.

I don't love her.. She kicked me in the face!!

reply

[–] nickm2 10 years ago

I deny condescension but I admit being unnecessarily 'sharp' in my response.

Why can't you wretched prey creatures understand that the Universe doesn't owe you anything!?

reply

[–] ck1-5 10 years ago

I've got to side with nickm2 on this; it's pretty obvious that Fletcher wasn't in on the double-cross. After the massacre, he even says something along the lines of "God damn it, Senator....you told me that these men would be decently treated!".

reply

[–] BenjiCarver 10 years ago

Right. Fletcher probably reasoned that continued resistance was a lost cause and they would all wind up dead. By convincing his men to surrender, he figured he would spare a lot of unnecessary bloodshed and get a little money too. Fletcher was guillible, not evil. The end scene in Santa Rio proved that.

Where the hell is Beeks.

reply

[–] Orbtastic 9 years ago

"they were decently treated"

reply

[–] Randy-144 9 years ago

Not only that, but they were decently fed and then decently shot.

reply

[–] thomasrupolo 9 years ago

Its still not sure why Fletcher had to hunt down Josey. He did what he was paid to do - surrender his men to the Union, and then his trust in the union and his men's trust in him was hugely betrayed by their execution. Why does he all of sudden feel a sense of duty to the union army who just murdered the men he had just been riding with. Clearly, he is not enjoying himself.

And also, where was he during the final raid by the soldiers?

Lastly, after the raid and the death of so many soldiers, doesn't that make the Turner family outlaws now? They may not have lived happily ever after....

Clearly, I've been thinking far too much about all this!

reply

[–] thomasrupolo 9 years ago

Its still not sure why Fletcher had to hunt down Josey. He did what he was paid to do - surrender his men to the Union, and then his trust in the union and his men's trust in him was hugely betrayed by their execution. Why does he all of sudden feel a sense of duty to the union army who just murdered the men he had just been riding with. Clearly, he is not enjoying himself.

And also, where was he during the final raid by the soldiers?

Lastly, after the raid and the death of so many soldiers, doesn't that make the Turner family outlaws now? They may not have lived happily ever after....

Clearly, I've been thinking far too much about all this!

reply

[–] thomasrupolo 9 years ago

I just saw the last scene again and just noticed something strange. Josey walks into the bar right after killing Redlegs, still bleeding from a gunshot wound. In the bar are two texas rangers and Fletcher! Wasn't fletcher riding with Redlegs? The way they are relating the tale about death of Josey and the way the lackadaisy way the Rangers are following up on this very wanted fugitive made it seem like this scene occurred months later, but it is the same day as a huge gunfight.

Its a little weird.

reply

[–] BenjiCarver 9 years ago

As I said in my other post, Fletcher was riding with Redlegs but was not under his command and could do what he wanted. My guess is he no interest in raiding a house and decided to hang around Santa Rio to wait for news of the raid.

The Rangers were just a couple of government guys going through their list and moving on to the next name. They did not seem invested in hunting people down. They likely were just crossing paths with Fletcher. This was set up in the scene with Granny Hawkins when Terrell states "lots of Rebels in Texas." The Federal and state authorities were likely each going through Texas rounding up holdouts.

Talking? During horse head bookends?

reply

[–] BenjiCarver 9 years ago

Fletcher knew Josey well enough to understand that after the slaughter of his men in the beginning, Josey would come after him and he had no choice but to join the effort to hunt down Josey. Josey told the kid that was his plan once the kid was well enough "Then we go back and get Fletcher." In Fletcher's mind, it was a matter of survival. John Vernon did a great job in my mind of showing Fletcher did not want to be doing it, but felt he had no choice due to circumstances.

As to Fletcher's whereabouts during the last raid, he was not under Terrell's command and would do his own thing when when he wanted ("I'm heading in to the Indian Nations") My guess is decided to stay behind in Santa Rio and wait for Josey and had no desire to raid a home where other people lived.

Regarding the fate of the Turner family, I do not believe you are thinking way too much. Might I suggest that perhaps you may be looking at it with a modern mindset. We are talking 1860's Texas in Indian Territory. Who would know what happened except the survivors? Fletcher would not care. The Texas Rangers in Santa Rio were shown as bureaucrats checking off names on a list and moving on to the next list. They would not care about some soldiers from Kansas.

Talking? During horse head bookends?

reply

[–] chilone 9 years ago

That is a very good perspective. I gotta watch it again. It's been a while. I just thought ol' Fletch gave up more info than he needed to. He could have lied about Josey.

That said, the real reason was to drive the plot :)

I don't love her.. She kicked me in the face!!

reply