MovieChat Forums > Ragtime (1981) Discussion > Why did Mandy Patinkin tear his shirt?

Why did Mandy Patinkin tear his shirt?

posted 14 years ago by ellennyc-1
6 replies | jump to latest

After the fight in the street with his wife, he yells something at her (in Yiddish? Something about "my child"? I am not sure), then he tears his shirt and goes back into the apartment building. What did he say and why did he tear his shirt? Does this have a specific meaning; he seemed to do it as a deliberate gesture, almost like he was saying, "I am done with you" or something like that.

I ordered the book, but have not yet rec'd it - is this explained in the book?

TIA.

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Trippetta10 14 years ago

The movie made it seem as though the wife was a tramp, but in the book she had been forced to have sex with her boss for the sake of her job (the family was dirt poor and depended on her income). I wish the movie had made this clear.

[–] Suthyrngrl 12 years ago

Refer to this article:

http://www.myjewishlearning.com/life/Life_Events/Death_and_Mourning/Burial_and_Mourning/Kriah.shtml

[–] wvanderburg 11 years ago

For all intents and purposes, she was now dead to him.

[–] mpoconnor7 10 years ago

I remember Lawrence Olivier did the same thing to his son Neil Diamond in The Jazz Singer.

[–] Piperson 9 years ago

Among the Jews, the rending of garments is a sign of mourning.