MovieChat Forums > The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985) Discussion > Gil on the Airplane - I have a theory

Gil on the Airplane - I have a theory

posted 17 years ago by yttimsmc11
7 replies | jump to latest

Gil is afraid of flying. That's why he looks so uncomfortable on the plane, not because he feels bad about Cecilia. He's a selfish, self-aborbed jerk.

"I'll sue my dialogue coach, that louse."
"Fly down there and check into it, quick.
Now it's only one movie house, but who knows?"

"I'm afraid to fly."
"Gil, this is the scandal of all time. You know what happened to Fatty Arbuckle's career?"
"I'll fly. I'll fly."
"Good."

Why would Woody have placed this dialogue in the movie? It's hardly a coincidence.

[–] JaneSchmo 17 years ago

Despite Cecilia choosing Gil over Tom because he's "actually real", Gil was just as much of an improbable movie fantasy as Tom. It was just too good to be true.

I don't think Gil's plan from the start was to convince Cecelia he was in love with her so that she'd reject Tom but that's certainly what he used her for.

[–] rogue_gene 16 years ago

thats really a nice theory... i never thought of it that angle.. and it makes perfect sense too... gr8

[–] Jonathan-18 16 years ago

The fear of flying also relates to him portraying pilot Charles Lindbergh in an upcoming movie.

[–] WarpedRecord 16 years ago

We can only hope Amelia Earhart was piloting that cad's plane.

[–] artihcus022 15 years ago

Why would Woody have placed this dialogue in the movie? It's hardly a coincidence.

Why would he cut to Gil when the film is Cecilia's story.

He's a selfish, self-aborbed jerk.

No, he is an artist, he's a very good actor that's why his character is the only one that steps out of the screen because he breathed life into that role. The film is just as much about the conflict he has as an actor aware of his power to capture a person's love through his performance and he feels terrible about his betrayal of her and can appreciate as an artist, the irony of how great an actor he actually is.

"Ça va by me, madame...Ça va by me!" - The Red Shoes

[–] elisedfr 11 years ago

I hadn't thought of that...It does make sense.
I still thinks he might feel a bit guilty though. Otherwise, why show him on the plane ? Not sure the audience could remember what he said much earlier in the movie.

" You ain't running this place, Bert, WILLIAMS is!" Sgt Harris

[–] Luca_Toni_Almeida 11 years ago

Why would Woody have placed this dialogue in the movie? It's hardly a coincidence.

Because he had just made a remark about how he wanted to play Charles Lindbergh. It's a joke. Or, if you want to delve deeper: it's one of many things that illustrate how Gil is a real person who wants to be fake, as opposed to Tom who's a fake person who wants to be real. It's not connected to Gil's final scene in the airplane.