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Why Did Rennie 'Confess' About the Poison? (SPOILERS)

posted 11 years ago by highpriestess32
22 replies | jump to latest

First time on this particular board but have seen the movie about 6 times (widely spaced apart), and I am still a little confused as to why Rennie would say to Alex when visiting her in her holding cell "I want you to know I put the poison in the brandy" or something similar.

Maybe she knew the game was up but wanted to take credit for her plan regardless? It just seems strange that Rennie wouldn't try to wriggle out of it somehow even at that late stage. It's not a sign of guilt just because she saw that her latest "victim" was alive and well and standing behind her. Had she not planned his death she still assumed he was in fact dead so would have reacted that way regardless.

I think I am missing the point here somewhere for I recall pondering this very question years ago and can't remember what conclusion I arrived at. Whatever it was I found myself pondering over the same question when I watched it at my brother's a few nights ago...lol.

"Has anyone seen my wife?" - Columbo

[–] hyperium13 11 years ago

I thought about that also as it seemed odd. but possibly incase someone else might get to it and they hadn't found it yet although (if I'm remembering correctly) they must've found it otherwise they wouldn't have made an arrest. I need to go back and re-watch the dvd I've seen it many times but I'm forgetting now why they arrested WInger's character (as part of the set-up) I guess for the murder of Mr. Shen?

[–] highpriestess32 11 years ago

As I recall I don't think she was actually arrested officially - it was all part of the trap to lure Rennie in. It was just made to look that way for authenticity (and for the audience) to add to the twist. Because afterwards, a press member says to Alex "That was a brilliant trap" so it had to look convincing.

I'm guessing Rennie just maybe wanted to make Alex aware she had got one over on her? But given how Rennie was usually so careful not to make mistakes this doesn't make sense that she would just willingly confess for such a petty reason. She made her fortune marrying and murdering men and wouldn't have trusted Alex not to have been wired I would have thought!

"Has anyone seen my wife?" - Columbo

[–] parkguy505 10 years ago

I took it as she didn't want any innocent people drinking the brandy and getting poisoned. She new the jig was up and she was ready to surrender peacefully. I know it sounds odd that a serial murderess would care about an innocent person (non-husband) dying... but then again, how do you make sense of a woman who marries men to kill them and get their money? Movie sociopaths even have guidelines, rules, and lines they do not cross...

[–] zziiyy 10 years ago

I always thought she asked "How did you know I put the poison in Paul's brandy?"

[–] highpriestess32 10 years ago

I've seen it a few times. I am sure she said "I want you to know...". But it is on YouTube in my region anyway if you wanted to check. It's a bit laggy this evening my end lol but I am pretty sure she confessed.

Has anyone seen my wife? - Columbo

[–] Vesikko 10 years ago

I also found it strange thing for her to do. My guess is that it was just to ensure the audience that Rennie would get locked up. Without this "confession" she would have likely walked free from a trial.

[–] highpriestess32 10 years ago

Yes maybe a last-ditch plot device to make it work.

"Has anyone seen my wife?" - Columbo

[–] Psychological_Gold 9 years ago

The ending was the one part of the movie I didn't like. I would rather have seen Rennie get away with the previous murders, and successfully frame Alex. It just seemed weak the way it all went down, like it didn't vibe with the rest of the film.

[–] highpriestess32 9 years ago

Yes that would have been a better conclusion! Thanks for weighing in!

"These days you have to boil someone before you can sleep with them"

[–] amazonprince71 9 years ago

She was a VERY complicated woman and clearly not all there mentally (despite the fact that she was incredibly intelligent).

My guess is, she had never been found out before and her previous husbands obviously never got to confront her. Kind of like when you talk about people behind there back but when confronted some people tend to back off like they meant no offense.

She confessed to Alex that despite all of her marriages, she loved every single one of her husbands...(or thought she did)...so she was caught red handed, saw the look of disgust in Pauls face...became suddenly repentant and confessed.

[–] dray45 9 years ago

Absolutely agree. Rennie getting away with it and Alex locked up would have made for a much more satisfying, and less cliched, ending.

[–] moviebuf-11 9 years ago

There's no way Alex would have taken the heat for Rennie's past murders. That would have made zero sense. Alex was gainfully employed for years at the FBI headquarters in DC and, as evidenced by her own boss' comments, she was a workaholic who put in long hours with little social life outside the office. She would have had an entire office full of agents vouching that she was sitting at her desk or at least still in the city when the men died. Plus, her whole "arrest" was a trap set up to catch Rennie. Clearly the Hawaii authorities were in on it with Alex, searching for the poison, staking out Rennie's arrival back on the island, arranging for Sarah to come and identify her, etc. One phone call to DC would have verified that agent Alex Barnes was working undercover, hot on the trail of Catherine/Margaret/Rennie.

IMO, the ending was perfect. You could feel Rennie trying to keep her demeanor in check when Sarah walked into the room, but as soon as Paul walked in she knew her plan completely collapsed and the jig was up.

[–] OmarLove 9 years ago

She says 'I want you to know I put the poison in Paul's brandy. You mustn't....' And is then cut off. When I saw it, I took it that the rest of the sentence would have been 'you mustn't think I tried to put it in yours/wanted you to drink it' like they had a connection, all the times she could have killed her and she didn't, I think she wanted her to know that???

That was my reading anyway, however now I found this thread I'm not as sure lol

Eric Roberts fan!

[–] l-allred 9 years ago

AT the end, Rennie knew she was caught. She knew that at best she wasn't going to collect the pay-off on Paul, and at worst she was probably going to go to prison for a very long time, if not for the rest of her life. I think she admitted the poison was in the brandy because she wasn't sure they had found it, and she didn't want him to have a swig of it later on, and die for no reason.

You could argue that she did it because she didn't want to be tagged with another murder on top of those she'd already committed. But I think she was telling the truth (or her version of the truth) when she said she loved all her husbands, deeply. I think she was trying to save Paul's life because in her twisted way she cared for him...that was why she tried to kiss him as she walked past him.

But I found it interesting that her last longing glance was actually for Alex!

[–] highpriestess32 9 years ago

Great in-depth analytical reply! Thanks for weighing in!

"These days you have to boil someone before you can sleep with them"

[–] mizhub 9 years ago

I just watched the film for the first time since the late 80's. I heard it now as I heard it then:

Rennie says, 'How did you know I put the poison in Paul's brandy?'

Jessica says, 'We knew. We found it before he did.'

If Rennie had said, 'I wanted you to know...'

Then Jessica's reply wouldn't make sense.

Also, Rennie thought she'd gotten away with another murder and was shocked when Paul walked in. Why would she then say, 'I WANTED you to know....'?

[–] l-allred 9 years ago

Sorry, Mizhub...

As a pathetic OCD person who watches her favorite movies over and over without getting tired of them, and as a huge fan of this particular movie, I must tell you Rennie absolutely says, "I WANT YOU TO KNOW I put the poison in Paul's brandy...you mustn't let him..."

And Jessica absolutely replies, interrupting, 'WE KNOW. We found it before he did."

I won't insist my explanation for why she said it is the correct one...that was just my own theory that I cobbled together, based on my impressions of the undercurrents and nuances of this smart gem of a movie...and theories are notoriously subjective.

But that's definitely what they said.

[–] mizhub 9 years ago

allred...

I'm always ready to admit when I'm wrong. And this is one of those times.

Although like I said, I'd just watched the film for the first time in years, I guess I heard what I remembered.

I just watched the scene, and you're absolutely correct.

I have to say, though...Theresa Russell's delivery of both those lines are kind of mumbled. Especially the 'You mustn't let him...' part.

Regards,
Mizhub

[–] l-allred 9 years ago

Would not disagree with you on that.

[–] Warmfire 8 years ago

l-allred, I agree with your interpretation of why Rennie told Alex about putting the poison in Paul's brandy. Once getting her payout wasn't an option and she had been found out, it would serve no purpose to let someone die.

[–] Carriexoc 8 years ago

She told her to make sure he didn't now drink it. Because she really did love him! That's why she kissed him as she walked by him. It was her inner battle with fulfilling her obsession of needing to kill these men and at the same time that she really truly loved this one.

[–] whitespirit26 8 years ago

I thought she said, "HOW did you know I put the poison in the brandy". She seemed panicky, not like she wanted to take credit for it.