MovieChat Forums > The Mosquito Coast (1986) Discussion > Question regarding the final scene (SPOI...

Question regarding the final scene (SPOILERS)

posted 21 years ago by Stevenuccj
13 replies | jump to latest

At the very end of the movie, after Dr. Fox has been shot and the family is back on the boat/raft, as Allie Fox is dying, he asks "Are we still going up the river?" and Mother eplies in the affirmative I believe. Then it is implied that Fox dies. But they appear to actually be going DOWN and OUT of the river by the closing shot. So, they are finally escaping from the river, now that Fox is dying? Is this correct? Thanks.

Senor, senor,
Can you tell me where we're headin'?
Lincoln County Road or armageddon?

[–] scarde 21 years ago

Well, just to let you know... if you watch the movie closly you will notice that the water is actually going the oppisite way of the boat. so, yes they are going upstream... As for the idea of his life, he clearly says that now he paralyzed and not going to die.

[–] Starr-9 21 years ago

First of all, yes, they are going upstream, but the father is dying. My impression was that he dies and the rest of the family go back to America with what they have learned and try to start over.

[–] paprika_qt 21 years ago

I quote from the book:

"We pushed off in the flat-bottomed boat, Mother at the stern, holding the rudder handle, the twins in the center seat with the food, Jerry and I paddling on either side of Father at the bow.

'We going upriver?' Father knew we were afloat. He strained to see over the gunwales, but he couldn't.

'Yes,' Mother said. 'Upriver.'

But she hooked us in the current and turned us downstream."

[–] Raleigh_St_Clair 20 years ago

In the film they are CLEARLY going downstream (back to the ocean) and they lie to Allie because he is dieing

[–] JayDeath 20 years ago

Yeah, I'm pretty sure you are made to believe that he is dying. All throughout the narration, Charlie refers to his father in the past tense.

"I still get free gatorade, right?"

[–] disposablesink 19 years ago

they are definately going downstream, Mother just knew he was dying, and wanted him to die happy, believing they were following his "vision"... And we know he dies, because charlie's voice-over says something to the effect of "Now that my father was gone...."

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[–] yatman56 17 years ago

Uhhhh...what difference does it make what direction the water in the river is going? Rivers ususlly flow to the sea. BUT if the tide is coming in, and the current of the river is not strong, this could cause the water to flow into the river.

[–] conchie 19 years ago

Unfortunately I don't have the book in my hands right now but the father does indeed die and the do navegate downstream and away from their base camp. They are "freed" by the father's death and oppression and trapped in a way, in the grief for the overbearing man who had led their lives forever. Fantastic book, fantastic movie.

[–] starr05 19 years ago

They are going downstrean towards the ocean. The wind is blowing onshore making ripples on the water that make it appear as if it is flowing in the opposite direction.

[–] moonflower_878005 18 years ago

They are going downstream, back to the ocean.
Mother says that they're going upstream because earlier he told her that dead things do downstream, and wanted to go upstream. Since he was dying she must have thought it was the right thing to do.

[–] seroteamavi2001 17 years ago

I have not read the book in over a decade but I think he dies by beign picked apart by birds while dying in the grass. It was something like that.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] 17 years ago

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