MovieChat Forums > Barfly (1987) Discussion > How does Henry get money?

How does Henry get money?

posted 9 years ago by Bilwick1
3 replies | jump to latest

He seems to cadge most of the drinks he gets in the bars but he has some money to buy drinks and he manages to keep a roof over his head, albeit a really cruddy room in a cruddy flophouse. He gets some money fighting the bartender but he can't do that all the time. His writing can't be bringing in that much money. He walks with a limp, and his bartender enemy says that Henry "can't work" so maybe he's getting some disability check? Did I miss some revelation about his income?

[–] towelie2002 8 years ago

As Henry is in the process of moving into Wanda's house, they go to a bar and Henry notes how when he was packing his things, we found a tax return or something like that in the mail for working at a toy factory. So he got some cash from that. Otherwise, I have no idea either.

[–] tearsnhoney 8 years ago

Watching now.. He was stealing, the bartender gave him some over a fight, his tax refund and Tully, the other woman, gave him 500.00 for a story Henry wrote. He manages.

[–] Druff (1796) 8 days ago

I just re-watched it, probably seen it four times now since it came out. Struggling to recall any indication of Henry stealing...

EDIT: OK, I was hung up on money. (It was the topic, after all.) He did snatch part of a guy's sandwich. But it was a spur of the moment thing, not a habit or a means of daily survival.