MovieChat Forums > White Water Summer (1987) Discussion > Alan was Vic's bully

Alan was Vic's bully

posted 13 years ago by mcfly-31
8 replies | jump to latest

My enduring love for this film continues after 25 years. From what I can see here, most of us identified with Alan (or Chris, Mitch or George) as kids, but sort of see Vic's side now as adults. Kind of.

Without Alan, there's no film. Vic had obviously done this a few times, and the other three kids didn't have cooperation or attention issues. Alan presented a challenge to his patience and guidance. Vic's into yoga, nature, physical endurance, a few things I've actually developed an appreciation for. But Vic seemed to feel the need to channel these things to the young in an effort to show them it will make them better people, too. You have a kid who doesn't wanna listen, it makes it grueling.

Alan humiliates Vic (the fish trap), beats him at chess, questions his sanity ("You must be crazy!"), and actually accomplishes turning the rest of the kids against him. That there is especially hard for him to accept, that his sense of power has been compromised. Once the kids physically turn on him, it's of course, the kid he was the most threatened by that enables his rescue through the same ingenuity that Vic so eschewed before. Hence, his "bully" to the rescue.

My point being, this film kicks ass.

"If I had ya where I wanted ya, they'd be pumpin your ass full of formaldehyde!"

[–] Kuato_and_George 12 years ago

Why shouldn't he question Vic's sanity? It's ironic he was teaching kids to be better people, because Vic wasn't all there either.

He's stubborn, but you get a real peek into his personality when he banishes Alan to the island overnight. And for what? Because the kid used his brain to catch fish? Overreaction. He does the same thing again with the rock climbing incident.

He wanted to teach kids values and responsibility and there's nothing wrong with that, but the guy was nutes.

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[–] Room12 10 years ago

If you pay attention, you'll see that Vic let Alan win at Chess. He did it to smooth over the fracas of taking his knife away earlier.

As an adult, I see this dynamic between Alan and Vic differently. Vic was truly trying to help Alan, who was just a pampered city brat. His methods might have been extreme, but it was his intention nonetheless.

[–] daughterofolaf 10 years ago

Do you have to know how to play chess in order to know that? I have no clue how to play so I wouldn't really know what was going on either way. I didn't pick up on any signs that he let him win. So was it a particular move or something that gives it away?

I have literally seen this movie so many times that I don't even watch the movie anymore half the time I put it on so much as I'm listening to it or falling asleep and doing laundry and so on. So it's possible I am just oblivious to it. :P

"It's Minnie Pearl's murder weapon."

[–] kuatorises (7467) 4 years ago

He let him win at chess? What stand up guy. Are you mentally handicapped? Vick was insane. Could have killed Alan.

[–] daughterofolaf 10 years ago

mcfly, I often agree with your posts and over the years have enjoyed reading them and while I agree that this movie is pretty awesome I have to say that it sounds like you don't know what a "bully" is. There are of course various opinions on the characters and intentions of those characters in the film and so on but seriously, you are saying that Alan "bullied" Vic? Making someone feel like a fool (unintentionally at that), beating him at a board game and calling someone crazy (especially when that person HAS displayed questionable judgment to say the least) hardly qualifies as bullying. Additionally, Alan didn't turn the boys against Vic. Vic did it to himself. Alan wasn't even present when they "turned" on him.

"It's Minnie Pearl's murder weapon."

[–] mcfly-31 9 years ago

Daughter, I figured all would know I was referring to emotional bullying. Alan is obviously not as big as Vic, so physical bullying was out of the question. Alan's belligerence was more borne out of fear, but by constantly pushing Vic's buttons, he became his mental bully.

Alan is right there when they desert Vic after Alan has returned from hanging off the rock face.

"Jesus, does anyone?"

[–] thomaxz-tc 8 years ago

Vic is mentally unstable

As he is ready to throw Chris off
Ready to let Allan hang
-Look at the rope, scratche the rock, easily break.
Allan stay on island
-because it not done his way

-Let allan hang on the bridge ready to fall. Althroug suposely watching.

Ready to fight child, when begin to go home

Attack the kids when found the canoe.

Very unstable.

[–] whatwazdat (431) 6 years ago

As a kid, I saw no value in Vic, but now as an adult, I came here to see if anybody had a change of heart now that we're older. And I see many do. LOL! Allan was a whiny, pampered, silver spoon kid. Vic isn't completely stable, but I do see value in him now. He was truly trying to instill something in these kids. He actually never physically threw a punch, kick or hurt the kids. Yeah, he left them hanging, threatened them and stuff, but it's the kids who went Lord of the Rings on him in the end. He was chasing Allan, but never actually got any shots in and before you know it, he's whacked by the paddle, then have rocks thrown at him, knocking him to the ground, breaking his leg. I thought the kids went overboard with their offensive "defense."

I thought the exchange between Allan and Vic in the end right before being rescued by the Helicopter was very telling. The directors intended for us to see and understand that they both learned something from each other, and they both aren't such bad guys. Vic, still trying to convince Allan that he did something great, that he "made it," gives up and says, "You are the most stubborn sob I've ever met." To which Allan replies, "Yeah except for you." Both laugh! There is a compromise in the end. In essence, Vic agrees his methods were a little overboard, and Allan agrees that he could have tried more, and not always say, "I can't." That's what I got from the end.