MovieChat Forums > Frantic (1988) Discussion > does the plot make sense?

does the plot make sense?


Could someone please tell me whether this movie makes sense?
For a moment, forget what happens in the film and just suppose you had been given a suitcase that is not your own but bears a label with someone else's name on it.
You have found out where that other person is staying.
Wouldn't your first reaction be to ask her if she has your suitcase? And if she has, could we please swap because you have hers?
Furthermore, the fact that the other suitcase has a label with the owner's name would indicate that she was not involved in a plot to steal your suitcase. So what would be the point of kidnapping her?
Also, imagine you are the kidnapped wife. Presumably, fairly early on in your abduction, your captors might bring up the subject of a missing suitcase. Then, even though the idea has been beyond their powers of deduction, you would realise that the mysterious case you had in your hotel room was what they were looking for. At that point you would say to them: "I've got your case. You can have it, just let me go and we'll forget all about this little episode."
Maybe she did say that; and maybe they said: "No, that would be too simple! We'd prefer to have the police on the case and for there to be a few killings."
Have I missed something? Any help would be appreciated.

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For a moment, forget what happens in the film and just suppose you had been given a suitcase that is not your own but bears a label with someone else's name on it.
You have found out where that other person is staying.
Wouldn't your first reaction be to ask her if she has your suitcase? And if she has, could we please swap because you have hers?


Michelle's suitcase didn't have a name label on it, they didn't know whose it was.


Furthermore, the fact that the other suitcase has a label with the owner's name would indicate that she was not involved in a plot to steal your suitcase. So what would be the point of kidnapping her?


To force Richard into handing over the suitcase.


Also, imagine you are the kidnapped wife. Presumably, fairly early on in your abduction, your captors might bring up the subject of a missing suitcase. Then, even though the idea has been beyond their powers of deduction, you would realise that the mysterious case you had in your hotel room was what they were looking for. At that point you would say to them: "I've got your case. You can have it, just let me go and we'll forget all about this little episode."
Maybe she did say that; and maybe they said: "No, that would be too simple! We'd prefer to have the police on the case and for there to be a few killings."


Remember the room was messed up - she probably did tell the kidnappers, but they got there after the suitcase had been taken back to the airport.


Latest film seen: Orphan (2009) 8/10

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i never understood why they kidnapped her.. they lured her downstairs.. why not just say "excuse me but you have our suitcase can we have it back please" but then there wouldnt of been a film lol.

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As you see them throughout the film, they are irrational and impatient!

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This is a huge hole in the plot and I've never understood the rationale for it. The bad guys find out from the kids at home where Mommy and Daddy are staying in Paris. Fine. Just call and arrange a swap. The only possible sticking point with this is that the bad guys didn't have a ticket for the case (the point was made that Michele had it at her apt.), but so what? If someone had my case, I wouldn't really care if the one I had belonged to them or not. I would just want my own case back. But as was said, then there wouldn't have been a movie.

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They would've called and arranged a swap if they knew there was a mix-up in the first place, but they didn't.

They were supposed to pick up the suitcase at the airport, find the device inside, and never see hide nor hair of the courier - remember that they hired Dede, not Michelle. So they didn't know who the courier was, so naturally they assumed it was Sondra Walker.

When they didn't find what they were looking for in the suitcase, they got suspicious - of her. They assumed they'd been hoodwinked, or that someone was holding out on them. They were not about to turn up in a hotel lobby and simply ask her what the story was over a cup of coffee. So, they kidnapped her - not realising that the device was upstairs in her room.

As soon as Sondra realised what had obviously happened and got them to listen to them, she told them about the mix-up, and they ransacked the room. Of course, by then Dr. Walker had made contact with Michelle.

No plot hole.

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Exactly.

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Exactly seconded.


http://www.rateyourmusic.com/~JrnlofEddieDeezenStudies

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Exactly thirded. Four years later.

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