MovieChat Forums > Housesitter (1992) Discussion > Why did his dad tear up at the 'tora loo...

Why did his dad tear up at the 'tora loora song' he sang??

posted 9 years ago by foxy_viper
2 replies | jump to latest

It was very obvious that he had never sung that song to his dad before, and it also obviously didn't meant anything to them both. (That was jus a con/lie told by goldie,to talk Steve Martin up to his boss for that promotion).

So why on earth would the dad be THAT moved by it? The song didn't mean anything to them, but He was crying and hugging him, like it preexistingly ment the world to them both. You could tell how completely surprised Steves characters reaction is, he cant believe that his dad is reacting this way, out of the blue!

So my question is.. why did he react this way? He had already told Steve that nobody likes a crybaby (or something to that affect) so he obviously wasn't a "crier' by nature. I tried thinking out different possible explanations, like:

Had goldie figured out how much that song meant to the the father, and that's why she used it in her fable?

But I really don't think so.. so I'm left wondering if goldie somehow knew how the dad would react, and if so, how did she know that? And if that's not the case.. how come he had that big reaction? It just seems sort of implausible based on what we know about his character. :)

This is in no way destroying my daaenjoyment of the movie, I love it! I'm just wondering if anyone has any theories! :)

[–] zuzupetal_99 9 years ago

The only thing I could think of, is that he was simply touched by the gesture itself. We don't know why they've had their differences over the years, and the strained relationship, but for Newton to go out on a limb, and sing a song to his father in front of everyone like that, really put himself out there, and I think dad was just shocked & touched. I don't know what the song means, if that has any significance.......

Are you going to your grave with unlived lives in your veins? ~ The Good Girl

[–] abs_is_back 9 years ago

I often wondered this myself. I don't think it had any special meaning, just the fact that Newton sang it with such apparent feeling. He and his dad had had a falling out that Gwen had accidentally mended, and you get the feeling that they were never that demonstrative with each other from the way Dad talks. So for Newton to be publicly demonstrative like that was probably a big deal.

The song itself, "Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral (That's an Irish Lullaby)," was a big hit when it was written about a century ago. Then Bing Crosby sung it in Going My Way and the recording went platinum. Kate Smith covered it beautifully. So have many other singers. It's still a popular lullaby, but was especially popular during the era when George (Newton's dad) would have been a child. Maybe Newton's grandmother used to sing it to both of them. Who knows?