MovieChat Forums > Falling Down (1993) Discussion > Question about one scene.

Question about one scene.

posted 4 years ago by TheMan18 (13020)
11 replies | jump to latest

In a part where those cops are questioning Angelina at the station and Prendegast comes in and even offers a question ("Did he wear a white shirt and tie?") that may contain helpful information, why did those cops just dismiss him and ask him to leave as opposed to engaging him in an interrogation?

And even if he was retiring, so what? He looked like he may have had something to help, why couldn't they maybe use his help in search for Douglas' character?

[–] Naptown317Native (524) 4 years ago

Partly it interrupted interrogation proceedings which rely on prolonged isolation.

Adding to that, the odds if it being a middle aged white male in a white dress shirt and tie are statistically low, considering who the vics were.

[–] TheMan18 (13020) 4 years ago

And who were the vics? (Also, what are "vics"?)

Also - did maybe no one get the impression that either they didn't trust that elderly detective on the brink of retirement or that they somehow wanted credit for themselves (remember how that same cop later told him "We don't appreciate you sticking your nose into our investigation".)

[–] Naptown317Native (524) 4 years ago

Vics is short for victims. They appeared to be Puerto Rican, but I think they were intended to be central American, probably Mexican.

I don't think that was the case in this specific situation. While police departments can be competitive, it wouldn't be so at the detective level. Generally, the assigned detective gets credit as the assignee no matter who helps. Moreso, LA is notorious for police competitiveness between agencies, as they have so many packed so tight against, and ontop of each other. This is indicated twice towards the end of the film. First when they are trying to contact the area police department and they are told they can't justify sending a squad car to the same house for a third or fourth time in one day. For the second time when the captain is giving an interview to the media after DFENSE dies, he says something about sorry to disappoint you all but it was one of our guys that brought him down.

[–] NilesStandish (3) 4 years ago

[deleted]

[–] sslssg (34223) 4 years ago

Central American countries are considered part of North America. 🤷‍♀️

[–] NilesStandish (3) 4 years ago

[deleted]

[–] sslssg (34223) 4 years ago

Ummm, please read what I wrote. I didn't mention Mexico at all because it's part of North America.

I only mentioned that Central America is considered part of North America because it's a fun fact. A lot of people I know were taught in school (including me) that NA had 3 countries Canada, USA, and Mexico. Central America wasn't it's own continent but not part of North or South. Now, and this might have always been and just a failure of the public education system, North America has 23 countries, or more depending on who you ask , which include Greenland, Central America and Caribbean countries.

[–] Naptown317Native (524) 4 years ago

Okay.

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

Very interesting

[–] onemanarmy82 (1764) 4 years ago

With the exception of Sandra, NOBODY in that department had any respect for Pendergast.

[–] kuatorises (7467) 4 years ago

They didn't respect Prendegast. I think that was pretty clear.