MovieChat Forums > Nell (1994) Discussion > Great movie - 3 questions

Great movie - 3 questions

posted 19 years ago by TheKissOfLife
8 replies | jump to latest

I loved this movie! but i have 3 questions.

1. Nell and Mary (i think her name was mary) seemed to have some sort of connection(not nell's sister mi'i but the mary who asked her if she was scared after Nell went out for the first time) i never got that. how were they connected to each other?

2. In the very end when Nell told the little girl "you remember that". i'm assuming she knew how to speak both her language and english, right. or maybe she knew very little english because she hardly said anything at the party at the end.

3. I never understood what "Feliss" meant, like when she said "Mi'i inna missa feliss" I got everything else except "feliss", does anyone know?

Thanks in advance, i really like this movie, it made me cry the first time i saw it lol.

Remember it! Write it down, take a picture, I don't give a *beep* - Smokey

[–] highlordmajere 19 years ago

1) I think because they were both in pain and both afraid. Because Nell lacked modern, societal influences, she used base instinct, which allowed her to understand what Mary felt.

2) The language she spoke was English, it was just slurred. Shelearned it from her mother, who suffered a stroke. She was unable to form words correctly, so she was unable to teach correctly. Therefore, Nell's words sounded like much different words, though it is still basic English, just without proper word formation.

3) I'm just as confused as you on that one...can't help there!

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] ASH-Rocks 19 years ago

I thought that "missa" meant little! Then why would Nell describe heaven as little joy. "Mi'i in missa feliss" = May in little joy? No offence intended, but help me out Okay?

[–] Molly-31 18 years ago

Feliss is joy, but it is also night -- the time Nell and May were allowed outside to play. May is inna missa feliss because she is in a little cave, where it is always dark.

[–] innocent_gamine 18 years ago

2. In the very end when Nell told the little girl "you remember that". i'm assuming she knew how to speak both her language and english, right. or maybe she knew very little english because she hardly said anything at the party at the end.

remember how nell and her sister would have that one chant that they would say together? when nell was on the rock with the little girl she was "teaching" it to her then told her to remember the chant no the whole language

[–] Molly-31 18 years ago

"Y'member tha'?"

I have always seen Nell as asking the little girl if she would remember the chant, not the whole language. She might have heard parts of it at other times.

[–] traccose 18 years ago

#1. I agree that Nell responded to people using basic instinctual understanding of people's facial expressions and body language. She looked into her eyes and saw her pain. I think the movie could have done something more with the connection between Mary and Nell, that would have been beautiful.

#2. The end of the movie takes place '5 years later'. It is quite probable that Nell's articulation improved over that course of time with her interactions with Jerry, Paula, and the rest.

#3. Got me on that one!

[–] ShizaMinelli 17 years ago

2. In the very end when Nell told the little girl "you remember that". i'm assuming she knew how to speak both her language and english, right. or maybe she knew very little english because she hardly said anything at the party at the end.

I always thought it meant she had learned better speech patterns. The reason she's not interacting with everyone at the party is just b/c it wouldn't be realistic for her, even five years later, to have become a social butterfly. Having her character speak too much would have just changed the dynamic of her character too much, imo.

Roxanne
1993-2007
You'll always be with me