MovieChat Forums > Dead Man (1996) Discussion > Cole and Conway

Cole and Conway

posted 11 years ago by millar70
6 replies | jump to latest

Cole Wilson kills and then eats Conway Twill soon after they come across the two dead marshalls, right after Cole crushes one of the lawman's head.

While watching the movie again, I noticed that after he stomps the guy's skull, Cole gives Conway an odd look, then Conway looks a little disgusted then walks away.

I'm wondering if Cole was hoping that Conway would do the same thing to the other dead marshall, and when Conway didn't do that, if Cole made up his mind right then and there to get rid of Conway? Maybe it was a test, and Conway failed.

Anyone else think Conway could have lived if he had done that to the other marshall? Or do you think Cole would have gotten rid of him anyway?

[–] debmet59-1 11 years ago

I got the feeling that he was just tired of the guy running his mouth. The fellow got on his nerves so he killed him and got a full tummy. Two birds with one stone so to speak.

[–] millar70 11 years ago

Yeah, you're probably right. Cole was gonna get rid of Conway, no matter what. I liked Conway, though, maybe its just wishful thinking but I was thinking that maybe Cole liked him too and wanted him to be just as evil. Hoping that Conway would come up to his level of hate, but when he realized that wasn't gonna happen, that sealed the deal for Conway Twill.

Great friggin movie...

[–] debmet59-1 11 years ago

Yes, I love the movie too, but have loaned it to people that didn't care for it. It's strange and that is one of the things that makes it special. Not everyone gets that. Too bad for them.

[–] millar70 11 years ago

Yeah, it's not everybody's cup of tea. I believe that this a movie that gets better and better each time you see it, so maybe some people would like it more if they see it more than once, but aren't willing to do that.

I'm with you, though, too bad for them.

I also get that with "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford". I absolutely love that movie, but I really have never met anyone who has even seen it. I have come across some "Dead Man" fans, but not many. It's usually, "I love Johnny Depp, but have never seen that one."

[–] HarveyManfredinStJohn 11 years ago

Considering how quiet Cole was up to that point, I got the impression that he was just warming up to Conway, but when Conway didn't approve/rebut his action, he knew it was about that time.

Going station to station is hunky dory but if the trip's low on heroes it can drive Aladdin Sane.

[–] london777 9 years ago

I think we all assumed Cole ate Conway. I know nothing of human anatomy but the limb he was chewing seemed to confirm that.

But in the deleted scenes on the DVD he appears to ride off immediately after the killing. But maybe he was just off to buy chianti and fava beans at the trading post?

Was there a change of intention at the editing stage? I think the version in the released version is better and adds dash of black humor as we hear Conway droning on then cut short with a shot off-screen.