MovieChat Forums > One Eight Seven (1997) Discussion > A rather big....*jump*? SPOILER

A rather big....jump? SPOILER

posted 14 years ago by fiatlux-1
7 replies | jump to latest

Did it seem like an awful big & sudden jump to murder for Garfield??

I mean, we see him appear to be a stressed but dedicated teacher, yet he KILLS one of his students early on in the film?!
I could see him doing this later on, as the pressure builds and people abandon him, but in the beginning?
That seemed...odd. Are we to assume Garfield was thoroughly cracked to begin with?

"I'd say this cloud is Cumulo Nimbus."
"Didn't he discover America?"
"Penfold, shush."

[–] darock06 14 years ago

Yea, pretty much Garfield was already "dead" in a sense, as he himself said in the ending with Cesar and his crew. Getting stabbed took away any passion or flair he had for the job. Despite his best attempts, he couldn't get through to all the students.

Benny had already made threats against Ellen, so maybe Garfield was trying to protect her, as well as get his redemption for the stabbing.

[–] Grits-N-Gravy 13 years ago

I think he really felt that Benny was a horrible person and deserved to die. In his mind he did the right thing.

[–] manofsteel4455 12 years ago

lol not just his.

You want to play the game, you'd better know the rules, love.
-Harry Callahan

[–] met76 10 years ago

I agree, it was a pretty big jump in the plot and for me, also a pretty big drop. Because after that, the film just lost a good chunk of it's appeal. Before it seemed to me like a personal drama of a realistic person in this environment, after that, it was more this personal uprising against the bad society thing.

[–] MarkAntney 9 years ago

It's been a while since I've seen it but I disagree.

Remember, he was threatened by the student with 187 Threats; which he showed the Principal of his 1st School.

They do nothing; he's almost killed at the one place he found solace, at school.

I say such an event will change your Outlook dramatically but maybe not change your character.

He even mentioned the "Change" to the Female Teacher Friend, when she ??? him about the Rosary Beads/Knowing what happened to "Bennie"(?). I can't recall his actual quote but it had something to do with he didn't see the world the same as she did anymore.

There were "Takers" (like Bennie and Caesar) that preyed on others ("the weak"?) and they can't be dealt with via conventional means/resources.

Also, I recall Caesar's mother (in Spanish) saying "Sometimes she wished he was Dead." or something like that.

I only found the (inferred) Sexual Misconduct with the Latino Student unbelievable, compared to everything else I saw in the movie.

[–] moviechatterer (15583) 4 years ago

Did he kill Benny?
It would fit the story but I didnt actually see anything to say he did it when i watched it.
...and another poster said he was thinking it would turn outr the white teacher guy did it.

[–] Tabbycat (878) 3 years ago

I understand your questioning it, but have to say no.
The thing is, by the film’s start, for him it already *is* later on.

The peaceful citizen driven to violence in order to survive is one of the most compelling themes in cinema. It’s age-old.