MovieChat Forums > Brokedown Palace (1999) Discussion > Who I think did it. (spoiler)

Who I think did it. (spoiler)

posted 17 years ago by ca0695
18 replies | jump to latest

I know this topic has been discussed several times on here but I just couldn't help putting in my two cents. I own the movie so I have seen it many times. I have always thought that BOTH Alice and Darlene are innocent. There are a lot of things that point to Alice but I think its a "boy who cried wolf" scenario. She's done a lot of mischief in her life and, the one time she really DIDN'T do it no one believed her because of her past actions. Not even her own dad believed her. Notice her grief when her dad basically let her know he thought she did it? She even wondered if he could think she would do that to Darlene. Notice how angry she was when Darlene's dad accuses her of doing it and tells her to say "I didn't do it" just one more time for old time's sake. Notice her relief and happiness when Hank said he knew she didn't do it? Someone finally believed her (Hank). At the airport both girls were curious what was happening when the police arrived but the one girl who KNEW she had heroin walked away (this is the girl Hank visits in Hong Kong). Alice and Darlene just stood there watching and were stunned when the police came after them. They had no idea they were carrying heroin (smack).

I think the baggage handler at the hotel and the taxi drivers switched the bag when they were loading the car as Darlene and Alice were going to the airport. You catch a tiny glimpse of the bag as its being loaded but that's it. The way they were shuffling the bags around as they were being loaded it is possible they were making a switch. Both girls were seen carrying that bag everywhere so it would have been a good idea to choose that bag to switch. As the taxi is driving away the handler just stands there breathing quickly and staring at the car with an expression like "shew...glad that's over".

I think Alice said she did it just to save her friend. Darlene meant the world to her and, since it was obvious they were going back to jail for a long time anyway, she did the only thing she could think of at the time. Try to free at least one of them. She loved her friend so much she would do that for her. I guess she felt her friend was more deserving of being free than she was. Plus, since she and Darlene were starting to fight she wanted to make things up to Darlene by giving her her freedom.

This is just my opinion. Thanks for reading.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] AgeKay 17 years ago

I think you've done a great job at explaining why they both have to be innocent. The question that remained was then how did the heroin get in their bag, and I think you might also right about that it was probably the bagguage handler and taxi driver. They were setup, so that the real smugglers would not be picked up at the security check.

The only think that leaves me in doubt about their innocence, is that Alice was the last one with the bag and it seems that she got ready so slowly on purpose before they left the hotel, so she had plenty of time to put the heroin in the bag after Darlene left the room.

[–] manoj91 17 years ago

she may have gotten ready slowly and had time to put the drugs in the bag. and those cabbies were insurance to check that the drugs were in the bag. i put 1 and 1 together. end of film, she smiles.

at least one got out, now she'll work to get the other out. it's good they didn't do the thing where "it's either both of us get out or none".

main page of this movie, reviewer mentions Schapelle Corby; i searched google and got a status update. makes me think of red corner as well. p.s. i am from hong kong. i've been to bangkok for a five day trip with my company; just saying.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] smileygirl1998 17 years ago

I had seen this movie quite a few times when it first came out and on TV again last night.. always been one of my favorites. I had always believed they were both innocent from the first time I saw the film.. UNTIL I read all the conflicting arguments on how Alice did it.. Very good observations!!
Now that I have read this post I do believe I agree with you in that the bag handler/taxi drivers were too blame. Think about it:
1) Nick probably had it arranged so that the taxi drivers/bag handler at the girls' hotel knew the girls would leave at that time. The drivers were probably arguing in Thai about who gets the money!!! The drugs were in the trunk already!!! It took a few minutes longer than average to throw the bags in and close the trunk.. could have been stuffing the yellow backpack with the drugs.
2) Alice is crying because NO ONE believes she is innocent.. she is probably starting to believe she IS GUILTY!!! Like she told Darlene.. it was her idea to come to Thailand, Her idea to go to the hotel where they met Nick.
3) Alice is a smart girl and knows they are screwed in the end. She does the right thing by setting Darlene free.. She believes at this point, that even though she didnt do it, it was HER FAULT that it happened!! She believes her friend is not strong enough to make it in the prison. Alice stays up at night and watches out for Darlene. She already got sick from the cockroach.. could have died. Alice got them both locked up after it was her idea to try and escape. She is not strong enough to survive.
4) What does Alice feel she has to go back to? Lets remember.. Her own Dad has not come to see her or cannot come up with the money to pay the lawyer!! He said "it doesnt matter if you did it or not.." but he is COMPLETELY CALM when he talks to Alice.. HE DOESNT CARE ABOUT HER!!!
5) Alice didnt even want to go with Nick to Hong Kong. I think Nick tried sweet talking both of them and couldnt get to the point where he would ask them to do him a favor so he used them as BAIT!!
Anyways.. I love the movie.. It would be great if we could contact a writer or a director of the film and see what they really wanted ppl to think.. or was it meant to be open-ended??
Whoever said this this movie is about character and loyalty.. that is true. They kept stressing how important it was to be "of strong character" in the courtroom and the movie shows that Alice is lying in saying she did it but she is of strong character.
Thanks for listening to my rambling!!
S.

[–] kikidevil17 17 years ago

I just saw the movie again, it makes me crazy so much everytime. And I think you are right, the guy carrying the bags had to had done it. There is not other explanation since I believe they are both innocent.

[–] Deannie308-2 16 years ago

I hope Alice has somehow been pardoned.And Nick
gets a nasty taste of instant karma.

[–] jarn2004 16 years ago

nick was killed..... thats why the "Deal" was broken. The governer or whatever tells yankee hank that. They killed him, so the American government couldnt bring them down..... Without him, they couldnt make a case for the girls....

[–] Pirate515 14 years ago

Nick was killed... That's why the "Deal" was broken. The governor or whoever tells Yankee Hank that. They killed him, so the American government couldn't bring them down... Without him, they couldn't make a case for the girls...

I agree 100% that Nick is dead. He was the only person who could have exposed the truth, so the Royal Minister of Justice (that was that guy's title) had to make sure that he never opened his mouth. We all know that there is only one way to make that happen.

In regards to Alice being pardoned, it's a lost cause IMO. After all, she has now officially confessed to the crown, it would be impossible to take that back, especially in a country like Thailand. I think her best bet would be to try to escape again. It may be harder than the first time since Alice would now be under a closer watch given that she has already tried. However, on a flip side, getting one person out of prison is easier than two. Face it, when two prisoners (who just so happen to be friends) need to "go to the bathroom" at the same time, anyone would suspect that they are up to no good. Now that Darlene is safely back home in the US, the only thing she can do for Alice is to arrange for another sizable "gift" to the prison guard(s) to look the other way when Alice makes a run for it (and from the movie it's pretty clear that her family can afford it, although Darlene's father hates Alice with passion). Besides, some of the guards have grown sympathetic to the girls over time, so IMO with the right "financial motivation" they may be inclined to help. All Alice needs to do is to get the US embassy in Bangkok. Once inside, Thai police can't touch her there.

Oh, and one more thing. If I were Yankee Hank, I would be packing my bags and taking my wife and myself out of Thailand ASAP. Now that he is on to the Royal Minister of Justice and knows the truth, he knows way too much. I don't think that I need to elaborate on what mafia and corrupt governments do to such people.

[–] TequilaMockingbird5150 12 years ago

but I don't think it is that easy, or it would have been done before.

There are many westerners rotting in Thai prisons.

The sun shone, having no alternative, on the nothing new. Samuel Beckett

[–] steven-wireless 16 years ago

Very convincing

[–] Sally_Hardesty 16 years ago

I agree 100% w/ the OP.

[–] ms-zanadu 16 years ago

First of all I want to say IMDB needs to have a better system for Log - ins ( or Log ons ? whatever ! ) especially for new people like me ( I'm very new to this whole "" Message Board thing "" ? It seems pretty complicated I could barely get to this point without help so this maybe my first and last post ? ) . Second , everyone's write up for this film ( especially the first main subject poster entitled - "" Who I think did it (spoiler) "" ) was excellent well done everyone . All of you seemed confused as to "" who put the drugs in the young American Ladies bags ? "" Well I have your answer . When this film was first out in the cinemas I went to see it . There was a scene when the young ladies were leaving the not so fancy hotel and the local young man was putting their bags into the taxi cab trunk he had slipped the drugs into their bags when they were at the front of the cab and could not see what he was doing ( this whole scene was at least 20 to 30 seconds long ) . When the DVD version of this movie was out I rented it because I wanted to see it again and maybe purchase it . I watched it and right away I noticed that very scene was missing and this DVD version film contained absolutely no special features , deleted scenes , or extras . I hope this clears up any confusion to this "" missing link "" . My burning question to this was "" Why did they remove that scene from the original film ? "" Anyone who saw this film at the cinema I know would have noticed this too . So there it is - mystery solved .

[–] mimibeth83 16 years ago

That scene IS on the DVD and has already been discussed a few comments up.

[–] ms-zanadu 16 years ago

If they did mimibeth83 that's great because without that scene it makes the girls look very guilty and they didn't do it . You must have a newer copy of the movie because when I first rented it from Blockbuster Video when it was first released to DVD that scene was clearly not there and their were no extras on it either . Thank you for keeping me updated on this . I haven't been on this movie subject board for a while . I will have to check back on the other commments you mentioned here . Thanks again .

[–] tom_niles 16 years ago

I agree with the original posting. Alice didn't even pack the bag! I haven't read all the posts so apologies if someone has already pointed this out.