MovieChat Forums > Berkeley Square (1998) Discussion > Do you think Great-Aunt Effie knew? (spo...

Do you think Great-Aunt Effie knew? (spoiler inside)

posted 16 years ago by megmarch2003
4 replies | jump to latest

Bertie's great-aunt, Mrs. Saunders, the older lady who came with Isabel to mind the Hutchinson house while they were away in India-- Do you think she knew Hannah was telling the truth at the end when she confessed that she had switched Charlie for Billy? Or was she really convinced Hannah was addled with grief as was suggested?

I tend to think she knew the baby wasn't the real Charlie, but chose to ignore it for the sake of not creating scandal. And because she knew the family would be devastated at losing another child. I got the sense when she was talking to the police inspector that she was helping to cover the truth.

"You can't tell me nothin' if you ain't had an 8-track." -Sinbad

[–] Hezzer_Wezzer 14 years ago

I think she considered it so far-fetched that she didn't believe it.

I think she chalked it up to a story created by Hannah over Hannah's losing 'Billy' and/or Hannah's desire for her friend to not go to prison or be executed.

[–] rdavies23 14 years ago

I think that she would have found it too incredible. The woman had probably led a cossetted life, and would have put Randall's confession down to "hysteria".

[–] SaliceMcD 9 years ago

I may have come to this conclusion in the "wrong" way, but it's been my television/movie-viewing experience that women of her age in such situations *always* know *exactly* what's going on!

[–] FeeCJ (133) 5 years ago

Whether or not she knew it was the truth........

...I believe her answer to the inspector would have been the same either way.

The scandal that would have created in society and with the police would have destroyed the Hutchinson family's reputation first, and second would have ended her great-niece's chances at a "good match."

The tabloids of the day would have destroyed that family. They would have had to return to Britain from India and the whole thing would have been a complete disaster at a time when one's reputation was ALL.

She said in another scene that her commitment to take care of her niece's reputation and keep her commitment to looking after her so she could have a successful season and make a good match....and that promise she had made to her charge's parents was one she was going to keep at all costs.

So she would no doubt have lied to the inspector even if she had doubts.