MovieChat Forums > Under Suspicion (2000) Discussion > ANSWERS. Its LONG. But hey, you asked.

ANSWERS. Its LONG. But hey, you asked.


I beleive that his wife's jealousy is the central concept at play here...It seems that the title indicates that Hearst is an implicated man and , given the apparent theme of misdirection the movie conveys, the suspicion that is most important is that of his wife's. Her misunderstanding of the relationship with him and her neice was evidence of her skewed view of his actions with young girls because she too had developed such a close relationship with him at such a young age, she misunderstood that his role to these other girls would develop into something similar, and she would lose him. Her extreme jealousy tainted her perception of his innocent relationships (even hi-bye or simply pictures, which they turned out to be, of course). These misdrawn conclusions cut off the sex for TWO YEARS, and remember, he IS ENTIRELY INNOCENT...so he was given a life sentence of mistreatment by his wife, and rightfully he felt dejected frustrated, sad, etc...His life had become the sum total of the torture of the "sixty feet of hallway"...probably not an existence he was overly attached to. He knew she was listening and watching and even told her to come face him, she refused. Hearst was given his final rejection by her and he became despondant, because he thought she knew he was telling the truth. She spit when he confessed, because she knew it was the ultimate apology to her for her false accusations of infidelity, and his confession infuriated and hurt her. Guilt/anger kind of response. Well, once the killer had been caught, her eyes were opened to the truth of her insane jealousy and looked to reconcile...but the damage was done. Both, by his confessions, and her selling him out with the pictures. That was the jealousy being "taken this far". She was trying to prove her suspicions correct,and it, well, didn't. He knew his relationship could never be salvaged, now from his perspective, as it was from her perspective before.

His confession was his version of throwing up his hands and saying i can't do this anymore. Fighting. Seperation. Divorce. Infidelity. His confession tone was monotonous, very unlike his previous animated, and obviously true, self. Kinda the tone a child gets when forced to apologize to his child rival/enemy.

Sorry. I talk alot. But once you change the focus from a suspicion of murder to one of EXTREME jealously, it helps. I encourage discussion.

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waltermajic...I enjoyed reading your analysis. The movie is great on many levels and it covers a lot of ground about human relationships, against the backdrop of a police investigation. I like how the movie leaves much unsaid, allowing the viewer to study the characters and their motivations.

Spoiler....Spoiler....Spoiler


With the designed ambiguity built into the screenplay, it's possible to add up the events and conclude differently. My 'take' on Hearst is a bit different...as far as guilt is concerned. My view is Hearst is guilty as hell ! Not of murder...we know that. But of excessive pride, smugness, false superiority, ultra-centered selfishness, enormous ego...oh yes, Your Honor, guilty as charged. He's initially quite worried of general knowledge about his encounters with hookers in La Pearla. His lust for young flesh...and the embarrassment of no-nooky with his trophy wife...these are facts worth keeping tucked away and out-of-sight in the beginning of the movie.

Hearst eventually loses the battle to protect all of his false fronts...right down to his hairpiece. While his exact motivation of the astounding 'confession' is left murky, my take on it is that it's Hearst's crude attempt at atonement...maybe, even self immolation...for his other 'crimes.' This was to be his final pretence: cruel kiddie killer.


He's quite lucid while he tries to take credit for the murders...trying to craft his story within the known facts of the case. When he's discovered to be making up the confession, Hearst's face is blank...the character drained...his pretenses fully scorched off of him: leaving the man with no false fronts and no illusions about himself or the people around him.

There's no evidence in the last scene, but I wonder if Hearst actually feels "liberated" from his role of overt uber-attourney and secret sexaholic while he appears to be a totally broken man.

Thanks for reading my comments.

CmdrCody

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well said, komandrkodee

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I agree. I think that in some terrible way, he has liberated himself. His life can start over...

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I see her spitting on the glass as her ultimate statement of, "See, I knew I was right you perverted pig!" She didn't know then that her accusations were false. She was being spiteful in her sense of righteousness.

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I agree with davejonesstark.
He's guilty of preying on young girls, but he has never dared to go further than a few snapshots and being a bit too nice to them, except for the blonde-dyed Latina prostitute.

May it be so that she has tried to frame him in order to get all his money? After all, she's emotionally drained as well, and she must be really unhappy on her marriage, only staying put because of money.

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Good analysis Walter. I agree that the spit was when she thought her worst fears were confirmed. His cageyness with the cops was all just to protect his damaged marriage. His confession was giving up hope of reconciliation with his wife.

This movie was intelligent on many levels. Morgan and Gene did a great job of maintaining the tension. Morgan wanted to believe he was guilty and in doing so laid bare the most secret aspects of his life. His wife had long ago lost respect for him cut him off.

The movie ends with them on separate benches as a metaphor for their marriage.

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WOW. A few weird parts here.

1. First, I didn't see how she gave him up. Seems to me the photos would have been found regardless.

2. When GH says something like, "the trouble she went to is almost farcical." It was clear that he thought his wife had framed him.

3. The confession made little sense to me unless he was suddenly certain his beloved was somehow involved in the murders and he confessed in order to protect her.

4. The spitting I saw as a final victory, like she finally broke him and thought to sort of seal it.

5. The final scenes support my take marginally or maybe ambiguously. But maybe once she saw how he stood up for her she had a change of heart.

6. So what about the guy they caught? The photographic evidence would be a ridiculous coincidence unless the wife set it up and then hired some psycho killer to rape and strangle the girls. Morgan suspected her too based on the look he gave her.

Or maybe not.

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I agree with you, "waltermagic". May I add that Gene Hackman's sole performance is worth the whole film, and more. This performance underlines the last scenes you mention adroitly!. Check out his fight with the young detective rolling over the stairs at the Police Station!. Check out when Hackman says (meaning young girls): "I liked them before, why shouldn't I like them now?" while strolling whithin the interrogation room. He is simply put one of the greatest living actors.

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