MovieChat Forums > Drag Me to Hell (2009) Discussion > Was Chrissy REALLY in the "wrong" in tha...

Was Chrissy REALLY in the "wrong" in that bank situation?


Like, she obviously wasn't allowed or eligible to just like that give the old lady (who turned out later to be a witch and SPOILERS - put a curse on her) a second loan and, and that's not even touching what happens LATER, bearing this in mind...

Could the old lady instead of getting all upset and start begging like that, simply try and ask maybe for further information on what COULD be done INSTEAD, like, maybe figure an alternative way to help with her financial situation? Instead of immediately getting down on her knees, begging and for simply not have things go on her way, start accusing (perhaps exaggeratedly) her of shaming her like that?

Or was the old witch woman in the right here? Or maybe she had no idea about how basic loan rules work?

I've read (yes folks, on the internet, there were massive argumentative debates even here) a lot about how people thought Chrissy was wrong and that she genuinely hurt the old woman's feelings and should've been more tactful etc but HOW and WHY? And in what ways is refusing someone a loan based on remaining debt etc really shaming someone and what basically should Chrissy have done instead so as not to hurt the old woman's feelings (by the way, its interesting how despite her massive supernatural powers, she still has feelings, is that normal or...?) and of course, later, avoid having the curse put on her?

And Chrissy may have as some folks said "legally" been allowed but was she also not exactly incorrect MORALLY with how she handled the situation in the bank with Mrs. Ganush? And could Mrs. Ganush herself conducted herself in a more say professional and analytical manner rather than immediately throwing tantrums due to disagreements? And Jesus, even her (grand daughter) when she attempted to visit her was MAD at her.

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Christine disregarded compassion for the poor crone due to selfish ambition. She wanted an imminent promotion above her rival, Stu, and so illustrated that she could make the "tough decisions" (to the boss at the bank) by refusing an extension to the desperate aged borrower. She disrespected the woman even though the Romanian literally begged on her knees for another (third) extension. She had the power to grant the extension, but refused.

You're right that, in a technical or legal sense, she didn't do anything wrong. She had the authority to decide on the matter and understandably chose not to give another extension. But what about universal morality and the corresponding compassion? When the poor crone got on her knees and begged, Christine arguably should've granted the extension. In the grand scheme of things, what's more important, her promotion or helping this struggling old lady when she has the power to do so? Wouldn't there be other job opportunities in the near future?

Zeroing-in on what the film is really about: Both Stu and Christine were driven by selfish ambition in committing their moral offenses (which, again, wasn't technical or legal in Christine's case).

- Stu's transgressions resulted in his losing both a lucrative promotion and his job. That's all the boss had the power to do to him.
- Christine transgressions resulted in an evil spirit being loosed on her, the lamia. Obviously the gypsy lady was versed in the black arts to some degree and wielded the power to do this.

So, it's not just the person you transgress against, it's the power s/he might wield to pay you back.

Appearances can be deceiving: The boss at the bank was materially well-to-do and respected, but he only had power to fire an employee. By contrast, the ugly old crone was poor and disrespected, but she possessed arcane power that's not readily apparent.

The moral is: Be careful how you treat others because you'll reap what you sow. Also, be careful of underestimating the person you offend or disrespect because s/he might have greater power than immediately perceived.

despite her massive supernatural powers, she still has feelings


Mrs. Ganush knew how to curse a person, which released an evil spirit on the individual cursed. That was the extent of her “supernatural powers” seeing as how she obviously didn’t have the power to procure material wealth. Despite this, she was still a human being with feelings and a sense of self-respect. When she felt publicly disrespected, she was essentially backed against a corner and lashed out the only way she knew how.

Sure, she could have conducted herself in a “more professional and analytical manner” but, often, people are more emotional and instinct-oriented as opposed to logical and properly mannered.

I'm not defending the poor crone's actions, btw. I don't think loosing an evil spirit on someone who reasonably rejects your groveling request (and, by extension, condemning the person to Hades) is particularly noble.

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So you believe Chrissy was bad to her at least in a moral sense, and that to be good in that situation would be to grant that elderly lady a loan, right? Would she be able to pay it back?

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And the boss overall wasn't fair either, besides doing his job of course, had unethical hidden motives?

P.S. Many things in life that are also immoral are NOT illegal. And illegal deeds are that probably for reasons beyond mere lack of morality attached to it (although laws are man made, come to think of it, morals are too to a degree, maybe illegal deeds are that due to distraction, no, DESTRUCTION that they cause and if allowed, would lead to total chaos, not to mention stuff like murder, with loss of LIFE, of course. But before laws existed, and I don't remember God (does he even exist?) or nature interfering, and unlike this movie, supernatural doesn't exist in life.) But some things may not be ethical or pleasant to some but aren't immoral either. Refusing the loan? What if the person requesting it had demonstrated that they have NO means to pay it back, a bit like, if you can't do the job, you will not get hired and paid to do so? Even though there are even LAWS on "unfair dismissal" and whatnot as well as, well, MORALS TOO. And do nearly all people have skills? If not, some may go on the dole or something as well.

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I don't think it would've been any sweat off of Christine's back to grant a third extension on the loan once the woman's desperate situation is shown with the crone publicly begging on her knees. Sure, she would've likely lost the upcoming promotion, but what's more important in the Universal scheme of things -- her promotion or helping out this struggling soul? At the very least, she could've comforted the lady, guiding her into the back room while emphasizing how they'd look at all her options and everything would be okay. If she did that, the crone wouldn't have felt disrespected and therefore wouldn't have cursed her.

But, it doesn't matter if you or I think Christine's cold decision was moral or immoral. What matters is that the Romani woman took it as brazen disrespect and so, in vengeful anger, cursed the winsome blonde with an evil spirit that oppressed her and, ultimately, dragged her to the Underworld.

Whether God and the supernatural exist in reality also doesn't matter in this discussion. What matters is that they exist in the world of this movie.

Don't take that in the wrong spirit, I'm just humbly making a point -- in Christine's situation in the film, the Gypsy crone indeed possessed the power to curse and Christine definitely experienced the harassment of dark supernatural forces.

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I don't think that Chrissie was that selfish. She was not even able to give that button to a totally stranger or to that Stu a-hole although her life depended on it.

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