Fred's wife does not talk or turn to look at him when he visits. After the concert there is a quick shot of her at the window and she looks dead. What happened to her? Is she dead at the very end?
shareI thought that that shot was synched so that it would look like as if she was singing that song! Just as it had one shot that showed mick looking through his hands as if he is looking through a camera. Almost like he was directing his movie... Like some kind of redemption for the characters..But then again..maybe I'm overthinking it
shareI agree, and you're not overthinking it.
shareI agree with your interpretation as well.
We don't really know what happened to Fred's wife, presumably she's very ill. We do know that Fred only wanted her to sing his compositions, so perhaps he was imagining her singing.
The last shot seemed to be of Mick making his film (from wherever), perhaps of Fred's return to conducting.
And all the pieces matter (The Wire)share
I thought she had a stroke since she doesn't move or even blink.
I don't know everything. Neither does anyone else
I thought the last shot of Mick was referring to the earlier scene with the binoculars (looking at his past?). But I could be wrong.
Deserves a rewatch alone for the beautiful images and the music. And the acting. lol, basically I enjoyed it very much. :)
If you're right, her death might explain why Fred had a change of mind and decided to conduct the performance for Prince Phillip after all. It would also lend credence to his daughter's accusation that he had always been detached from both his wife's and daughter's needs. True to form, he's there at the end completely unaware that he's confessing to a corpse.
shareShe's not dead. She has some kind of a neurological disorder (stoke? Alzheimer's) and just stares out the hospital window. People with disorders like this can sometimes hear a loved one talking to them even when most other functions are gone. He wanted to tell her how much he loved her even though he had been a jerk.
SPOILER:
I think Fred decide to find "youth" and life, again and do the concert. (Remember his Doc says "you know what waits for you outside of this place?-youth") Most of the characters are redeemed or at peace at the end of this movie. Fred thinks of his wife's mute, slack jaw and how it once sang his beloved simple song when he watches the singer's mouth.
note: the daughter has a nightmare about her own slacken/melting mouth.
PS = wow- visual you can sure can see the Fellini influences.