... jeez that stairway scene at the end goes on way too long. a couple of fun things in the accompanying music track for this - at 10 minutes in, the bandleader yells "Come on, Miss Diane, strut your stuff!" and much later on there is a scream we hear as someone falls down; they were using the sound track when it didn't really matter if the lips matched up exactly.
ksf-2
Yes, I felt the same way about that stairway scene, as if the editor fell asleep.
Yes, that was protracted longer than need be. I'm sure when the climax was reached there were cheers in the theater, both for the scene ending and for the results concerning the most hateful character in the film.
shareThe scene with Ann on the stairway does seem a bit long but I think it's necessary because it's a pivotal scene. Ann is, I believe, having a nervous breakdown. She's drunk so it takes her a while to process everything.
She's just finished telling Ben she'll make him and Diana suffer for the rest of her life. Then she sees the women working and realizing that that's what some women do. She goes into what her mother's always told her and how she's the winner not Diana. All during this she is laughing but crying inside.
She may say all these things but there she stands. Her husband clearly loves another woman. All her so-called friends, even her main boyfriend Freddie, walk out on her. Beatrice, who does remain, is Diana's best friend so she knows she's just there out of pity for her because her brother, Freddie, wouldn't even have anything to do with her. She's got everything her mother told her she should have but in the end she has nothing. She knows even her own mother used her. What does she really have? She's pushing everyone that's left away. She doesn't want pity, she's won; well, evidently that's not the case. She can't even put on her coat.
Ann has to die in order for Ben and Diana to have a happy ending. To keep Ben from divorcing her, Ann would threaten a scandal naming Diana as her husband's lover tarnishing both their names. That was a big deal back then. If he still wanted to go through with it, she'd sue him for all he has and just always make their lives a living hell. The only way for them to be together is for her to drop dead; but they cannot be anywhere near her lest they be accused of killing her.
In the scheme of things Ann's tirade on the stairs is happening simultaneous to Ben and Diana's heartfelt, tearful goodbye outside. They just can't have her come out and suddenly end up down the stairs. It might look like she killed herself or someone pushed her. Anyway, the scene, like my answer is long, because it's trying to answer a lot of questions and tie up loose ends.
Woman, man! That's the way it should be Tarzan. [Tarzan and his mate]
It didn't seem long at all, but I don't watch a lot of 21st century movies made up of half-second cuts.
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