MovieChat Forums > Cheers for Miss Bishop (1941) Discussion > About Ella (SPOILER WARNING!)

About Ella (SPOILER WARNING!)

posted 16 years ago by wtl471629
5 replies | jump to latest

She was so unlucky in love but the one that really could have given her true love (Sam) was right in front of her eyes all those years and she never seemed to realize it. Life is strange sometimes.

[–] hunterofserenity-2 16 years ago

Ella was also a very forgiving woman. She raises her cousin after the mother ran off with her fiance. She was a wonderful woman, and I agree, Sam was the love of her life and she never realized it.

[–] profprimbud 15 years ago

I really thought it would behoove her character to reply to Sam at the end: when he says 'don't answer until you've been asked', she could take it upon herself with 'then I'll ask' and he would have said yes, the end.

I never think about the future, it comes soon enough

[–] Jeffthinx 15 years ago

This may be slightly off the point of this thread, but there was a line by Miss Bishop early in the film which accurately describes the stoic nature of generations past (up to and including my parents' generation...they were born in the 1920s). Sam asks her if she's tired and she nods her head yes and says "...thinking about the past...a waste of time." My immediate thought was that Sam should have said to her "No, Ella...thinking about the past is NOT a waste of time. And you, as a teacher, should know this better than most. In our youth history teaches us not to make the mistakes of our forebears. And in our old age, reminiscing gives us comfort we deserve. Enjoy your memories." Which now reminds me of a line from a Paul Simon tune: "Old Friends". The line is, poignantly, "preserve your memories...they're all that's left you."

Sorry to ramble...I like the stream of consciousness a good movie inspires.

Ciao, e buon auguri

[–] littlekaren 13 years ago

In real life, as well as reel life, sometimes the *one* is indeed right under your nose. Oh well:) Enjoyed the flick.

[–] mdonln 7 years ago

wtl471629 says > She was so unlucky in love but the one that really could have given her true love (Sam) was right in front of her eyes all those years and she never seemed to realize it. Life is strange sometimes.

I wouldn't exactly describe Ella as being unlucky in love. In my opinion, she just had very bad judgment; especially in regards to men and relationships. Even today, it's a fairly common trait among women who have grown up with fairy tales and an idealistic view of love.

Del: she fell for Del and almost married him because he 'rescued' her then, after putting her slipper on her foot, he compared their relationship to Cinderella and her Prince charming. The fact her name was Ella added to the appeal. She should have taken her time to get to know him; maybe then she would have realized if he was quick to fall for her he probably would have fallen as easily for any other woman who crossed his path.

Stevens: I don't doubt that her attraction to Stevens was real and reciprocated but he was a bad choice because he was married and unable to get a divorce. She stayed true to her values and let him go instead of running off to shack up with him. Later she seemed to regret that decision. She should have really let him go and moved on with her life but she didn't.

Sam: I think Ella's main problem with Sam was familiarity. He had always been around so she took him for granted and didn't think of him as a possible love interest. He also lacked the excitement she had always longed for in her life. Had he not been so available, she might have appreciated him more. It's hard to say if she loved him all along and didn't realize it or she came to love him over the years. Either way, she was right not to marry him if she did not love him; by the time she was ready, it was too late; her timing was off

Amy: Ella knew Amy was 'boy' crazy. Women like her cannot be trusted around any man because they have self-esteem issues. They try to 'prove' their worthiness by their ability to attract a guy. If they're able to take him away from someone else all the better because it makes them think they're better than that other woman. Ella was right, however, to raise Hope; the child had nothing to do with who her parents were and what they had done. On the other hand, Amy did Ella a favor. Had she married Del he probably would have done the same thing to her.

Woman, man! That's the way it should be Tarzan. [Tarzan and his mate]