MovieChat Forums > Thieves Fall Out (1941) Discussion > Wait a minute - SPOILER ALERT

Wait a minute - SPOILER ALERT

posted 9 years ago by mdonln
2 replies | jump to latest

Based on what one of the detectives says, legacy dealers may be considered shady but they do seem to be legal. Tipton, at least, seems to have operated his business above board.

Here's the problem

Granny forces Chic to give her Eddie's legacy and promptly destroys it. In exchange she agrees not to tell the police he kidnapped and threatened to kill her.

Tipton purchased the legacy from Eddie and gave him the money they agreed on. He then sells his entire business to Chic so now Chic is the rightful owner of the legacy. He's willing to sell it back to them but for more than twice the amount that was originally paid. Isn't that his right? Sure he's taking advantage of them and that’s wrong but it seems he's within his rights especially since he wasn’t part of the original sale.

I get that the guy is a criminal and would be willing to kill to get his money. The legacy should not be in his hands but, in this case, Granny’s wrong too. They should at least pay him back what Eddie got for it. Don't get me wrong, I'm on the family’s side but I think there's a huge flaw in the plot.

Sure, Chic may go along with Granny to keep from being accused and arrested of kidnapping and attempted murder but if this guy is the criminal everyone agrees he is what would stop him from going after them later? He knows where they live. The fact they tricked him and cheated him out of money that was owed to him would probably tick him off. Even if he never saw a dime he'd still want revenge.

I enjoyed this little movie but to end it like everything works out perfectly and there’s a happy ending seems highly unrealistic. The sad truth is Eddie's entire family would have to be looking over their shoulders from then on. Criminals are criminals for a reason; they live by a completely different code than the rest of us.

[–] joemarine 9 years ago

I don't think it is that big of a plot hole. The legacy assignment to Tipton/Chic was destroyed by Granny; Eddie never fulfilled the terms by having a baby so the 30K is owed back to Tipton and he loses the factory. The factory was just a means for Eddie to marry Mary in the end he got want he wanted. There is no risk of Chic going after Granny as there is no longer any motivation for him to do so.

[–] jdsuggs 7 years ago

Chic and his partner engaged in extortion, clear and simple, made a legally clear enough threat, and then took steps to carry out that threat after returning to collect. They threatened Granny's life several times in addition to trying to dispose of her body and kidnapping her. (Although they offered to release her, they also schemed openly to collect ransom and threatened to throw her off the balcony). She had them right over a barrel, and blackmailed them fair and square- the thirty-thousand dollar forfeiture vs. a long term in prison. They got a bargain at any price in walking away from that day at the office.