MovieChat Forums > The Canterville Ghost Discussion > The Marrying Kind

The Marrying Kind

posted 15 years ago by jasonpaul
8 replies | jump to latest

I just finished watching this on TCM. I'm a little confused by some dialogue at the very end of the movie. Robert Young and Margaret O'Brien are regarding Sir Simon's tombstone (1603-1943). Robert Young says something like, "That's a long time to go without any sleep." To which Margaret O'Brien replies something like, "It's worth waiting a long time for something you really want." Then she turns to Robert Young and announces she's 7 years old, after which they both laugh, he picks her up in his arms, almost as if they are going to kiss, and the end credits begin. Are we to believe that these two are going to marry each other? She's going to wait 10 years or so until she can marry him because that's what she really wants? If not, what is the point of this conversation?

[–] watpho 15 years ago

I felt the SAME way. It was rather creepy with Robert Young leering at the girl as if he were thinkoing, "Yeah, in 10 years I'm gonna do you!"

I think the mentality back then was to give everything the most happy ending and that always included the male lead finding true love. Shortsighted, but that was the "Hollywood ending" ideal.

[–] MiCharlie124 15 years ago

She made a comment that it took him over 300 years to finally get to sleep and then she said she was just turning seven. I think that was the reference and Robert Young looked at her and laughed. I didn't read any sexual connotation into it - after all, they are family members!

[–] OwMyFeet 15 years ago

Jasonpaul and watpho sound like they're looking for kiddie porn. They sure ain't gonna find it watching Margaret O'Brien clips!

[–] nateba 14 years ago

All I surmised was that the Margaret O'Brien character had a crush on the Robert Young character. Seems innocent enough to me.

cinefreak

[–] engeer 14 years ago

same here. Many a little girl as announce at one time or another that she was going to marry her daddy when she grew up. just childhood innocence and admiration.

[–] TiminPhoenix 13 years ago

It was completely innocent. Of course, she had a little girl's crush on him and he treated it as something he thought of as sweet.

To think that he leered at her, or that it was creepy reflects for more on the one that would hold that jaded thought, than on the writer and the actors.

Good lord...

There are two types of people in the world, those who divide people into two types and ........

[–] beautifulbrugmansia 11 years ago

Kind of sad when some people see bad things in sweet moments.
That little girl had a crush on the hero. What little girl hasn't said "wait for me, I will grow up just as fast as I can ", just like the song.

[–] Rinn13 (167) 2 years ago

I do think the insinuation is that she perhaps has a crush on him. And he laughs at it, because he thinks it's adorable, and/or funny. Because she's fucking 6 years old. She's a kid, saying an innocent, kid thing.

But honestly, that's all it was, was a sweet, silly moment at the end of the story. Reading anything more "sinister" or "creepy" into it, is on the viewer, not the film. People bring their own skewed ideals and mindsets and hangups with them when they partake in art. And sadly tend to project a lot on said art.

It reminds me of people who insist on projecting their own private politics into films or other art, when it simply isn't there. But because THEIR worldview and mindset are so utterly dominated by their politics, they can't seem to help but see it in everything.