Does anyone know what the good news was that Claudet Colbert got on the
Does anyone know what the good news was that Claudet Colbert got on the telephone near the end of the movie? I never could understand what was said.
SPOILER!!!!!
SPOILER ALERT!
DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU'VE SEEN THE WHOLE FILM
I WARNED YOU
The phone call at the end was from the telegraph office. Her husband Tim was found alive & well. Happy ending.
It seemed a little bit contrived; I wonder if the original book ended the same way.
I agree, it was a little contrived, and completely expected. There was no way, especially after Bill was reported killed in action, that Pops wasn't coming home.
shareUSUALLY, the contrived ending is to kill off the spouse, so that the female lead can end up with the male suitor. So, I don't think it was contrived, at all. People just don't like happy endings, anymore, it seems. We're too used to being made depressed over movie situations, we don't know how to accept a happy ending in non-comedic film. Says a lot about our mind states, I guess.
shareMy definition of a contrived ending has nothing to do with whether it's happy or sad. I think John Carpenter films are equally contrived, the way the monster always comes back in th final scene, even though they've killed it.
What I mean by contrived is that it is implausible, given the circumstances. Soldiers who are reported dead don't generally turn up alive & well. If they do, you'd better have a damn good explanation, which this movie never gave. All the same, almost every pre-1960 Hollywood ending turns out happy (even by changing the endings of the original books to give audiences a feel-good exit). It's not that audiences are looking for depressing endings these days; we just expect more logic & credibility, whether it be happy or sad. "Deus ex machina" went out with roller skates and sock hops.
""Soldiers who are reported dead don't generally turn up alive & well. If they do, you'd better have a damn good explanation, which this movie never gave.""
Rooprect - I think you're confusing Bill (the oldest daughters fiance) with Tim (the husband/father of the family). Bill was reported dead and remained dead. Tim was reported missing in action; the family never had any notice that he was dead or even confirmation that he was captured and a POW. Tim didn't suddenly turn up alive at the end; he was just missing then found; although it's left to the viewers imagination where he was during the months he was missing.
The Doge did what a Doge does when a Doge does his duty to a Duke.
I think you're right about me confusing Bill & Tim; it's been a while since I saw this movie. I just remember that the good news seemed to come out of nowhere... But again I may be forgetting something.
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