MovieChat Forums > The Secret of the Whistler (1946) Discussion > Plot question (major spoilers)

Plot question (major spoilers)

posted 13 years ago by mathew5000
4 replies | jump to latest

Okay, sometimes I miss obvious things in movies so feel free to call me an idiot for asking this. How did Mrs. Harrison die? Because she never took the poison, right? So was it just one big coincidence that she fell into a coma that evening?

And then why did Kay rip the one page out of the notebook? Was she trying to protect Ralph, or trying to frame him? The comment by the police inspector at the very end of the movie suggests she was trying to implicate Ralph by hiding the one page from the diary, but if that was really her intention then why wouldn't she burn it?

[–] mwmtampa 12 years ago

Yes, the assumption is that it was a coincidence the first wife died that evening.

It's not entirely clear to me either of all Kay's motives.

I did think it a major plot hole however, that after Kay moves into the house months later, that she finds literally in minutes both the diary and the medicine bottle! Totally absurd! Both he and the housekeeper would likely have been looking all that time already. Give me a break.

[–] calvinnme 11 years ago

The first Mrs. Harrison had a heart condition, so it was likely that the shock of seeing Ralph try to kill her set off an attack.
Kay was trying to frame Ralph. She wanted the money but wanted to get rid of him, thus she took the page of the diary that would have cleared him.

[–] MsELLERYqueen2 11 years ago

I just saw the movie now. I considered the possibility that the housekeeper might have found a way of poisoning him without anyone suspecting her.

~~
Jim Hutton: talented gorgeous hot hunk; adorable as ElleryQueen; SEXIEST ACTOR EVER

[–] Ripplin (4) 7 years ago

I just watched this today and definitely agree with everyone that it's kinda muddy. ('ah, I see...but wait, why is she...oh, I see...but the letter! What?!') Still an enjoyable film. ;) Richard Dix is the man!