a letter to himself? - Somewhere in the Night (1946) Discussion

[–] zygimantas 18 years ago

That' exactly the little plot point I took issue with. The only thing I can come up with is the possibility that he was using it to further establish his identity as "George Tailor", but it's murky at best, not very airtight.

It's almost as if he knew he was going to lose his memory. I too would like to hear someone read this closely and come up with a better theory than I have.

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[–] octopus-8 18 years ago

He didn't write it to himself. Remember he had Chris look at it and she said it was Mary's handwriting - the woman he almost married before the war, who was killed by a car. Apparently she put the $5000 in the account after he left for the war, but signed it from Larry so it couldn't be traced back to her. Or something. But that's how I perceived.

Just finished watching it - great movie.

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[–] Bob_Brooker 11 years ago

Remember he had Chris look at it and she said it was Mary's handwriting

You are referring to the wrong letter. Mary wrote the hate letter Larry found in his wallet at the hospital.

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Last movie watched: Amour (8/10)

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[–] Jaaayyy 18 years ago

Correct - he didn't write the letter. Mary his fiance and Chris's best friend did. George/Larry/whoever... didn't find the 'I hate you' letter in his briefcase at the bus depot. 'George/Larry/Tailor/Cravat/whoever...' found the 'hate' letter in his wallet in the first hospital scene. He found a note from Mary at the bus depot along with the $5K signed 'your pal Larry Cravat'.
I think the craziest premise is George and Chris finding the suitcase under the pier filled with $1,000 dollar bills. Where did that come from? Why didn't the all knowing detective without his hat find it? Or how about Mel? Couldn't he have rounded up some thugs to scour the pier?
Oh well at least it's better than 'The Limping Man'.

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[–] puzzd 18 years ago

I think he did write the letter about the $5000 to himself. The letter with Larry Cravat's signature would establish that he's the right George Tailor for whom Larry deposited the money enabling him to withdraw the money.

It was hard to believe that in four years no one found the suitcase under the pier. Chris even saw it from a distance at night. I know Michael Conroy said no one ever goes down there, but it was very easy to go down there and walk around.

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[–] midfieldgeneral 18 years ago

Of course George/Larry wrote the letter to himself. Knowing he was under suuspicion for the murder on the docks, and having decided to hide out by enlisting in the marines under the assumed name of George Taylor, Larry Cravat deposited the $5,000 in the bank for himself as 'George' to collect on his discharge from the forces. He wrote the letter from himself as Larry Cravat (who set up the bank account) to himself as George Taylor in order to authorise access to the account for his George Taylor identity. Er... simple!

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[–] bijou-2 17 years ago

In Mary's handwriting?

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[–] AlanLinell 16 years ago

Different letter!

Baby, I don't care!

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[–] cbee43 7 years ago

Makes perfect sense to me.. the name was actually used by a tailor named George, it says so in his suit collar.

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[–] Bob_Brooker 11 years ago

I think he did write the letter about the $5000 to himself. The letter with Larry Cravat's signature would establish that he's the right George Tailor for whom Larry deposited the money enabling him to withdraw the money.

Larry was trying to get rid of his identity by assuming another name. Now, why would he try and officially link his new self to Larry "most wanted" Cravat?

__________
Last movie watched: Amour (8/10)

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[–] Xcalat3 14 years ago

what strange thing to do indeed

When there's no more room in hell, The dead will walk the earth...

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[–] bluenova19692002 11 years ago

It's fairly obvious that he did write the letter to himself, so that after the war his new identity, George Tailor, would have some money to get back on track. Yes, he would be taking a chance by depositing the money under Larry Cravat, but he likely thought that a bank teller wouldn't know anything about Cravat and the stolen money. When you watch films like this, you need to suspend some disbelief and just sit back and enjoy it.

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