MovieChat Forums > Hollow Triumph (1949) Discussion > Several Concerns Over the Plot (Spoilers...

Several Concerns Over the Plot (Spoilers)

posted 9 years ago by marhefka
5 replies | jump to latest

Although not a blockbuster, still not a bad film. I'm intrigued over some plot points:

1. A big point was made the the Stansyck gang would find you anywhere, even years later in Paris or Mexico. If you double-crossed them in any fashion, they would find you and kill you. But, John Muller was allowed to go to L.A. with no problem. His brother found him there, so couldn't the Stansyck gang also find him?

2. After killing Dr. Bartok, apparently he dumped the body into the bay. The plot doesn't follow up on this. Wouldn't the body be found and probably recognized?

3. After the gang knew he was in L.A., he apparently still lived in a cheap hotel after killing the doctor. The methodical gang members would have been able to find him with no problem.

[–] MsELLERYqueen2 9 years ago

good points. This film does have its share of plot holes, but those plot holes don't bother me.

~~
💕 JimHutton (1934-79) and ElleryQueen 👍

[–] marhefka 9 years ago

👍

[–] MsELLERYqueen2 9 years ago

One thing that popped into my mind: the main character was convinced that the gang would find him anywhere. Well, he could have been wrong about that. Maybe they just simply didn't find him.

The cops were on their tail, too. Maybe they had to hide out and couldn't go looking for this guy.

~~
💕 JimHutton (1934-79) and ElleryQueen 👍

[–] mdonln 7 years ago

marhefka says > 1. A big point was made the Stansyck gang would find you anywhere, even years later in Paris or Mexico. If you double-crossed them in any fashion, they would find you and kill you. But, John Muller was allowed to go to L.A. with no problem. His brother found him there, so couldn't the Stansyck gang also find him?

The gang did catch up to John at one point but he got away. They were always on his tail but he'd never know when they'd get him. That added to the torture.

He knew through his brother that they'd gotten his pal Marcy in Mexico but at some point Stansyck was killed off. Once the head mobster was dead, the gang would dissolve. Anyone who lived would go their separate ways and the threat would be eliminated. His brother told him that too.

What makes the movie great in my opinion; the reason I could overlook all the problems was how it ended. He was finally free; off the hook as Muller but had a whole new gang of enemies after him he didn't even know about due to his new Bartok identity. That was eventually his downfall. The message is: sometimes you go out of the frying pan and right into the fire.

Woman, man! That's the way it should be Tarzan. [Tarzan and his mate]

[–] MIchiganJFrogg (-35) 6 years ago

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