MovieChat Forums > Brigadoon (1954) Discussion > Why doesn't Tommy stay a night or two......

Why doesn't Tommy stay a night or two...?

posted 11 years ago by SmackCheeks
6 replies | jump to latest

If Tommy stayed the night in Brigadoon he would wake up 100 years later like everyone else and would not have aged one tot? Because he is not a permanent inhabitant of Brigadoon, he could leave the village, go to the closest large city and purchase as many affordable antiques and paintings as he can afford, perhaps even a little gold then return to the village. After a couple of days he could go back to the city to sell the now extremely rare antiques for an astronomically high profit. If he did that for a couple of weeks he could set himself up very nicely. Then all he has to do is simply bid adieu to Brigadoon... a millionaire in just a few days.

[–] !!!deleted!!! (47421091) 10 years ago

If Tommy stayed the night without committing to Fiona, wouldn't Bridadoon disappear and leave him behind? I'm assuming that's what would have happened to Jeff if stayed on the Bridadoon side of the bridge with Tommmy.

If Tommy did manage to stay, he would be part of the magic and Bridadoon would disappear forever if he left.

[–] SmackCheeks 10 years ago

It's been 6 months since I watched Brigadoon but I checked my facts when I wrote the last post. If I remember correctly you had to be a villager who left the village to trigger the non-reappearance of the village. Tommy was not a villager so he could stay the night and wake up 100 years later like the rest of them. Nobody said he couldn't. Because he was a stranger and not a villager he could also leave without causing the village to disappear forever. Actually I can't see why that should even be an issue. I assume it means the village would continue on as normal somewhere in limbo, never to return to earth which would make no difference to the happy contented villagers. But it would be a problem if Tommy was in the village when someone left in which case he would be trapped..

[–] !!!deleted!!! (47421091) 10 years ago

I'm pretty sure that the old man explained to Tommy that only someone who truly loves a villager and wants to join them can. Although no further explanation was given, I take this to mean that if just anyone was walking through the village (or hiding out), the village would disappear that night but the strangers wouldn't go with them.

[–] annmason24 9 years ago

Why would he need money if he was happy in Brigadoon?

He was already rich, left Brigadoon, and was miserable; why bother to do it again and risk losing happiness forever?

[–] dmnemaine 8 years ago

Tommy can only stay if he truly believes in Brigadoon. Impossible for him to stay a few nights unless he truly believes. His problem is that truly believing forces him to accept that Jeff killed Harry Beaton, which is symbolic of his completely turning his back on his own world. He can't bring himself to that level of acceptance until he realizes that it doesn't matter. All that matters is his love for Fiona.

[–] krdement 8 years ago

Read girlnamedSue's post in this thread. The village elder explains to Gene, Van and Cyd that it is not enough to care for Brigadoon. In order for an outsider to remain in Brigadoon he must love an individual inhabitant enough to give up everything (in the outside world).

John 3:16