MovieChat Forums > Homicidal (1961) Discussion > Lucky stroke? *possible spoilers*

Lucky stroke? *possible spoilers*


Was Helga's stroke just a happy chance? I think it was said that Warren and Helga returned from Denmark after Helga had a stroke. Or was it possible that Warren did something to Helga?

If I have it right, Helga took Warren to Denmark when he was young, and they stayed there until about a year prior to the current time in the movie. Is that right?

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Would Warren have returned if Helga had not had a stroke? He may have just stayed in Denmark with her.

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[deleted]

It was difficult to tell how Emily/Warren really felt about her. Yes, she beat him when he was a child -- but as Warren, she lets her off the hook, claiming it was his father, and Helga was just following orders. Then Helga raised him in Denmark for apparently many years. We can't know what those years were like. Was Emily/Warren forced to live as a male? Or was she allowed to live as a female because they were in a foreign country? Was Helga nicer without the father ordering beatings? I'm guessing there were years of tension and unspoken resentment building up in Denmark. Then Helga either providentially had a stroke, or Warren did something to her. He couldn't have cut her spinal cord, because that would have totally paralyzed her, and she does have partial use of her hands. Also she cannot speak, which wouldn't fit with the spinal cord. It must have seemed like wild good luck that one of the people who knows your secret has fallen helpless into your hands.

Emily seemed very frustrated and fed up with Helga, as I imagine she might be. Being a full-time care-giver to a paralyzed person would be difficult and maybe unpleasant work. And of course she was planning to murder Helga. Did Helga know that, or was she just concerned at Emily's sudden appearance, or her violence? I'm guessing once Emily told Helga that so-and-so died "screeeammmingggg" (creepy part of the film!), Helga would guess who was on the hit list.

I thought the doorknob banging would play a role later, but it never did. Sort of disappointing. For a while I tried to listen if it were Morse, but I don't think it was.

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