After Jennie tells Gabriel that he is free, we see him walking down the long road. When we see him next, he is a Union soldier who was just about to bayonet the injured Boy, but upon recognition, carries him to a safe place, and then runs back into battle. We never see or hear about him again. Of course, I hope he survived and went on to live a productive life, but couldn't the script made this clear?
share"After Jennie tells Gabriel that he is free, we see him walking down the long road. When we see him next, he is a Union soldier who was just about to bayonet the injured Boy, but upon recognition, carries him to a safe place, and then runs back into battle. We never see or hear about him again. Of course, I hope he survived and went on to live a productive life, but couldn't the script made this clear?"
NSurone, that's the beauty of a well made movie with a strong story. You can decide whatever it is you want to have happened to Gabriel. Movies don't leave much to the imagination any more and for that, we are all a bit poorer. My take on Gabriel is that he finished the war and moved on with his life, but that like most African-Americans after the Civil War, endured additional hardships but he overcame them and raised a fine family with many children, each a success in their own right. Anyway, that's what I think happened. What do you think happened?
I'd like to think the same thing as you.
I'd also like to think that years later, he and Boy reconnected, with Boy (I hope he wouldn't be called THAT any more!) telling his family how Gabriel saved his life.
Well actually, I have it on the best authority (honest !) that Gabriel was promoted to Corporal but met his untimely demise with IX Corps under General Ledlie at the Battle of the Crater in 1864.
Boy on the other hand, affected by all the violence, went to Richmond and hid out the rest of the war as a saloon gal and afterward travelled to Charleston, S.C. as a carpetbagger during the Reconstruction.
Awww hell - okay I made it up ! I'm sure they both did okay and I've always loved this film !
All the best
You wanna f * * k with me? Okay. Say hello to my little friend! (Tony Montana)
Since Boy was born in Virginia, he couldn't be a carpetbagger--a Northerner who goes South in order to accumulate wealth from the ruins of the war.
Perhaps you mean "scallawag"--a Southerner who also seeks to profit from the miseries of war?
That's the feller !
You wanna f * * k with me? Okay. Say hello to my little friend! (Tony Montana)
Most freed slaves adopted the names of their former masters, so I guess hebacame Gabriel Abernathy. My maternal ancestors were slaves in and around Petersburg, and they took the names of the two families that owned them.
May I bone your kipper, Mademoiselle?