MovieChat Forums > Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round (1966) Discussion > What was the point of the twist? (Spoile...

What was the point of the twist? (Spoilers)

posted 14 years ago by Frequency270
7 replies | jump to latest

I'm not sure I fully understood it. The best I could understand is that the young blonde, Sparv, had just inherited millions of dollars from a dying mother and/or aunt. Which, for me, was making the point of the film that Coburns activities ended up being unneccessary. That while his crime DID pay, if he simply stuck with Sparv, it would have paid more.

Did anyone see it this way.

Overall, an average film. Certainly watchable, with clever plot devices and reasonably realistic. It never really engages to its full potential. Should have been about 10 minutes shorter, and a little more energetic.

Damion Crowley
Now get in the pit and try to love someone!--Kid Rock

[–] porsche1974-1 14 years ago

In a nutshell, yes.

'Let's eat Grandma!' or, 'Let's eat, Grandma!' Punctuation saves lives. Use it. Save a life.

[–] belacane 14 years ago

It wasn't her mother and/or aunt, it was the lady she worked for in Boston. But otherwise yes, that was the point I took away, that crime didn't pay as well as being with Inge would have. Of course, there was no way at all to know such a thing ahead of time. Nobody, neither we nor Coburn, were given any indication that her employer was either (a) alone in the world, (b) ailing in any way, or (c) that immensely fond of Inge, that she would leave her the $7M.

But, given his proclivities throughout the rest of the film, I think Coburn's character would have chosen the con regardless, since the con was what interested him the most.

[–] rockmail 13 years ago

Yeah, It's one of those "demanded by the studio", Disney type endings.

The criminal gets away with his crime (Heaven FORBID!), but if he had only remained faithful to his bride, the reward would have been even bigger!

The usual claptrap Puritan interference from studio execs, or just silly writing, I don't know which.

It ruins an otherwise witty movie and Coburn performance.

[–] rockmail 13 years ago

[–] scott-1441 11 years ago

There is another aspect to the twist. All of the other women he seduced in the film were just here today, gone tomorrow types. With Inger, they had a more meaningful romance - they played in the snow, they had supposedly married, and she was devoted to him. After uprooting and waiting for him in L.A., she gave him the fancy tape recorder so he could record his poetry and songs.

So not only did he miss out on the $7 million, he missed out on a woman who deeply loved him and who he probably loved back as much as he was capable.

[–] goleafsgo27 10 years ago

Deeply loved him? Well, except that almost nothing she thought she knew about him was real, so she was in love with a facade, and while he probably enjoyed their horizontal gymnastics, he was simply using her to further his heist.

I have seen enough to know I have seen too much. -- ALOTO

[–] 10 years ago

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