MovieChat Forums > Seconds (1966) Discussion > Mr. Wilson visiting Mrs. Hamilton

Mr. Wilson visiting Mrs. Hamilton

posted 13 years ago by mercury4
12 replies | jump to latest

It is so clear that Arthur Hamilton was in a loveless marriage. It's clear in the beginning when you can see there is no intimacy or romance in the marriage. But once Mr. Wilson has that talk with his wife from his previous life, it's so obvious then that it was a loveless marriage and that he was never happy. You don't even see any regret in him thinking that maybe he should've stayed. Even when his wife discusses him, there is no emotion or sadness over him. All she says is that she knew he was never happy. Very sad scene. You can understand why Hamilton had no doubts about leaving his wife. She barely even saved any of his things. All she saved was the tennis trophy, I'm assuming, and she gave it away to Mr. Wilson.

[–] Local Hero 13 years ago

I think I give the wife more credit in that scene than you seem to. Yes, it was a loveless marriage, but the wife in this scene shows herself to be rather wise and perceptive (albeit hurt, benumbed, and even possibly bitter). When he was speaking to his ex-(?)wife, I didn't read him as empty, devoid of emotion. I thought he was racked with guilt, regret, and existential angst. He is surprised to hear how much his wife had perceived, and he is especially stunned to realize from her just how much he had shut her out of his life.

So, I agree that he wasn't thinking, "Oh God! What a mistake, as I now realize how much I do truly love her," but I do think he was truly seeing her for the first time in a long time, and realizing that the emptiness of the marriage was entirely his fault, and that perhaps if he had it to do over he could have made it a real marriage.

And by the way, even in the opening scenes of the marriage, we are shown moments of the wife trying to be tender and supportive, but he simply shuts her out.

[–] mercury4 13 years ago

Yeah, I think as he's sitting there he's realizing that it was his fault. He's beginning to see himself too, I believe. I don't blame the wife at all for her attitude. Her late husband was never happy and never seemed to love her.

[–] uoduck92 13 years ago

Very powerful scene- and one that really hits home... The only thing Arthur was really looking forward to in his life was the presidency of this bank...! He couldn't see past the noise of "being busy" to realize he had a loyal wife who was clearly willing to ride out his crisis with him. When he died, there was no real resolution to his crisis and it made it easier for her to move on...

The one thing he wanted to be was an artist, and he did not even share THAT with his wife, hence the tossing out of the old watercolors...

I admit that when he was first presented the opportunity to get a new life I was in agreement based on my initial glimpse of his life- but after his encounter with his widow my feelings took a 180 degree turn...

"Knowledge is Good"

[–] Local Hero 13 years ago

Thanks for your reply. Yes, that's exactly how I see the wife's character and role as well.

[–] Eric-62-2 13 years ago

Prior to this scene there was a scene cut from the film of Hudson visiting his daughter and her husband, and it's too bad that scene is lost because that combined with this scene would have driven home the fact that while no, Hudson isn't realizing any love he had deep down, he would nonetheless realize that he had *denied* himself a chance to experience love with his wife and daughter because of his own actions, and now it's too late.

[–] EllisFowler 13 years ago

But that's really the whole point of the movie. Even though he bought himself a new life and identity, he's basically the same empty person and it's constantly being hammered home that that's who and what he is and is why the transformation is almost always a failure. The irony is that any possibility of success is doomed because The Company has him surrounded by its minions to ensure that he doesn't expose them.

Frankenheimer mentions the scene with the daughter in his commentary on the DVD release and it really is tragic that it was lost.

[–] roncerabona 11 years ago

Yes, it's a case of "no matter where you go, there you are". Interesting that the company head is elderly - he didn't go through it himself. I think the reason it is doomed is that the sort of people who do it, like Arthur, are the ones who simply are not happy in themselves - it wouldn't matter what they got. Of course, as you say, having the minions (and blackmail) doesn't exactly make for an easy transition - it's a pretty sordid business!

[–] Flosive 11 years ago

Yes, I think 'everyone gets the life they deserve' was one of the messages of this film, but also that life is for living, it's precious and should not be wasted.

"I guess I never had a dream"

He wanted life, he wanted choice, but there was never anything he really wanted to choose, and when it came to actually living life he was out of his depth, he couldn't handle it. To be either a withdrawn man in a loveless marriage following the standard career path, or a faceless corpse for someone else's use, was his place in the grand scheme of things.

I wonder if life as a solitary painter would have suited him if the company hadn't pushed him into being sociable? Painting watercolours and taking long walks along the beach, would he have found contentment there? No, probably not.

This is a film that's still lingering in my mind.

*
Last seen: Seconds (1966) 9/10

[–] deliaw1946 12 years ago

Local Hero, I agree with you. When he saw her again, with the house all spruced up and her new clothes, hairdo, etc., he realized he had given up a pretty terrific woman and it was his fault he had shut her out, he realized she had been a good wife to him, tried to help him. Maybe there was no grand passion any more, but it still would have been a good life and he blew it. There would have been much love and happiness with his daughter and grandchild. When he got back in the cab, you could tell he realized what a colossal mistake he'd made and he wished he could return to his old life for a "second" chance.

[–] Magovani 11 years ago

This thread sure has some insightful posts!

During the visit in question, one of the saddest things for me is when Tony looks at the framed photo of Arthur. The photo is seen in close-up, and Tony's face is reflected over Arthur's in the frame's glass.

This is onscreen for only a few seconds (no pun intended), but something about it really gets to me. I find it heartbreaking.

[–] Jakealope 13 years ago

You'd think at that point he would have been glad to get back to Malibu and the beach. Face it, he was just dull

[–] bon22 10 years ago

Yes to all of these:

I thought he was racked with guilt, regret, and existential angst. He is surprised to hear how much his wife had perceived, and he is especially stunned to realize from her just how much he had shut her out of his life.

The only thing Arthur was really looking forward to in his life was the presidency of this bank...! He couldn't see past the noise of "being busy" to realize he had a loyal wife who was clearly willing to ride out his crisis with him.

Even though he bought himself a new life and identity, he's basically the same empty person and it's constantly being hammered home that that's who and what he is and is why the transformation is almost always a failure. The irony is that any possibility of success is doomed because The Company has him surrounded by its minions to ensure that he doesn't expose them.

He wanted life, he wanted choice, but there was never anything he really wanted to choose, and when it came to actually living life he was out of his depth, he couldn't handle it. To be either a withdrawn man in a loveless marriage following the standard career path, or a faceless corpse for someone else's use, was his place in the grand scheme of things.

When he got back in the cab, you could tell he realized what a colossal mistake he'd made and he wished he could return to his old life for a "second" chance.