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What did the fake Ross think was going to happen to him?

posted 9 years ago by jackmronner
5 replies | jump to latest

Much is made of his having intentionally unlatched the door to the hotel room to admit the hitman. This implies that the hitman was in on the scam to let the real Ross escape. But what did fake Ross think they were there for? Just to shoot the cop so that he could "escape"? He could have done that on his own before the cops showed up. Was he so stupid that he didn't wonder if they mightn't rub him out to take of loose ends? If he thought his whole role in the scam was to lay a false trail out of the country, why would he think they needed a hitman? Confusing.

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] pullman1881 8 years ago

He could have done that on his own before the cops showed up. Was he so stupid that he didn't wonder if they mightn't rub him out to take of loose ends?

Wasn't fake Ross a car salesman or something mundane like that? He was made a bunch of promises and was naive(sp?) enough to believe them. Ross knew him from somewhere or saw him and realized the resemblance and made the offer. Fake Ross probably wasn't too bright and was blinded by the money and chance to split to Europe for a couple of months. I don't think fake Ross could have shot the cop himself and successfully escaped since he wasn't a real bad guy; he thought he would be taken care of. He was probably told by the real Ross (or his men - maybe he never knew the real Ross and didn't even completely understand the mess he got himself into) that they'd get him loose and he could take off to Europe. He'd come back home and just be able to resume his regular life as a car salesman because everyone would think he (the real Ross) escaped. I think you'd have to be pretty stupid to fall for the plan, but again, maybe fake Ross just wasn't smart.

[–] jackmronner 8 years ago

When I said "he could have done that himself", I didn't mean kill the cop. I mean he only had to "escape" because he stuck around until the cops showed up to baby sit him, he could have just left before the got there in the first place. I suppose they'd told him that he had to disappear for a while to lay a false trail. But then why was Ross planning on leaving from S.F. when his fake self would have been drawing attention to that city, thus making it more likely he'd be discovered at the airport.

[–] pullman1881 8 years ago

This is the "organization" remember (I love that - from Chicago where as we know all gangsters come from - I can say this since I'm in Chicago) planning this, not a group of rocket scientists. Maybe they're just dumb enough to formulate a less-than-perfect plan.

I guess we have to just overlook some of the stuff that doesn't make a whole lot of sense. It's a terrific movie under any circumstances.

[–] KutWrite (1220) 4 years ago

MAD magazine did a great parody of this movie. A recurring phrase uttered by several characters.

At one point "Ice-Pick Mike" utters the phrase to Bullitt: "You mIay be a great detective, but from moviemaking you know nothing, dum-dum." He then explains why a particular error is committed by his character to further the plot or increase tension.

I think the next issue showed a photo of McQueen or Vaughn reading the parody.