Dice Rolling Scene...
The scene in which Gruber and the Captain roll dice to "win" Erica is one of my favorites in movie history.
Nice tension, with a truly unexpected outcome.
The scene in which Gruber and the Captain roll dice to "win" Erica is one of my favorites in movie history.
Nice tension, with a truly unexpected outcome.
You have to watch the scene perhaps several times to finally 'get' the non-verbal messaging and communication that was going on between Gruber and Erica. Evidently, Gruber was a man of 'flexible' scruples when the situation called for it. He had no compunction pimping out his mistress, Erica Torres, to the captain, when it became clear that it was Gruber's strategy of appeasement in order to control the invaders, very subtle. More, Erica seemed to be completely aware of Gruber's intentions as she obviously played along. Yet, there might have been an element of attraction to the captain from Erica, but I can't be sure if it was attraction at first sight or if she later fell in love with the captain. It's not too difficult to see this. Obviously the captain lost the last dice roll but Erica declared the captain the winner. Gruber knocked the dice off the table so that the captain could not see the dice. Gruber did not want the captain to catch any inkling of his appeasement strategy, because one of the possible outcomes of the appeasement strategy was to liquidate the invaders.
shareGruber passed the buck (as it were) by putting the responsibility on Erica. He showed her he would traffick her and leave the dirty work of choosing to her. Well Freudian.
Marlon, Claudia and Dimby the cats 1989-2005, 2007 and 2010.
Interesting analysis that illustrates what I've long felt about the film - contains nearly endless subtleties and nuance. Requires multiple re-viewings.
I felt differently - that he was afraid of settling the dispute over Erica with weapons and chose the dice, and was hoping luck would be on his side.
Women are attracted to power and as such the Captain was clearly the new "alpha" in the village. She already had designs on him. Her "misreading" of the results of the throw gave her a way to join with him, while allowing Gruber to save a bit of face since dice are supposed to be random.
I'll have to re-watch it for the upteenth time now to look for the clues to your take on it.
"...and Mrs. Taylor sure seems to use a lotta ice, whenever he's away."