MovieChat Forums > Women in Love (1970) Discussion > Horse at Train Crossing scene...

Horse at Train Crossing scene...

posted 16 years ago by thatsnumberwang
7 replies | jump to latest

What was the point of that? Why on earth would you torture a poor animal like that? And how could you love a man that did something like that?

http://saucybetty.blogspot.com

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] mlraymond 16 years ago

I've always been puzzled by that scene. The general consensus seems to be that Gudrun is turned on by Gerald's macho behavior, even if repulsed by it on the surface. The sex scene that occurs later between them has always seemed to me like a rape more than lovemaking, but it may be the idea that sometimes a srong woman wants to be dominated by a man, though normally she would reject the idea.

And when he crossed the bridge, the phantoms came to meet him

[–] terranova22 14 years ago

I just saw Women in Love at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, and Ken Russell was there for a Q&A, but he only stayed for the first film "Music Lovers", otherwise i would have asked him what the hell was that all about?!
Anyway, here's what i was thinking, but really hoping for something better:

1. He had suicidal tendencies, or at least a disregard for his own well-being and that of his horse.

2. He wanted to coax his horse to jump over the train. (doesn't seem possible).

3. He was taking out his frustrations on the horse.

4. He was immature and enjoyed torturing the horse the way that a kid torments a spider (and didn't know that the women were watching him).

5. He saw the women there, and thought that this display of machismo would impress them.

Any other possible reason why this character would do that (or why Russell would portray that scene?)

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] LittleFrida 13 years ago

As far I remember from the book he violently wanted to teach the horse not fearing loud noises or obstacles anymore. This scene in the movie disgusted the heck out of me. I don´t know how they taped it, as for a second you can see the train in hitting and dragging/lifting the horse on it´s rear end. Stuff like that spoil a movie for me, no matter how good the rest of it may be.

[–] caroms2051 12 years ago

I just saw this movie last night and I wondered about this too. Who could love anyone who behaved so monstrously toward a poor animal? Maybe that was the point of the scene, because I felt that Gudrun never really loved Gerald Crich at all. He was wealthy, sturdy and well-groomed, and that was enough for her to have an affair with him. I think this scene showed why she always had an underlying contempt for him.

(Yes I know we could go read D.H. Lawrence to find out for sure! Trying to avoid that!) dang!

[–] Lava-Rocks 7 years ago

Ask D.H. Laurence.