How Did They Drown? - Women in Love (1970) Discussion

[–] qpw3141 12 years ago

The way it was portrayed in the film was absurd. They could clearly swim and the only reason people who can swim drown in calm water like that (apart from sudden, incapacitating illness) is entanglement in weed or similar beneath the surface.

But the film maker actually showed that there was no such thing by having a scene when the water had drained.

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[–] timlin-4 12 years ago

The bitch drowned him

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[–] cookiela2001 12 years ago

I thought Oliver Reed said there was a strong, cold current under the water. So apparently, the wife was sweept away by it when underwater, and the husband as well when he was diving under to find her.

It must have been an AWFULLY strong and wide current, though, since they both seem perfectly capable in the water.

I think the father also says that they had "opened the gates" or something, which implies the water systems on the estate were connected, somehow. (Some ponds and lakes, etc., on an estate are artificially created.) This could, I guess, create a sudden current as one body of water (or water feature) flows into another.

Then we have a scene with characters searching the waterfalls (or a dam?) so I cuess that is where the current lead to.

When we see the couple dead, I don't think they're in the original body of water. They've been swept downstream or something.
.

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[–] Yojimbo28 12 years ago

I've read in multiple places that she pulled him under and drowned her husband, a claim I guess supported by Gerald saying to Rupert as they carried the bodies out of the water, "She killed him." Now admittedly, I have no idea how this could be true. Are they saying that the wife committed a murder/suicide by drowning her husband and herself at the same time? Is that even possible, to willfully drown yourself in water you can easily swim out of? I was confused by what really took place in that scene. I'd guess the book sheds light on it.

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[–] ShannonTriumphant 11 years ago

One of the first things we learned in advanced lifesaving (I took it as a college course), was how dangerous it is to try to save a person in distress in water! They do not even have to be drowning. As soon as they lose control, such as in a rip tide, current, weeds or just by fatigue, they panic and latch onto anyone who comes near, even a loved one who tries to rescue them.

If you don't know the proper way to approach them--dive down and climb up behind them--then use the rescue hold, then they will literally climb up onto your head to save themselves!

In a dammed up stream like this, there are ALWAYS currents of varying strength and they can cause a person to be pulled under suddenly and become tangled in weeds or sunken debris. It doesn't really matter how "fit" or young they are.

In a pond near my town, there is such a strong current. One day, four strong college students, all on the Univ. football team and very fit, went swimming. Suddenly, one just disappeared beneath the water for no apparent reason. Like the swimmers in the novel, his body was not found until they drained the pond. Luckily for his friends, ifnot him, they didn't find him while he was drowning or they would probably have been pulled down too. No reason for his going under was given.

The girl did NOT "Kill" the guy--she just panicked. He probably did too.

She deserves her revenge, and we deserve to die.

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[–] mdcordova-1 10 years ago

Where I grew up (Utah) full grown men drowned every spring in the fast moving mountain creeks that are only a few feet deep

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[–] ShannonTriumphant 8 years ago

That's believable, though you wouldn't think it possible. I always wonder about people who ride horses through places like that. Do they have a better chance of making it?

I followed all the rules...and you followed none of them. And they all loved you more.

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[–] Stirchley 8 years ago

Years ago my girlfriend's boyfriend drowned in a pond. He had stupidly gone swimming without removing his boots & had gotten entangled in weeds. He was only 19.

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[–] ShannonTriumphant 8 years ago

That would do it! I once jumped out of a sailboat, fully clothed, to save a piece of rigging and nearly drowned from the weight of my jeans, especially. Why would someone swim with boots on...?! Sad, though.

I followed all the rules...and you followed none of them. And they all loved you more.

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[–] I_Aint_No_Prophet 10 years ago

What I noticed in the shot of the corpses was that it appeared as though they were embracing, but it almost looked like the guy's hand was positioned on her face as though he were pushing her away. I thought it was strange until Gerald made that comment, so I assume we are to believe that she grabbed hold of him for rescue, and he tried in vain to push her away to avoid his own death.

Then again, Gerald has issues with women, so it could be that the director was merely showing us the way it was perceived by such a man.

"Why do you find it so hard to believe?"
"Why do you find it so easy?"
"It's never BEEN easy!"

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[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Alwood 8 years ago

It was meant to be metaphorical: their lust for one another consumed them and they therefore consumed each other.

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