MovieChat Forums > Frenzy (1972) Discussion > The gourmet wife

The gourmet wife

posted 13 years ago by brujitabubabu
6 replies | jump to latest

The funny scenes with the gourmet wife of Inspector Oxford are brilliant.

I wonder if Hitchock tried to make fun of British food (they would prefer
fish and chips rather than 'caneton aux cérises') or how the Brits would
not 'understand' the sophisticated names of gourmet dishes (an Englishwoman
once told me: in France, they embellish a dish by calling it POT AU FEU
and it sounds great, but in England we would simply say BOILED BEEF WITH
CARROTS'...

Incidentally, the 'gourmet' wife was played by Harold Pinter's wife!

[–] gobears87 13 years ago

I agree that the scenes with Mrs. Oxford serving up her creations were hilarious.

I took it to mean that she tried really hard, but she's a terrible cook. The scenes are sweet, because she is going to great lengths to try to please her husband. And he can't bear to tell her the truth about her awful cooking, so he tries his dogged best to choke some of it down. They really care about each other, which is nice in a dark film like this.

[–] PoppyTransfusion 13 years ago

I think the gourmet wife, Mrs Oxford, has a sexual meaning too. It seemed to me that her marriage with the Inspector was sexless especially as he spends most of his time working and the food he wishes to eat is very traditinal and conservative fare. She on the other hand is enjoying the variety and sensuality of food and using her knowledge and skill against her husband. Thrusting into his mouth (yes!) unappetising concoctions that made my stomach turn just on the descriptions alone. The pig's trotters and prune was one such particular dish.

I'm a fountain of blood
In the shape of a girl

[–] numberone_1 12 years ago

Agreed all the way around! Though I believe also that the "gourmet wife" scene is important in the film because it Mrs. Oxford casually mentions 8 yeras of marriage, comparing her own to that of the Blaneys, maried 10 years, and providing a different perspective on why Blaney couldn't have been the murderer. And a few scenes later, when Oxford hears Blaney threatening to kills Rusk, he gets a thoughtful look on his face, perhaps remembering what his wife said over the gourmet dinner.

[–] ecarle 12 years ago

Mrs. Oxford: I mean, look at us, we've only been married eight years, and I can hardly get you to look at me.

Inspector Oxford: That may be so, but at least I don't knock you about or make you do degrading things.

A sad little exchange, that, in that she's gently suggesting they could use some sex in their lives, and he's suggesting maybe they won't be doing THAT, but...such horrible "other options."

Still, Mrs. Oxford is "on the money": Blaney didn't rape his ex. And Inspector Oxford eventually plays the sap:

Inspector Oxford: Well, it looks like we put the wrong man away this time.
Mrs. Oxford: What do you mean, WE?

Ouch. Touchy little marriage. So quiet. So conflicted. So British?

---

Hitchcock said that he and scenarist Anthony Shaffer designed these scenes(which aren't in the book) to "cover exposition" with comedy. Maybe so, but one ends up paying more attention to the comedy than the expostion.

One also pays more attention to the food!

[–] boywiththethorn 12 years ago

I don't believe that the wife is trying too hard to please her husband. At one point he asks something to the effect, "do you know what I'd like to have for dinner" and she says "steak and potatoes, I suppose" and then describes the elaborate dish she has prepared. She knows he doesn't want this fancy food but is forcing it upon him; to refine him, perhaps? Anyway, there is something passive-aggressive in the action. Funny, but sad as well.

[–] Bree_33 12 years ago

The dinner scene was especially well done and subtly hilarious.

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