MovieChat Forums > The Exorcist (1973) Discussion > So while possessed, Reagan... SPOILER AL...

So while possessed, Reagan... SPOILER ALERT

posted a year ago by whynotwriteme (7145)
4 replies | jump to latest

Murdered Burke Dennings by twisting his head around and chucking him out the window when he came into her room... Three questions.

1. Was he planning to molest her when he entered her room while drunk when her m om was out? Dennings seemed like a despicable character and I wouldn't put it past him.

2. Did possessed Reagan also sneak into the church and vandalize the Virgin Mary statue by adding the painted traffic cone boobs and dick to it or was that a coincidence just included to show that society had lost respect for religion?

3. Would Reagan ever face criminal responsibility for the killing of Dennings if enough evidence was found, or would the investigating cop just leave it as unsolved? Remember, he wasn't really privy to the whole exorcism thing.

[–] Information-Police (4120) a year ago

2. I always thought that was not fine by Regan, but was due to the devil fucking around with others in the area. An omen of evil lurking.

[–] Lord Rake (3841) a year ago

I don't think Burke was going to molest her, he was a drunk who liked ladies but I don't remember anything to suggest he was a pedo. That scene could have been very creepy even if they didn't show his death, he's passed out in the kitchen and suddenly hears a scream that stirs him up and he assumes it was a dream. Then he hears Regan quietly crying upstairs and goes to see what's wrong.

Im not sure if Reagan did the church vandalism during some somnambulism spell, we do see her crafts studio in the basement and that does conjure up a connection between the church stuff.

I think it was before the time of forensics, and with the demon out of Reagan it would be hard to show she had the strength alone to overpower him and then turn his head around and toss him out the window. And without motive. Kinderman was looking at Carl as a suspect, but I think he had an alibi.

[–] spurtle467 (1502) a year ago

Burke Dennings seemed quite a colourful character and did cross the line a bit in insulting the German servant, whether that was the drink talking or not, but there is no reason to think he was going to molest Regan. He was deemed responsible enough to look over Regan while the responsible nanny popped out.

[–] jakemon45 (975) 6 months ago

1. This thought never once crossed my mind. Between how loudly Reagan was screaming at times, the knocking sound, and bed shaking... MY mind went straight to him simply going to check on her after hearing something. The molestation idea seems a bit drastic.

2. In the book, she did the vandalization and a bit more. I'm not sure how heavily the movie actually leans into her doing it, since my knowledge from the novel had me knowing she did it.

3. Again, only in the book, the cop just let it go. He was aware by the end what Reagan went through.