1. Why was the letter addressed to me in particular, not just the police in general?
2. If even Mrs. Morrison is party to the conspiracy, then who could have dissented and sent the letter?
3. If I do reach Rowan in time, where do I take her? Do we steal a rowboat and hope no one catches up to us in the week it takes to reach the shore?
Howie sees the police as a supreme authority, just like he sees God and the church. He wouldn't worry about the shenanigans of the islanders, he's there to bring order. That's how he acts throughout the film and it makes (1) and (2) irrelevant to how he'll conduct his investigation.
(3) is from the choice between doing nothing or trying to rescue an innocent. Seems a natural-enough instinct in the circumstances.
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Free your mind and the rest will follow
1. It would have ben common at the time for him to have been - "their" policeman. Growing up we had once policeman "Mr Makie" covering all the villages for a 10 mile radius.
2. The letter was sent as part of the pilot - there was no dissent/
3. His irrefutable belief in the law of the land and of god, plus his supreme authority as a figure of both, he'd not need to be running off with her.
I know the letter was part of the plot, but Howie didn't know that at the time. After questioning everyone and finding them all uncooperative with him, he should have either wondered who asked for his help...or suspected an ulterior motive for inviting him.
shareHowie sailed in there thinking he's a police officer and would be received with deference. Even after he realizes the quaint locals are uncooperative and becomes flustered, he probably still sees them as simpletons, barbarians, bumpkins and that he will get to the bottom of this. The irony is he's been played the entire time.
shareYou're right. I think he's a bit dumbfounded when he realises that the apparent idiocy and ignorance of the more 'yokel' locals was actually a meaningful plan that they could see and he couldn't.
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Free your mind and the rest will follow