MovieChat Forums > Il portiere di notte (1974) Discussion > Just some questions for any Night Porter...

Just some questions for any Night Porter experts!

posted 11 years ago by Flowbeer
5 replies | jump to latest

Spoilers, perhaps, though I haven't seen it all the way thru!

Ok, I watched this on DV-R, I kinda fell asleep, it kept on re-playing from beginning to end and I got confused as far as beginning & ending (still haven't seen the end scenes yet!) - I saw the scene where Max brings a box with a head in it - who was that? And why does he present it to Charlotte Rampling?

Also, why are the Germans 'investigating" Max and when they say 'File' her away, do they mean kill her, before she can testify? Were these like the Nazi trials when they found SS guards & brought them to the Hague to punish them for rape or murder of WWII victims? And why do they even give Max a 'choice' to turn himself in, why don't they just arrest him? AND, do they want him to kill Charlotte Rampling's character, so she can not testify?

This movie was weird. Was she suffering from Stockholm Syndrome, was that the point of their relationship 13 years later?
And how old was she supposed to be in the Concentration camp? Like under 16? Because 13 years later, she looks like a grown 30+ year old woman!

Any help would be appreciated!

"Now, I know I'm pretty, but I ain't as pretty as a coupla titties!"

[–] Flowbeer 11 years ago

PS: And who was the guy Max said he wanted to go "fishing" with and then you hear the guy being drowned or something? Why did he kill his 'friend' and why didn't they just show it, instead of make us wonder what he did? And why does he suffer from guilt afterwards, considering he was such a psychopath/sociopath?? Was he trying to cover up his affair with Lucia?

"Now, I know I'm pretty, but I ain't as pretty as a coupla titties!"

[–] rc-108 10 years ago

not an expert by any means..
I just watched it once.

the head was from someone who was hassling her when she was in the prison camp.

the Germans were Nazi's who were proactively taking care of each other and having trials of some kind to clear themselves. They were eliminating witnesses or whoever got in their way.

The wanted Max to turn himself in and have his trial, because he was a loose end for them also. And yes, Rampling could have been a witness... which might have brought their house of cards down.

as far as the fishing friend, I think that is exactly what it was. He was an ex Nazi also. Before she came back into his life.. he acted 'normal'.

They had a strange relationship, partly Stockholm syndrome, part love, part lust. It was more important to her than her marriage, and more important to him that his life. Without each other they could live normal type lives. but together,
their passions over rode all logic.

[–] Positively_Annoying 10 years ago

You're very kind. I would have suggested the OP watched the darned movie. *eyeroll*

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No signature lines were harmed in the making of this signature line.

[–] PussyCrusher_Principal 7 years ago

I rolled my eyes at YOUR post. But I wouldn't feel the need to post about it, had you not felt the need to waste space and people's time letting others know what a dik hed you are. I'm sure everybody who associates with you figured it out on their own.

Maybe in the future, we can avoid wasting any space at all? Hmmm? How 'bout it? Whadya say? Hmmm?

[–] vosges1945 10 years ago

*****as far as the fishing friend, I think that is exactly what it was. He was an ex Nazi also*****

The fishing friend is Mario, the restaurant owner Max meets with. Mario was not a Nazi, he was prisoner also... which is why he recognize Lucia. Mario was initially spared death because he was such a great cook at first; later it's alluded that he did some act in order to save himself at the end (of the war) that enabled the group to both trust him and see him as an equal.

Max killed Mario when they went fishing because he notified the group he'd seen a potential witness and was going to 'testify' at Max's 'trial' about Lucia.

Introduce a little anarchy. Upset the established order