I loved the movie but was left confused at the end. It seemed -- to me -- to finish abruptly. What does the end mean?
Does David die after having been out in the cold so long? (Sees Grandpa and horse)
Does he suddenly grow up?
Does he suddenly realize his father's been telling the truth all along while his grandfather's been telling stories?
Does he believe his grandfather's just gone somewhere?
What?
I believe we are meant to figure it out ourselves. Other than that, I can't really say.
shareI think we are meant to know that obviously at some point the boy will come down when he is hungry enough. But as we see Davey think back to his memories of Zaidy, we are meant to see that the grandfather had a profound effect on the boy and it is the good memories of his grandfather that will shape him as he grows up. The grandfather's love and influence, his ideas and traditions had such a powerful effect on the boy, that as he grows up with his difficult, narcistic, unloving father, he will carry the memory of his Zeidy with him, and will probably keep alot of the grandfather's Jewish traditions alive and well into his own family and his own life.
During the movie, the Zeidy had a friendship with a man, a secular Jewish man, with whom he often had discussions, arguments, on the value of the old jewish traditions and ways in this new country. Well, Zeidy had the last laugh. The grandson will keep his ways, as we see that he made such a deep impression on him and it was he and only he whose "lies" held any truth to the boy.
In the end, the father told Davey the truth- he didn't lie. He was the only one who didn't lie in the end. The mother lied about feeding the horse, the Grandfather lied about taking him out next Sunday. But Davey realized as he pondered his grandfather that the lies held the love.
Don't tell me the mother let the old horse starve to death!! NOOOO!
share[deleted]
No, I don't think the horse starved to death. It was only a week from the time Davy was sent to live with his uncle to the time he came back. Zaida died and was buried during that week. They probably gave the horse over to a vet to be put down. So, they did kill it -- or, rather, had it killed -- but it didn't starve to death.
It sure didn't take Harry long to set up the stable as a new business venture. He had his antiques store going in only a couple of days after Zaida's death.