The Secret Hiding Place in the Fireplace - Candleshoe Discussion

[–] gregb21_00 16 years ago

Harry's sister told her the secret hiding place was there because she used to be employed there as the cleaning lady and discovered it one day while she was cleaning the fireplace.

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[–] Curiouser2 16 years ago

Thanks. I did not remember that his sister told her that.

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[–] dazepurple 16 years ago

how come the grandma knew that she knew about the secret hiding in the fireplace did she told her

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[–] IrishLass240 16 years ago

When Casey met her "grandmother" for the first time, she pretended that she remembered a secret hiding hole in the fireplace. After the girl left, the grandmother found the secret spot. This made her believe the girl was really her granddaughter. But, in truth, Harry's cousin (not his sister as the prior postings indicate) used to be a maid in the house. She told Harry about the hiding place and he instructed Casey.

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[–] little_dog 15 years ago

The cousin did tell her about a secret hiding place, except not in the fireplace but in a bedpost in what's-his-(the late owner's)-name's bedroom. There had been no mention of a hiding place in the fireplace and no explanation as to how the girl knew about it (unless she WAS the granddaughter).

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[–] octobercountry-2 15 years ago

I just re-watched the film, and have a little nit-pick about this. Apparently the grandmother believed the tale about her four-year-old granddaughter finding a loose stone in the fireplace and using the cubbyhole for a hiding place. However, if she had thought this through, how on earth could a very small child ever have reached a stone that was at least five feet from the floor, pulled it out, and made a hiding place---or how would the girl have discovered it in the first place? Seems kind of unlikely...

Also, if the maid that had been fired did first find the hole and music box inside, it seems very probable she would have nicked the box instead of leaving it there (unless the entire replace-the-granddaughter scheme had been planned out in advance, before the maid was ever fired).

Okay, perhaps I'm over-thinking this! I still do enjoy this film; great cast.

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[–] grendelkhan 15 years ago

It's a Disney plot; don't ask too many questions. Next, you'll want to know how any court would split up a set of twins between parents, and let one of them move out of state (Parent Trap). Just sit back and enjoy the ride!

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[–] cheez_it_2004 15 years ago

I guess you don't have kids, do you? Believe me, a 17 month old knows how to climb and get into things they're not suppose to. My daughter is 17 months, and she's into everything! If a child knows that there is a brick that is lose in a fireplace, and that there is a chair nearby, they'll find it a perfect hiding spot for God knows what! A 4 year old is perfectly capable to doing a lot! Even hiding something that is 5 feet off the ground! They find ways, that adults don't even think of!

"All my friends are dead
All my friends are dead"
Turbonegro

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[–] janeofthewakinguniverse 15 years ago

LOL, Cheez it! Very true. :-) I just caught this movie on TCM and it was wonderful to see it again. I love Leo McKern in everything he does and I had totally forgotten he was even in Candleshoe. Great fun!

Morse's Law: There's always time for one more pint.

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[–] kate989589-1 12 years ago

Ok the cousin does tell casey about the hiding place. Though its a bit sceptic, she plays casey the tune on the piano. Casey says 'Whats that?' and the Harry says 'Your ticket to candleshoe.' They never tell her about the place on screen

Then she finds the music box and whistles the same tune that was played on the piano. Why would the cousin have played her this song if she didnt know casey would 'remember' the fireplace?

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[–] TVFreak1010 11 years ago

Actually, in the car as they drive to Candleshoe, Harry tells her to let out the facts in bits and pieces, to not be too eager. After that, he says, let them have it with the secret hiding place - which is exactly what she does before they leave.

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[–] billymac72 11 years ago

I hate to be dim, but is it implied at the end of the film that Casey may be the granddaughter after all? Helen Hayes says she "could be" or something similar....meaning that she will take her in and treat her as her own, but possibly true as well? I mean, we are lead to believe that Harry filled Casey in on the hiding place and so forth. But do we ever find out what lead them to Casey in the first place? What are the chances of finding a girl with the same scars?

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[–] csullivan1980 10 years ago

I love this movie and was one of the Disney classics I would watch over and over again. That being said when I was able to grab my hands on a copy of this movie on DVD I had to buy it.

I recently re-watched this movie the other day and the one scene that keeps baffling me is the fireplace scene. We know that Clara played the tune for Casey on the piano prior going to Candleshoe to meet the "grandmother". Harry did said it was her "passport" into the mansion obviously meaning it had some great importance.

During tea Casey is seen staring at the fireplace throughout barely taking her eyes off of it. I was never really sure if her street smarts or cleverness was manipulating grandmother to think that she WAS actually remembering something. After Priory steps out for more water for tea grandmother follows to confront him in the hallway about his sneakiness. The viewers do not know if during that time while both Priory and grandmother were out of the drawing room Casey placed something in the loose stone's cavity.

However, either this is really good acting on young Jodie Foster or the character of Casey was being smart but it seemed, to me, that it was clear the music box was an unexpected surprise.

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[–] littlefuzzy 9 years ago

The ex-maid knew about the music box and the hidey hole. Presumably, the grandmother or a parent gave the child the music box, and the grandmother was previously familiar with it.

As to why the maid didn't steal it, maybe she didn't think it was that valuable, or maybe she already thinking about the scam. Also, she could have been planning to steal it, and got fired before she could. Another possibility is that she could have been caught if it went missing, but the will was a different story.

I was actually coming to "gripe" about the hole being too high for a 4 year old to reach, but as someone else said, don't underestimate a climbing kid who could have used a chair.

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