I have seen this movie many, many times.....I really love it. It;s one of my favorites.
What I dont understand is Johnny.
Why exactly didnt he talk? Why is it integral to the story line? It's never mentioned in the movie at all, and the fan sites I;ve visited never mention why either.
Can anyone help?
Thanks!
I think they did not let his character talk to demonstrate that many of the kids in the neighborhood had problems that the parents were not dealing with. Johnny's just happened to be non-speech issues. Matt dillon's character makes a statement early in the film after they take johnny's brother claude away, that johnny "couldn't" talk. Could have been medical, but though I agree it is not totally explained.
-"You mean I have to sleep under a guy named after a duck's dork?!"
(Sixteen Candles)
Very good explanation.
shareSymbolic -- for a generation no one wants to listen to. Might as well have no voice.
sharein one of the early scenes you can see a scar on his neck. some sort of implied accident would be my guess.
shareHere's a scene from the movie where you can clearly see the long scar on Johnny's neck. That explains why he can't talk.
http://i.imgur.com/hkZx6bm.jpg
Also, the same actor made one other movie where he did talk. Here's how he looked in "Earthbound" (1981):
http://i.imgur.com/NreOSgW.jpg
No neck scar and he spoke perfectly well. I too had watched Over The Edge many times and never noticed the scar on Johnny's neck until recently.
Matt Dillon also had a close friend named Johnny in the movie "The Outsiders". Please click on
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpIcPde4rAo
for the classic "Do it for Johnny" scene.
Was Johnny ever seen outside of his home without his skateboard?
shareWas Johnny supposed to be a Christ figure?
share[deleted]
Johnny's mother was probably a low life tramp with a drug problem. She more than likely got drunk & did drugs while she was carrying Johnny early in her (unplanned) pregnancy. Happens all the time.
share