Please answer this!


How exactly did Paul Newman find the nurse who are testifying at the end? It was something about a letter I think...

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He was looking over the documents, and saw that the admitting nurse asked, "when did you last eat", which was the issue that caused the coma. He saw her name on the document and suspected that the other nurse was "shielding her", so set up that "chance run-in" in church, and she confirmed it, mentioning she just talked to her on the phone from New York. He then broke into her mailbox, got her phonebill, called the phone # in New York, and pretended to be a telemarketer. She then told him where she worked so he flew there to meet her.
I know, you've got to suspend your disbelief a bit.

For who would bear the whips and scorns of Hollywood... (;-p)

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Thank you! 😃

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I'm glad you said that bit about suspending disbelief because it was most definitely way too contrived, especially where he happens to find the phone bill.

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I'm glad you said that bit about suspending disbelief because it was most definitely way too contrived, especially where he happens to find the phone bill.


No, no, no, no.

1. He knew the name of the admitting nurse from the get-go. It was in the records. He and Frank wondered if THAT was who Rooney was protecting and if so, why?
2. Frank reviewed the intake form and discovered the question about "When did you last eat." Eureka! That IS the reason Rooney is protecting Kaitlin!
3. He rushed to the hospital to find Rooney and try and trick her into revealing info.
"It's okay. I talked to Kaitlin. I know what happened."
"You talked to Kaitlin? But we spoke on the phone this morning. She didn't mention it!"
"I saw her."
"You saw Kaitlin in New York?"
Bingo.

4. Our gang begins the search for Kaitlin Costello in New York, working through the night. No luck.
5. Dawn. Frank paces the office, desperate. How can I find her, how can I find her? The mail arrives. Frank picks it up, thumbs through it. Telephone bill. Telephone bill..."But we spoke on the phone this morning..." Eureka! If he can get to Rooney's mail before Rooney does, he can obtain Kaitlin's phone number!
6. Frank retrieves Rooney's phone bill.
7. Frank calls and very skillfully interviews Kaitlin on the phone until he learns where she works.

I'd call that damn fine screenwriting, nothing contrived about it.

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