MovieChat Forums > Tender Mercies (1983) Discussion > Some questions............

Some questions............

posted 16 years ago by dpatrickq
5 replies | jump to latest

I love this movie. But a couple of the transition scenes are not too clear to me. Would love to hear what you all think............

In the scene where Mac is playing the guitar in his trailer and Rosa is pacing in the house listening to him. I assume she's working up the courage to ask him to go to church on Sunday? since that is the next scene?
Surely she's not being 'disturbed' by the music.

In the scene where sister wants to cash a check, Rosa Lee seems a little icey. She walks away from sister twice, and gives really curt answers. Not to mention the "Oh its you" look she gives her when she walks in.

In the scene where she finds out that Mac was married twice (I love her reaction). I'm not sure it follows that someone as religious as she wouldn't be more bothered by the news of TWO divorces.

And finally what does her worried look at the end - as she looks out the screen door - mean? Is she buying into MAc's belief about not trusting the happiness SHE sees?

thanks, joe

[–] pattersc 16 years ago

I love this movie too. When I get around to watching it again I will give you my specific take on the questions you ask.

But for now let me just say that throughout this movie the viewer is wondering what is going on in the minds of the people on the screen. I am guessing it was meant to be so. Rosa Lee is a reserved and contemplative person and different people may get different impressions from her expressions. I found a certain level of tension in the film from not being able to guess what the character would do next after watching their facial expressions.

I definitely don't think she was 'disturbed' by his music.

Rosa Lee's faith was strong and seemed to be pure and trusting. She believed in redemption and had seen Mac at his lowest and saw him go through the process of being redeemed. It struck me as the goodness of her true faith that allowed her to accept a man with two divorces.

And by the end of the film I know I myself was beginning to not trust in the happiness I was witnessing...waiting for the next disaster to happen. But I am not so sure that Rosa Lee was thinking that.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] dpatrickq 16 years ago

HI. yep I know its not sister. Its just that as Im typing about a movie here I'll type the first word that comes to mind about the character - whether its the characters, actor name or nickname ;)

True she did invite Sue Anne to stay, but at the very end of the conversation - a while past the point where she was giving the 'cold shoulder' or so it seemed to me.

If she was being icey Im guesing it was just an extention of her admitted jealousy towards Betty Buckley's chahracter.

[–] Isaac5855 16 years ago

Had a chance to revisit this film recently as it popped up on SHOWTIME this month..as for the scene where Rosalie is listening in the other room whieh he is playing, I don't know if it's so much wanting to ask him about church as it is about really hearing his music for the first time. As for the scene with Sister wanting to cash a check, I was always felt that Rosalie got the impression that after Sister's first visit with Mac, that either one, she had chosen not to get to know her father, which I think bothered Rosalie or two, that Dixie hasa sent her there to spy on her and Mac...either way, I think Rosalie is a little wary of Sister. Not to mention the fact that her mother is a rich and famous singer, why would she need Rosalie to cash a check for her? I think that final look you spoke of is definitely open to personal interpretation.

[–] 16 years ago

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