MovieChat Forums > Blue Velvet (1986) Discussion > Detective Williams

Detective Williams

posted 10 years ago by Ariodant
13 replies | jump to latest

Just watched yesterday Blue Velvet and I would like to ask you something:
does anybody else feel that Sandy's father is... very ambiguous?

His lack of surprise when Jeffrey tells him about the ear he found... his reaction towards Jeffrey when the Yellow Man comes to the William's household...
He feels fake to me, like he's hiding something.

Maybe one of the mysteries of Blue Velvet is that he's somehow involved in the dark side of Lumberton, alongside the Yellow man and Frank Booth?

in absentia

[–] Ithilfaen 10 years ago

Nah it's just bad dialog and acting.

For every lie I unlearn I learn something new - Ani Difranco

[–] sploiter 10 years ago

^ Yep this. Lynch isn't too great with dialogue.

[–] Manton29 7 years ago

No way. It's a plot point. It's partly the 50s man in control thing, and partly the ambiguity thing. That's all I have to say on the subject.

If to stand pat means to resist evil then, yes, neighbour, we wish to stand pat.

[–] franzkabuki 10 years ago

Williams`s reaction to Jeffrey bringing him the ear was pretty much played for that typically Lynchian comedic effect:

-Jeffrey (earnestly): "Coming home behind the neighbourhood, I... found an ear"
-Williams (with upbeat bonhomie): "You did?!? A human ear?"
-Jeffrey: "Yeah"
-Williams (same deadpan bonhomie): "Let`s take a look at it... yes! That`s a human ear alright!")

And I did not pick up any particularly ambiguous or suspicious notes in the detective`s overall behaviour.

"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

[–] sonofbeach-sheet 10 years ago

The man playing Detective Williams was an amateur and yes, it was a wooden performance! I'd never heard of "George Dickerson" before this was out and now found out he is/was a writer of poetry and worked for a magazine, I think. And interestingly enough, his wife in this movie was Charles Bronson's wife in Death Wish and he played a detective in the fourth Death Wish, an even worse performance than this one!

[–] ossyguy 10 years ago

Maybe about the fact that he was not obviously one way or the other sort of added to the suspense.
You'd think he was on Jeffrey's side but you can't be so sure.

You can expect to be interrogated about this in the future.

[–] ColonelHansLanda 10 years ago

Seemed like he was a step behind with everything but it seemed like it was intentional. I didn't look at it as bad acting but instead it seemed like you weren't sure if you were supposed to trust him or not. When it is revealed he's partners with the man in the Yellow Suit, then I really thought, OH what to think!

Oh, I love a picnic. Acres and acres of sand and all of it in your food.

[–] randyhndrsn 9 years ago

You're the only person who seems to get it, that scene is cliche on purpose and super funny, Lynch does this all the time and it's obviously played for comedy.

He's always had comedy in his work, watch Twin Peaks.

[–] spookyrat1 9 years ago

Lynch does this all the time and it's obviously played for comedy.

Yes, this is typical Lynch, with enigmatic characters reflecting both the off beat strange and the cosily familiar, frequently simultaneously🐭.

[–] TopFrog 9 years ago

does anybody else feel that Sandy's father is... very ambiguous?

I did too, and it's clear to me that Lynch was setting up the possibility that Sandy's father is in cahoots with the bad guys. In addition to what you noted, his reaction when Jeffrey brings him the photographs is just what you'd expect if he was on the wrong side, almost to the point of being a cliche. He asks Jeffrey who else knows about the photos, leading one to think that he's finding out if he'd have to get rid of anyone else to suppress this information.

[–] Sidha108 (2356) 3 years ago

Yeah, maybe Lynch was trying to make the audience think he was involved just to make them think that they know how everything is going to play out but instead prove them wrong.

[–] TheArgentinian (6429) 4 years ago

I like where Lynch was going with the character but it's like he lost interest for it after the Yellow coat drops by the house.

[–] joi2049 (5488) 3 years ago

Could be ...

PLUS SANDY also LISTENS to his CONVERSATIONS through the VENT in her room ...

which also means she'd also KNOW ABOUT IT if her father was somehow involved with the DARK or with the SHADY SIDE of whatever goes on in the town.

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