1) He's the only guy in the neighborhood who isnt away for Christmas, but is never mentioned by the Wet Bandits as being home. They never acknowledge his existence, they freely roam around the neighborhood robbing at will, never once worrying about him being home the whole time.
Why do they need to aknowledge his existence? What would that add to the movie?
The reason they're robbing those other houses freely is because there are no people there. Why should they care if someone is in another house? As long as they get what they want and go out sneakily it's all good.
That's like if someone in real life decides to rob a house and worries if there's someone still in another house in the neighbourhood. There would be no robberies done then, let alone at day and I heard robberies are more common then than at night.
2) He's literally the McAllister's next door neighbor, and the only guy home for Christmas, and yet they never once bother to call him about Kevin. Instead, they keep calling the neighbor across the street, who they knew was going to Florida.
I think it was established Marley doesn't talk much to other people and they all see him as some weirdo, sure they could've called him but again, maybe they didn't want to bother him because they don't think highly of him.
Think of it like them calling Uncle Frank to check on Kevin, I think that explains it well.
3) Despite regularly salting sidewalks at night, and just generally being around outside, Marley never notices the Wet Bandits robbing houses one after another.
Just because he's seen doing that it doesn't mean he does it all the time, he's not omnipresent. Besides, the wet bandits may not be the most competent thieves but even they are not that stupid to just let themselves be seen by someone. They went through all that trouble to be sure nobody is in their homes (Harry disquising himself as the police officer etc.) so I think they'll keep an eye on any person walking around before deciding to break into some home.
4) Despite seeing Kevin all over town by himself, and clearly seeing nobody else is home next door, Marley never does anything about Kevin being home alone.
If you saw a kid walking by himself would you automatically assume he's in the house all by himself? Plus, in Marley's eyes, Kevin didn't look like he was left alone in the house and was terrified because of that, he acted normal. Well, apart from screaming every time he saw him but Marley knew that was because of the stories that surround him.
5) Even when Marley finally sees the Wet Bandits chasing Kevin, and eventually follows them across the street, and narrowly saves Kevins life by attacking the Wet Bandits, Marley just takes Kevin home and leaves him alone for yet another night! WTF!? Did he just drop the kid at the door and take off?
OK, this is the only thing listed that is weird, but maybe he talked with Kevin about that and maybe it was Kevin's decision, the kid conquered his fears and learn to take care of himself etc.
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TheLordofTheHarvest
8 years ago
The whole Marley subplot was added onto the film by Columbus. Originally it was just the comedy aspect the whole time and that was it but Columbus felt it needed more sentimental scenes and it got added in. Which was for the better because Roberts Blossom did an excellent job.
As for the plot holes that can be attributed to the change being so late and just lazy script writing in general. They either had no time to acknowledge him in the movie or didn't care.
But really though I think Marv going around prob would have done the trick with Marley. He just needed to talk to him and he would have told him he wasn't going nowhere, that would have been it. Marv and Harry wanted the empty houses not all of them. Plus he was an imposing dude I'm sure no one wanted anything to do with him. He seems like a very private guy maybe the dad never talked to him lol.
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amazon-16-326401
8 years ago
I always thought of the Marley character as very Boo Radleyian in nature. I always assumed the character was added as a nod to Boo.
tk
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stevenackerman69
8 years ago
That's exactly what I thought. Just like Boo Radley, there are rumors about him that he's nuts, but when we meet him, we see he isn't really a bad person. He might have issues, but they aren't homicidal.
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FattyMcButterpants
8 years ago
Why do they need to aknowledge his existence? What would that add to the movie?
Because they are freely roaming around his neighborhood robbing houses, and his existence would effect their ability to rob freely every day that week. How can they not acknowledge this? The fact that he is the only person in the neighborhood at home is a rather big deal to them and their plans. He could see them and call the cops.
I think it was established Marley doesn't talk much to other people and they all see him as some weirdo, sure they could've called him but again, maybe they didn't want to bother him because they don't think highly of him.
Their 8 year old kid is Home Alone, they are in another country and can't get to him, and you think they dont want to "bother" the only guy in the neighborhood who is actually home and could go check on Kevin? Sounds reasonable.
ust because he's seen doing that it doesn't mean he does it all the time, he's not omnipresent. Besides, the wet bandits may not be the most competent thieves but even they are not that stupid to just let themselves be seen by someone. They went through all that trouble to be sure nobody is in their homes (Harry disquising himself as the police officer etc.) so I think they'll keep an eye on any person walking around before deciding to break into some home.
I can't even take this seriously. He's outside every night salting the sidewalks. They are robbing houses every night. They are even blatantly breaking into houses next door and across the street from him, during the daytime! He would have seen them.
If you saw a kid walking by himself would you automatically assume he's in the house all by himself? Plus, in Marley's eyes, Kevin didn't look like he was left alone in the house and was terrified because of that, he acted normal. Well, apart from screaming every time he saw him but Marley knew that was because of the stories that surround him.
If I lived next door to that kid and havent seen his family all week, only see him out alone, and even as far as a grocery store, yeah, I would wonder.
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svalinanikola
8 years ago
Because they are freely roaming around his neighborhood robbing houses, and his existence would effect their ability to rob freely every day that week. How can they not acknowledge this? The fact that he is the only person in the neighborhood at home is a rather big deal to them and their plans. He could see them and call the cops.
Well, geez, I guess that explains the lack of robberies here in the real world. There's too many people on Earth so burglars just don't bother.
I think many real life burglars would love to have the opportunity The Wet Bandits have, only one person.
Their 8 year old kid is Home Alone, they are in another country and can't get to him, and you think they dont want to "bother" the only guy in the neighborhood who is actually home and could go check on Kevin? Sounds reasonable.
They don't have his phone number? They wanted to call the people they actually talk with, hang out with etc. first, but since they were all on holidays they called the police and not the person they don't hang out with and don't know much about.
I can't even take this seriously. He's outside every night salting the sidewalks. They are robbing houses every night. They are even blatantly breaking into houses next door and across the street from him, during the daytime! He would have seen them.
A lot of people are outside in real world, a lot of people. A lot of them are outside even at night. There's always a lot of cars driving around.
That doesn't stop burglars from doing what they do.
Did you knew that many real life burglaries happen during the day?
Again, that guy isn't some supernatural being that can see what's happening in every house.
When you walk around the city do you suddenly get the ability that tells you what anyone does at any given moment? What someone does inside of a house etc.? I sure don't. You should become a superhero.
If I lived next door to that kid and havent seen his family all week, only see him out alone, and even as far as a grocery store, yeah, I would wonder.
Do you often jump to conclusions like this?
"Oh gee, I didn't see the neighbour's wife for some time, maybe he killed her?"
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