One more time with the panties

The film IS clear. The panties are immaterial because its obvious that Kathleen did not sleep with Peck. The great thing about this movie is that its very subtle and you have to see how the characters interact with one another to pick up the little hints clues. Its not spoon fed. And if you pay attention, it should be obvious that Kathleen and Peck did not sleep with each other. He slept with every other woman in the movie but Mrs. Avilar and Ray's partner, lol

Its quite obvious that Kathleen and Raymond are literally crazy over each other( and extremely jealous over one another). Raymond shows his jealousy early in the film after he asks Kathleen why she had to kiss everyone at the party. Kathleen shows her jealousy when Raymond tells her he has a female partner and she reacts with "let's go to bed", and then later on the film she accuses him of sleeping with the partner b/c he hasn't been sleeping with her.

The true genius of the movie is Peck's ability to read people and know what their situations are. Knowing that a guy like Raymond so single minded and focused on his job probably would be neglecting his wife a little bit. And then using that knowledge to get Kathleen to go to lunch with him to discuss Raymond's "mental state". That ploy would not have worked if Peck misreads the situation, but master manipulator that he is ( he 'pushes the buttons', as he says in the film), he knows Kathleen, given the current state of their marriage and her husband's obsession with his current case, will believe him. Think about it, if Ray and Kathleen are fine at home she is more apt to be suspicious and would mention something to Ray, but things weren't so she didn't. Or at least she was going to bring it up at home before Ray confronted her in the restaurant.

The reality is that Peck knows Ray's weak spot is his wife. His knows he can rock Ray's whole world by suggesting his wife is cheating. Who knows, maybe he could have gotten Ray so worked up that he shoots the wife, and if he shoots the wife, he cant be investigating Peck, right? And even if things don't get taken to that extreme, the message from Peck is clear "back off and leave me alone or I will mess with your home life". He pretty much says so when he tells Raymond" you know the problem with Latin fighters? Too macho. Wont back peddle, when you have to. So they get used up young". He is telling Ray BACK OFF.


Anyway, knowing Ray's weak spot is his wife and knowing Ray is tailing him, he masterfully sets Ray up to 'catch' his wife having lunch with him. Kathleen meanwhile, because of Peck, is under the impression that her husband may be cracking up a little, which is why she doesn't want to discuss her lunch with Peck in public. Also, she in turn is set up by Peck to look guilty to Ray because he asked her not to mention their conversation to Ray, knowing that ray can see them having lunch and is sure to confront kathleen later and knowing that her denial of their conversation will make her look even more guilty to Ray. Its a huge case of comedy of errors, except there was nothing funny to either Ray or Kathleen.

The only problem with the gambit for Peck is that its too easily cleared up. Or maybe he was banking on Ray being so crazed with jealousy that he would not believe Kathleen no matter what she said in protest. Unfortunately for Peck, this was not the case as Kathleen cleared that up when she said "look..this is gonna stop, its not gonna continue. I'm not $%^&*ing anybody else. If I was I wouldn't be with you." Which sort of mirrors what she said earlier in the film when she accused Ray of sleeping with the partner : "if you are fooling around let me know so we can separate and each do what we want to do" So, given Kathleen's characterization up to that point, I think we can take what she says at face value. That and given the intensity of the 'reconciliation scene' between her and Raymond, I definitely take her at face value.

"[it]There isn't a jury in the world that would convict a baby....well, maybe Texas [/i]"- [bones]

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