MovieChat Forums > Sleeping with the Enemy (1991) Discussion > Martin's OCD

Martin's OCD

posted 11 years ago by fiatlux-1
18 replies | jump to latest

There's been some discussion about Martin's OCD up here, and I am still curious.
Do you think Martin really wanted everything arranged perfectly, such as the towels, or do you think this was purely a control thing over Laura?

I've seen a brief interview with Patrick Bergin (Martin) and his attitude about his character seemed to say that Martin needed things to be in a certain way, every single thing in his life in place.
The book states it very clearly that its not just a control issue with Laura/Sara, he WANTS it that way because it SHOULD be that way.

I truly think he was OCD & wanted things just so...not just for bullying Laura/Sara...that was just a plus for him.

But in the film, what do you think?

"I'd say this cloud is Cumulo Nimbus."
"Didn't he discover America?"
"Penfold, shush."

[–] teachnsurf 10 years ago

I would have drowned him at birth

[–] HarveyManfredSinJohn 10 years ago

I have OCD. Would you have had me drowned at birth too?

[–] fiatlux-1 10 years ago

I highly doubt the above poster is saying anyone with OCD should be drowned at birth.
He/she is almost surely saying that Martin (who is a despicable, abusive controlling sexist piece of human garbage) should have been drowned at birth because Martin is a horrible human being.
Period.

"I'd say this cloud is Cumulo Nimbus."
"Didn't he discover America?"
"Penfold, shush."

[–] HarveyManfredSinJohn 10 years ago

I highly doubt the above poster is saying anyone with OCD should be drowned at birth.
He/she is almost surely saying that Martin (who is a despicable, abusive controlling sexist piece of human garbage) should have been drowned at birth because Martin is a horrible human being.
Period.

Firstly, this thread is about 'Martin's OCD', not 'Martin's abusive behaviour', and teachnsurf didn't contextualise his comments.

Secondly, you seem like a very decent poster so please don't take this as a criticism but as an honest point-of-discussion, but in your OP you specifically raise the point that Martin's need to have everything ordered was not down to any consciously mean-spirited desire to control and belittle Laura/Sara but because he genuinely wanted things arranged in a certain way (i.e. classic OCD behaviour).

Thirdly, to go back teachnsurf's comment I really don't think one should wish to see anyone 'drowned at birth', not least because we don't know what they will grow-up to become, and even if they do become monsters, one doesn't challenge violence with more violence.

By the way, I know this is a film and these are fictional characters so I realise teachnsurf is not talking about anyone real but the point still stands in theory.

[–] fiatlux-1 10 years ago

*bumps thread*

"I'd say this cloud is Cumulo Nimbus."
"Didn't he discover America?"
"Penfold, shush."

[–] kairingler 10 years ago

I definitely think he was OCD in the movie,, kinda reminds me of me in certain things I'm the same way like putting things where they belong,, cans arranged a certain way so on and so forth.

are you going to bark all day little doggie,, or are you going to bite

[–] fiatlux-1 9 years ago

I had just wondered whether he really felt this way or it was purely a control issue with Laura.
I know everyone is OCD about something, but Martin was one serious nutbag.
The TOWELS had to line up perfectly?! Physical & sexual abuse bad enough, but what hell this woman had to put up with with his *compulsions*.

I'd say this cloud is Cumulo Nimbus.
Didn't he discover America?
Penfold, shush.

[–] Em0411 8 years ago

I think it was both things, he had OCD and he wanted to exercise control with his abuse over Laura and she was allowing this until it became unbearable.

When you get up in the morning, how do you decide what shade of black to wear? (Shallow Grave)

[–] kairingler 10 years ago

[–] umiryuzaki26 9 years ago

If his OCD was that bad, no way in hell would he have allowed the toast to burn and the bathtub to overflow (I know *I* would have been all over that before it give me an aneurism). Maybe he wanted things to be perfect because status was so importart to him, but it was mostly to control and undermine Laura's confidence in herself, to reinforce the idea she was useless and a total mess without him.

[–] fiatlux-1 9 years ago

You make good points.
But to be fair, Martin was

A. Hiding out. He would not have tended to the toast or the tub (which he set up himself anyway as a SIGN that he was there!) because he didn't want Laura to make a run for it till he was ready.

B. There are all kinds of OCD. And it manifests itself in many different ways.
Martin may have been fussy about towels & cans.
But we certainly see he does not mind trashing his pin-neat place when searching for clues about his wife, nor does he mind sand on his shoes or water on his face.

I'd say this cloud is Cumulo Nimbus.
Didn't he discover America?
Penfold, shush.

[–] Faridah (1325) 4 years ago

"If his OCD was that bad, no way in hell would he have allowed the toast to burn and the bathtub to overflow (I know *I* would have been all over that before it give me an aneurism). Maybe he wanted things to be perfect because status was so importart to him, but it was mostly to control and undermine Laura's confidence in herself, to reinforce the idea she was useless and a total mess without him."

Exactly it's annoying how everyone wants to put special labels on everyone these days. This man was a control freak, not OCD.

[–] Dan_Garten 9 years ago

Yeah.

[–] FridayOnElmStreet 9 years ago

It was OCD.

[–] nutsberryfarm 9 years ago

i wonder if he liked frozen foods...

🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴

[–] fiatlux-1 9 years ago

Well to be fair to 'ol Martin, he didn't make Laura clean up the berries before the after-party nookie!


I'd say this cloud is Cumulo Nimbus.
Didn't he discover America?
Penfold, shush.

[–] fiatlux-1 8 years ago

Judging by Laura's cupboard in the beginning, Martin DOES like canned Clam Chowder!


I'd say this cloud is Cumulo Nimbus.
Didn't he discover America?
Penfold, shush.