MovieChat Forums > Scent of a Woman (1993) Discussion > Charlie refused to snitch NOT out of loy...

Charlie refused to snitch NOT out of loyalty to the rich kids...

posted 10 years ago by al666940-3
10 replies | jump to latest

Many here seem to miss the point: Charlie opposed snitching FOR A REWARD, not because he was loyal to these guys.

Slade himself said he didn't know if Charlie not telling on them on principle was right or wrong.

I mean, we just don't know what Charlie would have done had Trask appealed to his sense of honor (doing the right thing) instead of trying to buy his compliance.

I think he was hesitant because he:
- May not have considered the prank a big deal (unlike say a murder/rape)
- May have feared retaliation from the rich kids (rich people have all sorts of ways to make your life impossible if the target you and you happen to be poor)

He only decided on remaining silent once offered a bribe.

[–] melco92 10 years ago

Exactly. He may have told if Trask didn't offer to get him into college. But now it's like, "I'm going to Harvard because I snitched on some dumbasses from school?" That's not honorable.

Reportin' live for Black TV: White folks are dead, we gettin' the f*@# outta here!

[–] mikeyg24 10 years ago

Many here seem to miss the point: Charlie opposed snitching FOR A REWARD, not because he was loyal to these guys.

This is my all time favourite film and in all the years I've been visiting this board, though I haven't read every single post in every single thread, I have never come across anybody who claimed that Charlie's silence was down to loyalty to the guys.

Yours sincerely, General Joseph Liebgott

[–] tyrexden 10 years ago

A snitch is a snitch, regardless of whether you like the guys or not. He didn't want to be a snitch.

[–] mlaiuppa 7 years ago

It was more than that.

I think deep down he resented Trask's threat. Dangling the dream of Cambridge, threatening to take that away, plus public humiliation on Monday. I think it just got in Charlie's craw after everything he's had to put up with from all of the rich kids. He isn't as easy going as he is made out to be.

I think he found his honor and integrity, well perhaps not found but it was strengthened with his weekend with the Colonel.

[–] averagejoeman2013 10 years ago

Thats an interesting take on it. I feel the word "snitch" is used more by those who live by a middle school mentality and have some odd sense of misplaced loyalty. To me, there are people who live with honor and those who do not. What a few call snitching, I would refer to as one's civic duty to ensure the honor code was upheld. If more people got involved, many of society's ills would be greatly reduced.

So Charlie (imo) should have come forward regardless. If he had owned up initially, he wouldnt have had the potential crisis of conscience as there would have been no bribe. If he failed to speak up because out of fear of retribution, that would make him a coward as opposed to a principled individual. Now if he had come forward without any wish for recommendation AND potentially alienating many of the peer pressures from other (rich) students, that would be the makings of a good principled leader the school be proud of in the future.

"Mankind cannot solve the world's problems. Mankind is the problem."

[–] jgroub 10 years ago

I feel the word "snitch" is used more by those who live by a middle school mentality and have some odd sense of misplaced loyalty. To me, there are people who live with honor and those who do not. What a few call snitching, I would refer to as one's civic duty to ensure the honor code was upheld. If more people got involved, many of society's ills would be greatly reduced.

So Charlie (imo) should have come forward regardless. If he had owned up initially, he wouldnt have had the potential crisis of conscience as there would have been no bribe. If he failed to speak up because out of fear of retribution, that would make him a coward as opposed to a principled individual. Now if he had come forward without any wish for recommendation AND potentially alienating many of the peer pressures from other (rich) students, that would be the makings of a good principled leader the school be proud of in the future.

THANK YOU! Finally someone who understands what honor and integrity means! Unlike Charlie, who obviously did not. Charlie had an opportunity to do his civic duty, to uphold the school's honor code, and to tell what he had witnessed. He did not do so. That makes Charlie the scumbag here.

I want the doctor to take your picture so I can look at you from inside as well.

[–] Bernnard_Black 8 years ago

Why does not telling make Charlie the scumbag? Why not George? He saw it too, and knew just as much as Charlie. He was under the obligation to tell, as well.

From what I can tell of the timing, Charlie and George were called into Trask's office within a very short time of the event happening. Unless Charlie sprinted up to Trask's office to tell on them, the delay makes some sense. Besides, most people don't want to be a tattle-tale. It's just how it is.

Now, I agree that if asked straight out, on his own, Charlie should have said what he'd seen. Trask screwed it up, though, by trying to bribe him BEFORE asking him. That's what did it. Recall Charlie's scene with Slade right before they have the Tango scene. They're in the barbershop, after Slade got his shave and shoe shine.

Slade: I'm gettin' that heavy feeling again. There's more to this, isn't there?

Charlie: I was offered a bribe.

Slade: Oh, now we're cooking.

Charlie: Mr. Trask offered to get me into Harvard if I told him what he wanted to know.

Slade: What do you think your friend George would do if he was in your position?

Charlie: Well, he is, really, it's just that Mr. Trask didn't offer to get him into Harvard.

Slade: Mr. Trask doesn't have to, George's father is gonna do that.

So to me, the key here is that first statement from Charlie; when asked about it, he says that he was bribed. THAT'S his problem. It's not that he objects, I think, to telling the truth. But Trask tried to bribe him before simply asking him, and blew it. Frankly, I can respect Charlie's decision there. He only has Trask's word that he had already planned to get him into Harvard. For all he knows, Trask hadn't even made his choice yet. If he took the deal, his whole life he'd have to wonder; did he really get in because he truly deserved it, as a "standout" as Trask said, or because he told on the other boys and gave Trask the leverage he needed to get revenge?

I think if Trask had simply interviewed the two separately, and simply reminded them of the honor code, Charlie might have told. But by asking them together, then asking George to leave and trying to bribe Charlie, he totally blew the deal.

Just my two cents. I don't see Charlie as scum, here. I see Trask and George as the scum. Trask for offering a bribe, and George for throwing Charlie under the bus.

Whores will have their trinkets.

[–] Citation_Needed 10 years ago

Meh. Charlie wanted to fit in to their world. If snitched, regardless of reward or not, he would have become an outcast amongst them. So he was caught between a rock and a hard place. Protect his peers and lose them, or Snitch and lose them anyway.

Charlie was pretty empty, personality wise. Slade was just desperately looking for something, some reason to stay alive, and he found it with Charlie who wanted to be accepted, BY ANYBODY, even a hypocritical blind icehole. That was enough to motivate Slade to stand up and fight for himself and Charlie.

[–] Bernnard_Black 10 years ago

I never got any sense that Charlie didn't tell on them because he wanted to fit in. He just didn't like the idea of telling, and REALLY didn't like the idea of telling and getting a reward. I think he thought Trask would believe Charlie told because Trask was helping him to get into Harvard, and he didn't like the idea of that at all.

Here's to the health of Cardinal Puff.

[–] zereshk 8 years ago

What about the idea that Slade pretty much implied that Charlie's "honour" was his last hope for life and he'd go back to being suicidal if Charlie snitched? I think that played a role in Charlie's decision too, especially since Slade was sitting right next to him.