Lies

I think it's because this character had such an oversized, immoral (or amoral) ego that he thought he was not meant for such mundane things as being tied down to a wife and children and a boring "life in the suburbs." That kind of person doesn't really need genuine friends--he just uses people and discards them afterward. I think he kept her just as a sort of legal front for his very illegal activities that were making him rich elsewhere. Having her around gave him credibility back in the States--just an ordinary, nice guy who could not possibly be suspected of illegal activities. His "death" was designed to put off his many creditors. He didn't care if she and the kids were left with the bills and starved. He wouldn't be around to see it.

Plus, with his kind of cockiness and arrogance, he looked upon her as a sort of "trophy wife", or possession, until he got tired of the whole family scene, and decided he didn't need her anymore. He had a good thing going with his smuggling on the other side of the world and knew she would object very strongly if she found out about his little successful sideline venture, and he didn't want her in the way. And, he also found no reason to give up his little trusting harem, either, in Egypt.

When Bessie finds that little book of his in Egypt and reads something shocking in it aloud about someone changing into a bird to try to peck out the eyes of Jesus, do you remember how he reacted? He snatched it away from her and told her that that was "The Book", indicating that he believed in and respected whatever dark craziness it contained between its covers. I think that pretty much showed what kind of person he really was.

No; I definitely don't think I would consider this guy as either good husband or friend material, ever.

I'm totally disagreeing with the other post by marilynn25.

I just have to say I wondered the same thing as you; why didn't he tell her?

Probably because this movie doesn't make sense. I think marilynn does a nice job of explaining his character as it appears to be when she's found him. But then, could he be really like that without his wife knowing? Could anyone be like that without they're partner knowing?

I don't think so. The writers threw in some crappy lines like 'He told me a lot of lies, but I believed it all' ... pha, that's pathetic, nobody would say such a thing... she makes it sound like she knew it all the time.

Somehow I just don't find this all very convincing, first she's the grieve striken wife and a few scene's later she allready doubting he ever died and believing him guilty of a filthy crime.

And why is she falling for this Lamb guy? It never get's clear who he really is,the role is just to small. We have the leading lady falling for some extra...

Done properly I think this movie would have taken a different course:
- start out by letting Ruby and Johnny meet, get us involved with them, make us care for their relationship (leave those kids out, they only stop the pace)
- show us how she finds some odd things about this Johnny, feed us the doubt she feels
- now he can die, she's a bit upset but not too much, she goes looking into his business, knowing, or guessing, there might be some money (leave out the silly game with the banks, why would he do that!??)
- looking into his business she can stumble into mr Lamb who starts out helping her investigate because it seems that his organisation has been used to transport the 'ink' into africa
- let the two get into some real trouble together, set up by Johnny
- papah! Introduce Johnny who now threatens to kill Lamb because he knows to much
- now our leading lady has to decide between the two men and does something appropriate to disabel mr Johnny ;-)
- Our lovebirds kiss and make up there mind to use Johnnies money for the Feed the World Program
- The End

Re. Huddie Klein's comments above, so why are you wondering why he didn't tell her?? Do you think she would have gone along with his money-skimming, illegal schemes if she had known? Do you think she would have said, "Oh, okay; that's all right," when she discovered he had a few women on the side in Egypt and was helping to smuggle an ingredient to make poison gas? If he had staged his death to all the world, but let her know in secret that he was still alive, counting on her so being in love with him that she would tolerate this, I don't think she would have! She would not have put her kids and herself in jeopardy with all his enemies just because she loved him. At least, I hope she wouldn't. When his enemies were hot on his trail and he figured he had to "get out of Dodge," he wanted her to believe he was dead, so he couldn't be traced through her and wouldn't have any responsibility to her and the kids anymore.

And I do believe his character was not that bad when she met him, but he got worse, got callous and uncaring about her and the kids as time went on. The movie's producers were trying to show what he had become when they showed him owning that book she reads out of, "...with my hawk's head I peck out the eyes of Jesus as he hangs upon the cross." It supposed to show that he felt himself above the laws of humanity, and had turned against normal human decency. That book is called The Book of the Law, and was written by Aleister Crowley around 1904 or 1906 (yes; I did look it up on the internet), supposedly narrated to him by a shadowy, Satan-like character. This lttle book also goes on to call for the blinding of Mohammed, the end of Buddhism, the torture of the Virgin Mary because she represents chaste women and goodness, and the end of all religions all over the world, except for the "do what thou wilt" philosophy it teaches--morals be damned (quite literally). Do you know who Aleister Crowley was? Look him up sometime. You tell me why her husband had that book lying around. Don't you think that shows something about his true character?

Yeah; I did get into that movie, even though it wasn't Oscar-worthy. And I do agree that I really don't know why she fell so quickly for Fergus Lamb, except that maybe he stood for goodness, a man who had actually sunken low but brought himself up again and tried to be a better person. I don't see Johnny doing that!! I think those two characters were meant to show good versus evil, and how evil tried to use good for its own gain (the hidden ink in the grain supplies).

Whew!! That was some lecture. Sorry. I get too wordy sometimes, and I probably read too much into a movie that was meant to just entertain. I'll shut up now!

Under rated film. Andie MacDowell was a bit weak thou.