missed the last part need help
Does the Bio dad ever try to get the daughter? Does he succeed? What happens?
shareHe tries and almost succeeds. I missed the first part and had to go to another post to find out, but apparently Newland's brother stole a bunch of gold coins from Michael which reduced him to his less-than-wealthy state?... Anyway, Newland took Michael to court for custody of Mathilda. The judge was a bit torn but then was about to rule in Newland's favor on the basis that he has a lot of money and can give her more educational opportunities, etc. Then April's son bursts into the courtroom telling everybody that something had happened, come quick. Then everyone goes to the newly drained quarry and sees what's left of Newland's brother dead at the bottom, with Michael's gold coins lying alongside him. So then the judge nods to Michael, indicating that he would keep custody since he then had money. In the last scene Michael & Mathilda visit her mother's grave.
I, for one, didn't care for the ending. I didn't really like how everything was magically realized and settled due to the discovery of Newland's brother, but that may have been partly because I missed the first part. But I mainly didn't like how Michael won custody of her because he suddenly had money rather than the fact that he'd raised her nearly her whole life. Just my 2 cents.
In all fairness it's not like the judge's ruling was entirely central on money. The first theing he says is "I can't believe I have to give her to that son of a b****" or something like that. He spits off a couple of lines about how Newlan is so powerful in the town, and the sorrows of living in a small town like that (blah, blah, blah, blah). But yes in the end he decides that despite everything what it boils down to is money. Then when its money vs. nuturing and Mr. Nurture comes into the appreciated-in-wealth gold....
shareI, for one, didn't care for the ending. I didn't really like how everything was magically realized and settled due to the discovery of Newland's brother, but that may have been partly because I missed the first part. But I mainly didn't like how Michael won custody of her because he suddenly had money rather than the fact that he'd raised her nearly her whole life. Just my 2 cents.
I'll throw 2 more cents into that jar. Very eery ending, maybe it was because it's based on an older book? If so, they could've taken it to the 21st century with some care and get a more up to date [and more realistic] ending. share
More realistic...like how? As far as the brother's skeleton being "magically" discovered with the gold coins, you mean? I would call it a contrived ending, but I don't think it really is because the screenwriter (and presumably the novel's author) set up all of the circumstances surrounding the resolution from the very beginning. (Perhaps that's the reason why it's called "A Simple Twist of Fate," because all the details produce a beautiful result for McCann.)
It's not as if it's a movie where somebody entirely unrelated to Steve Martin's character pops in and says, "Oh, I'm your rich uncle! Take my money and raise your daughter!" It's all wound together throughout the story, which in my opinion adds to the masterful craftmanship.
Eerie...how is the ending eerie? Am I missing something?
"I'm a hermit...don't talk to me!!"
Yes....masterful is the word to describe the crafting of this movie. As for the awarding of Mathilda, I don't think that it was always about money with the judge. He felt pressured to give her to her birthfather because of his money, influence, and power. But the unexpected re-appearance of McCann's money gave the judge the excuse to let Mathilda stay with him.
I thought the symbolism in the movie was fantastic. Take that reservoir....the place that nearly took his daughter from him (when she was sitting on the ledge as a toddler) was the place where he got her back for good (after his gold was found on the bottom). Super movie!
Wouldn't the gold be too rusty to sell?
Kelloway: Doyle, get in the car.
Doyle: But I ordered Onion Rings.
Kelloway: Doyle!
gold does not rust (under normal, non-lab conditions). it would have to be the alloys used in these coins (if significant). however, gold can still be separated out from the alloy. obviously the coins would have to be melted down, and they would no longer have value, but gold is very valuable in its pure state.
shareI see.
Hans: When you steal 600 million they will find you unless they think you're already dead.
Watching it again in this day and age the ending bothers me a lot now. I don't think it's realistic to uproot a child at Mathilda's age when she is clearly well spoken and well brought up by Steve Martin's character. Several things worked against Byrne's character. He refused to admit that he knew Mathilda's mother upon her death, he was quite willing to hand his own child over to the state uncaring of what happened to her and his sudden need for a child was never brought up in court (his wife's infertility.) If it was all about money, why not simply have him pay child support to Steve Martin's character? That would ensure that she had all the horses and schooling that she needed to be "happy."
But I understand that it was a different time and all that but it still bugs.
The Eraser room does two things: Cleans erasers and takes our innocence.
Are you guys seriously bugged that a movie called "A simple twist of fate" resolved its conflict with a simple twist of fate? Seriously? It's right there in the title!
shareYou really have to see the beginning to understand the whole movie. I was happy he won because her biological father helped him adopt his daughter. When the little girl was found her biological father could have adopted her but he was afraid to loose his wife so he helped Steve Martin adopt her. In addition he had his brother help him hide his daughter when her mother was alive. He was a real creep who only wanted custody after he told his wife 10 years later and after he helpexMartin adopt her.
shareI always got the impression he was more worried about his political career than his wife finding out.
share