Did Fletcher lie when ?

The stenographer obviously heard him, so he shakes his hands and head because he doesn't want his statement in the trial records.


RIP Ian Richardson (1934-2007) http://akas.imdb.com/name/nm0007183

He doesn't do it to 'imply' it wasn't him. He does it to say, "please don't write that down!".

His expression clearly says "No, no! Don't!" instead of 'not me'.

The 'not me'-expression usually involves lifting shoulders and looking innocent, not a tight-faced double-hand-gesture like that (also, 'shakes his hands' does have another meaning, so it'd be better to use some other terminology).

But Fletcher DID lie, when he said on the phone to his ex-wife that he had a case that he was certain would settle.

According to the other lawyer, Fletcher had made it abundantly clear that he wasn't going to settle (although she was interrupted, this was clearly the meaning of what she was saying in the courtroom about this topic.)

How can Fletcher be 'certain of settling', while simultaneously making it abundantly clear that he's not going to? Also, if he's just going to settle, what was that feminist speech he gave to the 'victim' of 'seven single acts of indisgression'?

The blonde wife-'victim' even imples that she WAS going to settle, and then continues that the reason why she doesn't want that anymore, is because Fletcher CONVINCED her to not settle, but go for the bigger goal.

An annoying thing about this whole thing is, that Fletcher was seemingly completely ignorant about how much the husband was willing to pay the wife if they settle. He seems surprised when he hears this sum and starts to chant "Settle, settle, settle!".

So I'd say that this is, perhaps, the only portion in the movie, where it's absolutely certain that Fletcher lied although he was under that 'wish' spell. (And it's not a curse, although Fletcher seems to think so - but this just emphasizes his character trait of being a deceitful weasel, and feeling like it's a curse, if he has to be an actual human for one day).