MovieChat Forums > The War Zone (1999) Discussion > Bunker scene question, her question.

Bunker scene question, her question.


Anyone feel there's a deeper meaning she asked why her father didn't "do it" like he did with her mother? The question made me wonder, considering she was crying. Obviously she didn't enjoy it, but perhaps she accepted it, and wanted to at least feel somewhat equal(as weird as it sounds) in comparison to her mother's position/role to her father?

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Probably felt raped, not loved. And she wanted to be treated more like a human being that is cared for, but instead was feeling like a piece of meat. She saw the huge distinction between making love and being sexually used. The specific hole was prob just a way of further illustrating that.

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sorry kids hate to tell you but he only did sex with her anally because he knew she could not get pregnant.
She wanted him to do it 'normally' but he is a typical Englishman in the movie and they don't do condoms LOL

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It is probably for several reasons, for one thing many women report that anal sex is uncomfortable or painful. It certainly requires a little TLC in performing, something that obviously wasn't done in the movie. Secondly, it is considered by many people to be "dirty" or taboo. Lastly, of the women that report that they will or have had anal sex, most of them say that they will engage in this act only when they are in a stable, committed relationship - a very intimate act that they would only do with a man that they felt totally secure and comfortable with.

So, the father is basically asking her to do the most intimate act, something considered "dirty" or taboo by a lot of people, and something that can be (for the woman) very uncomfortable or painful (if done incorrectly, as in the film). I think for all those reasons, she didn't want to do that, but I also think you touched on something else, which was how she viewed the relationship between her mother and her father. In the film the relationship between the mother and the father is presented as kind and loving. It isn't the most functional relationship in the world, but the father loves her, she loves him and they treat each other kindly and lovingly (from what we see). Contrast that with what they do in that room, which is anything but "kind" or "loving".

I'm sure she felt as if he treated her like an animal, not only did he violate her in the most egregious manner, but he also denied her any love or affection that might have at least made her feel less of an object. When she confronts her father, she says to him something like, "You f--- me in the a--!" She says it as an insult, like a punch to the face, which gives us insight as to how she feels about him doing that. On top of the fact that he is committing incest and sexually abusing his daughter, he compounds his vile crime by degrading her through sodomy and denying her any expression of love in the act.

There are some moments in the film, interactions between the daughter and the mother that give more insight into this, but it's been a while since I've seen the movie and it isn't a film that I care to see again. I thought it was an excellent movie, powerful and superbly made, great acting, writing and directing, but it is gut-wrenching and just not something I care to endure twice.


"...nothing is left of me, each time I see her..." - Catullus

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