MovieChat Forums > Cast Away (2000) Discussion > The saddest scene isn't what you think.

The saddest scene isn't what you think.

posted 9 years ago by pclk
36 replies | jump to latest

The saddest scene in this criminally underrated movie is not as everyone says; Wilson floating away and Chuck's grief, but the scene immediately afterwards. No-one seems to have picked up on the fact that Chuck did actually give up, he was completely broken by the loss of his only friend.

The most tragic scene (in all cinema IMHO) is where Chuck puts his oars in the water and pushes them away in silence. He's finished, and has nothing left to give.

I've suffered from depression and thoughts of suicide for 20 years or more now, and this scene, losing a friend, and no longer having the will to carry on, is the scene in cinema I am affected by the most.

Any thoughts?

[–] stonekeeper_ever 9 years ago

Yep, He lied there and cried and when he put his oars in the water he was going to just let himself go... "Let the wind and the water carry me I don't even want to fight anymore." Very touching scene.

[–] dbrockskk1 9 years ago

laid not lied GN

suzycreamcheese RIP Heath Ledger 1979-2008

[–] stonekeeper_ever 9 years ago

Thanks! Pardon my french!

[–] TheAcadian 8 years ago

It's not French, it's English. And stop insulting the French! ;)

[–] stonekeeper_ever 8 years ago

I'm French Canadian

[–] stuart4379 9 years ago

Lay, not laid.

[–] higherflyer3 7 years ago

No you are wrong, grammar troll. Lay is a transitive verb, needs an object.

[–] SnagsWolf (1172) 6 years ago

No, you're wrong. Laid is the past tense of Lay, so it needs an object.

Lay is the past tense of Lie, so it's the correct form.

For example:

I lay in the sun. I lay there and cried.

I laid down the law in my house.

[–] roman2886 7 years ago

When Wilson went it was the saddest scene it makes wanna cry.

[–] davebuffalo (3014) 3 years ago

Isn't it amazing how you can get so pulled into a movie so much, as to cry over a lost volleyball?

[–] siray 9 years ago

I've suffered from depression and thoughts of suicide for 20 years or more now

sorry to hear that,I myself was depressed for over 2 years(suicidal for 6 months).Listen to Speak to Me - Pink Floyd
'I've been mad for f^cking years,absolutely years...'
--------------------------------------------
http://lookpic.com/O/i2/1150/pAtNivve.gif

[–] danwiild 9 years ago

I suggest you re-watch the scene where he talks with his friend about how he couldn't even commit suicide, and how he realised then that he had no option but to keep breathing, even though he had no hope left.

I say this as I am in exactly the same boat as you.

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Jasons_Born 9 years ago

I like your observation, pclk; I hadn't picked up on that touching moment in my past viewings. Just never saw it! However, while your interpretation of the scene seems to be correct in that Chuck is essentially "giving up," it might not be as depressing as you think.

In my search for many answers and explanations about the story, I came across this guy's mini-analysis of what he thinks the story is all about underneath. You don't have to get caught up in all of his details here, or even agree, but I think he makes a really good point; not about that specific moment (the oar, which he doesn't mention directly), but about the third act in general, about how Chuck is basically succumbing to the fact that he is NOT in control of everything, and must instead accept it all, whatever happens, and basically "just go with it."

So, when he is pushing the oar away, I think while yes the event certainly (masquerades) on the surface as suicide (giving UP), he is actually "letting go" and giving IN to just allowing whatever is going to happen to happen. He lost Wilson, and is now just floating around the middle of the ocean with nobody to even talk to (not even a volleyball), so all he can do is just lay back and let the wind take him where it wants to take him. Where could he possibly row to now that he has rowed past all the huge challenging coastal waves. All he can do now is float around, directionless. He looks sad because he knows that there is nothing more that he can do and he will most likely die out there. And he probably will. But then, suddenly, just like "the tide came in and gave him a sail" to build the raft (the porta potty), now, by complete random chance, the "tide" has brought in this massive ocean liner which would save his life.

Here is the link of that guy's review (don't worry, it's not long)...

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0162222/reviews-1055

Also, I agree what one of the posters said before me, about watching the scene with Chuck & his friend near the very end of the movie (near a fireplace I think); it really hammers home the message about Chuck relinquishing trying to control everything and instead just going where "the wind" takes him. It had a really optimistic spark behind it too, in Chuck's final words in the scene: "...because tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide will bring." Beautiful.

[–] VanHellion (607) 2 years ago

Although I agree with all of the sad scenes brought up here, for me the saddest part is where Kelly tells him that she loves him and that he is the love of her life... but you KNEW she's not going to leave her husband and child. Chuck got to hear that she truly loves him and never gave up hope but the pain they both must have felt because they both had to move on. That killed me because I know what that feeling is like.

All in all, this is a brilliant movie and another home run by Robert Zemeckis.

[–] Little_Tyke 9 years ago

That scene with the oars was pretty sad, but the scene that moved me the most was his hand weakly outstretching towards the freighter. In real life the chance of someone on the bridge spotting such a tiny object would be close to zero. I really thought he was doomed.

[–] ecbkmh 8 years ago

This is where the whale came to play. ;)

[–] SooBee (129) 2 years ago

That container ship suddenly appearing in the background gave me chills! Very effective I thought, and glad that they spotted him!

[–] user-651-437126 8 years ago

I agree that the scene where Chuck finally gave up was a really sad scene.

But I recommend Grave of the Fireflies(1988) for you. There are like 5 or more scenes that are waaaaay sadder than the scene you mentioned in CA, in my very own opinion.

[–] pclk 8 years ago

I reckon I could do without 5 more reasons to put my head in the oven, but thanks anyway.

[–] olsontd-1 8 years ago

To Pclk --Love the humor.

[–] EtherealElements 8 years ago

That's a pretty strange comparison to make, no offense I hope. Cast Away and Grave of the Fireflies are two very different films and are barely comparable. Besides I am of the unpopular opinion that CA was sadder than Grave of the Fireflies, and I think quite a few other films have been sadder than it in my opinion.

[–] AmBa2012 8 years ago

I agree it is a sad scene, but for me is when he has made it back to civilisation and he is now sitting by the fire with his friend having a drink and talking about losing Kelly all over again and having ice in his glass and that he has to keep breathing in and out.

I think that is even more heartbreaking. The emotions that he would have had seeing Kelly and getting back home only to have it all ripped out from under him AGAIN *sobs*.

[–] olsontd-1 8 years ago

And regarding the soliloquy by the fireplace to his friend: it is such a continuous shot, with the symbolism of his going around in circles and facing challenges that seem to be, in one moment, as challenging has having been Cast Away, but in the next moment, the prelude to a New Beginning. And, cinematically, the scene is mesmerizing. We are sitting in the chair with him, having seen what he has been through.

[–] kinetic_kid 8 years ago

Most people would probably say that the saddest scene in the movie is when Kelly chases him in the rain and he loses her all over again.

But I agree with the main post in this thread. For me the saddest part was easily when he realizes that he has to abandon his attempt to save Wilson and instead saves himself. When he shouts out that main line "I'm sorry Wilson! Wilson I'm sorry!" it totally breaks your heart.

The next scene where he's sailing on the raft and crying his eyes out over it surely gets me. I've welled up several times during that scene, with the sad music and all. Gets me every time.

And yes, dropping the oars and basically accepting his fate was his way of admitting that he did all that he could do. He would have either died of exposure or drowned once the raft fell apart. Fortunately for him he was rescued before either one happened.

But in the final scene when he is driving on his new journey in life he has another Wilson with him as the symbol of what he had been through and what lies ahead. And I agree with Tom Hanks when he was asked what he thought Chuck did when standing at the crossroads at the end: "He went back and made babies with that woman," that sexy redhead. Wish she was in more of the movie or there was a sequel about something totally different.

KK