MovieChat Forums > Felicia's Journey (1999) Discussion > Question about the mother

Question about the mother

posted 12 years ago by Apatow-Fan
3 replies | jump to latest

I read some comments about someone who read the book saying there was incest. I actually felt that way too when I saw the movie and they showed the fading video in black and white of Hilditch's mother kissing him and then completely fading away. I felt that if it didn't fade, it would show his mother kissing him on the lips. I want to know more about this because I feel the movie just didn't explain enough about how he became the way he did. What did his mother put him through specifically? What was the obsession about? Shouldn't he have hated her? Why did he watch her videos constantly? I just watched the movie tonight and I am very curious.

Not to mention, I have no idea why Felicia's boyfriend's mom acted so strange when she wanted to know her son's address. That was very odd as well.

[–] meneldil 11 years ago

There is nothing in the movie that suggests incest. Oedipus complex is more likely. What was the obsession about? Food mainly and his love for his mother.

Probably because she was pregnant and considered a "whore" both by her father and by Felicia's boyfriend's mom.

[–] ram-30 11 years ago

I agree with meneldil that Joe Hilditch's (Bob Hoskins) relationship with his mother Gala (Arsinée Khanjian) was Oedipal and not incestuous. However, incest was a theme in Egoyan's THE SWEET HEREAFTER so I would not be surprised if this was the subtle intention.

"Afflictions come to MAKE us, not BREAK us."

[–] Cosmic_Cre 10 years ago

Actually, it's was mentioned in the book that it was incestuous.

The difference between a lady and a flower girl is not how she behaves, but how she is treated.