MovieChat Forums > Solomon and Gaenor (1999) Discussion > What was he thinking?

What was he thinking?

posted 17 years ago by jg1972
9 replies | jump to latest

What was Solomon thinking by starting an affair with -- or even courting -- Gaenor? Honestly, I don't get it.

Obviously, you can't fault Gaenor. She honestly believed that Solomon was an English packman named Sam, who was presumably Christian. And she honestly believed that she was entering into a relationship with a real future.

But Solomon knew the truth of the situation. He knew that their differing religions would be an insurmountable obstacle to a lasting relationship or to marriage. After all, he hid his religion from her throughout their courtship. He didn't seem like the type who was just playing a game or looking for a little fun before jettisoning his naive, discredited lover.

How long was he going to let this go on? What did he think was going to happen? He really, really should have known better, and he probably never should have started things up by giving her the red dress.

Any thoughts?

[–] Livana_Faolan 17 years ago

Unfortunately, people do crazy things when they're in love. Believe me. I know. Granted, I have never taken part in pre-marital sex. Come to think of it, I've never been in a relationship. But I do know what it's like to be in love, and to do crazy things while you're in that state.

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Livana_Faolan 16 years ago

So I don't know what it's like to be in love? That's a bit presumptuous. Don't you think?

[–] annerkey29 17 years ago

That's one of the things that frustrated me the most about the movie, he wasn't thinking of the consequences. He was acting very selfishly and it ticked me off, which is part of what made the movie so good, I wasn't a passive observer of the movie.

If he really loved her, you would think he would have looked out for her best interests instead of being with her anyways then ruining their lives. The pain she had to live with as a result. I couldn't imagine doing that. Maybe I have never been in love like that so I don't know that I'd act any differently, but how could a person knowingly cause someone they profess to love that much pain? Unless he thought that the lies and the circumstances would be overcome because they loved each other. Yeah, any other ideas?

"I am a war already won."

[–] skydiveroffreefalls 11 years ago

I don't know how old he was supposed to be in the movie, but I'm assuming much younger than Ioan's actual 26 years? He was a teenager, full of hormones and was pursuing a girl he really, really liked. What kind of took me aback during the movie was that they seemed to switch personalities at places. He seemed to be sweet yet confident, and she seemed lovely but shy. But once they started seeing each other, she couldn't wait to take his clothes off. I'm not saying he was complaining, but she was also a bit too comfortable (so was he!), considering the era. Wasn't she concerned of the consequences? When they slept together, they didn't know each other that well. She hadn't even met his parents...

They were both naive and weird and irrational in a lot of ways, and they paid for it in the end.. They should have done a lot of things differently. But lovely performances...

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[–] polexia 11 years ago

Yeah, can't put all the blame on one of them. He was wrong but young and randy, but you know she'd had been with a man before so she should have known better. She was also in a position to have the most to lose (hello, pregnancy?). They were both at fault and got caught up in their feelings and the novelty of fake love.

I am in a thousand winds that blow,
I am the softly falling snow.

[–] Popcorngal (4358) 2 years ago

I am watching it now. considering she had more experience, it would be obvious she would have been more careful regarding sex, but in that era, birth control had a stigma and not readily available. But women did have homemade birth control methods back then. I am guessing both are either in their late teens or early 20's.

[–] moggsy71 8 years ago

He wasn't thinking. He thought love would conquer all. It was a fantasy that became real, and he thought it could last forever. Love is such a strong feeling, which takes over your heart, your mind, your logic everything. A wave of feeling that can't be ignored, regardless of the obvious outcome.

[–] Helena727 7 years ago

What was Solomon thinking by starting an affair with -- or even courting -- Gaenor? Honestly, I don't get it. ... What did he think was going to happen? He really, really should have known better...

So are you 12 years old (and thus haven't yet been in love) or -- sadder yet -- are you an adult who has never loved passionately?

Have you never experienced any of the art (visual arts, writing, theater) from the past, oh, say, 500 years depicting passionate love and the folly it sometimes drives people to?

Can you really know how to operate a computer yet have no understanding of the human psyche?

Love is love. Young people don't think of consequences, in love and in other areas of life. The end.

"All you need to start an asylum is an empty room and the right kind of people."