MovieChat Forums > The House of Mirth (2000) Discussion > After Lily ...? (CONTAINS SPOILER)

After Lily ...? (CONTAINS SPOILER)


Anyone spent much time musing what might have happened to the *astards of Lily's gilded world after her lonely death? Or just me?

I like to think that Selden, ashamed and grief-striken, decides that Bertha must get her commupance, even if it does mean his name being besmirched, and goes public with the letters she wrote him. George divorces her, she's ruined and Lily's tragedy is avenged! Result!

Also, that bitter old trout Grace Stepney would wither into lonely middle, then old age, before dying in the 1950s, still racked with guilt over turning her cousin away out of sheer jealously.

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Wow! If you have any inclination to be a writer, this sounds like it would be a good read. I'm not a fan of sequels, but this could be a facinating exception.

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Thanks for giving away the ending in your subject title...

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I do not remember Lily dying? Did I miss something? It's been a while since I saw the movie but I thought the last scene was between her and the young woman who inherits her aunt's wealth? Maybe I need to watch it again.

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Thankyou :)

I could be anybody!
No you couldn't. This is Information Retrieval.

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OK, OK, I can only hope you've been sedated since you wrote that ...

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Sorry, I just get really frustrated when people give away endings in post headings. I've already seen the film (in fact I was in it), but I like to consider other people. But you changed it, which is nice and made me smile.

I could be anybody!
No you couldn't. This is Information Retrieval.

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Oooh, were you? Were you an extra or did you have a speaking part?

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Just an extra. I'm in the scene towards the end in the chemists shop, I appear behind Gillian after showing somebody out the shop. It's very blink and you miss it.

I could be anybody!
No you couldn't. This is Information Retrieval.

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I don't think that Selden would do that.
He's too much a sordid gentleman (damn him for that! It killed Lily) to place a lady, even Bertha, in an awkward position.
And probably he follows Lily's actions and burn the letters.




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To respond to the original post, I hope none of them (the people Lily was associated with),ever had another peaceful night's sleep afterwards. Lily may have been naive, and at times, "imprudent," but she wasn't "bad." She was more like a victim, almost like a sheep surrounded by a pack of wolves. If that was high society New York, I'm glad I never had to endure it.

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I've also pondered this point after finishing the novel. It had a weird effect on me that I still haven't gotten over. If you loved the movie, I'd highly recommend the book. It's much more poignant and is filled with rich poetic verses.

The ending is quite different in the book. Lawrence doesn't discover the letters but rather views Lily drop an object into his fireplace. He merely goes over to her house to propose to her. And instead of just discovering merely the landlady at the apartment he discovers his cousin Gerty Farish there. Davies' omission of Farish was my biggest disappointment of the movie. And by the way, she was sort of put into Grace's character. It was Gerty NOT Grace who had the crush on Selden and UNLIKE Grace she doesn't let this jealously overpower her. For example: Lily goes to see Gerty after her fight with Gus. Though the reader is fully aware of her jealousy, she fights it and tells Lily that Selden will help if she tells him what happened and throughout the novel, she remains Lily's one true friend. I have a feeling Selden and Farish might've ended up together after a lot of time.

Even though it would've been cool for Bertha to get her comeuppance, I just don't think it would have ever happened. The Dorsets and their position in society kind of remind me of the Buchanans in The Great Gatsby, the only difference being in George's timid nature vs. Tom's brutishness. I just don't think he'd ever get the guts to divorce her.

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i liked the fact that the story ends in a tragedy, its a sad film and poor Lily's life is full of despair. I think it would sort of ruin the whole story if it all turns out happily ever after.... your idea makes it into a fable and i dont think that was the authors intent at all.

yes it would be great to see everyone who ever did Lily wrong punished... but then the lesson is lost.

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