MovieChat Forums > Hable con ella (2003) Discussion > Minor SPOILERS - why did Beningo...

Minor SPOILERS - why did Beningo...

posted 2 years ago by TheMan18 (12686)
10 replies | jump to latest

... lie to that man in the interview about having preferences for men instead of women, was he being or attempting to be cunningly deceptive and to mask from others his secret infatuation and obsession over Alicia, that man's daughter (?) apparently?

Oh but then when he talks to one of the staff at the hospital he works for, he states about how "offended" he was that such a question was asked of him, and even took the mick by being a bit offensive himself talking about "oh, how would it be if he asked someone if they liked this or that or if that lady was a "dyke" etc?" but at the same time had NO problem simply stating, and apparently deceiving, that man into believing that he is possibly himself a homosexual or a bisexual but with preferences more for men than women.

And then I wonder - well, besides him doing that terribly ghastly deed to Alicia in a coma, when that man also found out about it and Beningo's responsibility, did he also realize that he possibly lied to him and did he at first think "Wait, I thought Beningo had preferences for men instead", and as it turns out, he failed to fool that man and others in the process.

What do you think, thanks. :)

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[–] huwdj (4563) 2 years ago

I assume he lied (and I believe it was an outright lie by that stage) to reassure the father that it was OK for him to take such intimate care of his daughter. Possibly the conversation with his fellow nurse later had the same objective. He's a funny character in that he's very sympathetic and has an innocence but his actions are reprehensible.

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[–] TheMan18 (12686) 2 years ago

"He's a funny character in that he's very sympathetic and has an innocence but his actions are reprehensible."
And that he is also cleverly manipulative to boot, sort of like a cross between Alex in "A Clockwork Orange" (1971) and Keiser Soze from "The Usual Suspects" (1995).

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[–] TheMan18 (12686) 2 years ago

And what if, just for instance, he simply told the truth about him being a straight guy and mostly into women as in general, would that have raised suspicion right from the outset? And would his father then debate if as a candidate he was acceptable?

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[–] huwdj (4563) 2 years ago

Yes, I think it would. I don't know how the Spanish health service works but it seemed to me that the father could choose the carers and would have got rid of Beningo if he believed he was any kind of risk to his daughter.

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[–] TheMan18 (12686) 2 years ago

But simply stating that he is a straight and ordinary heterosexual guy like that shouldn't really in and of itself "pose a risk to his daughter", should it?

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[–] huwdj (4563) 2 years ago

No, but it's only a film and an Almodóvar film at that.

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[–] TheMan18 (12686) 2 years ago

Sorry that wasn't quite what I was asking.

I meant - in the film's world and storyline of course and also whether or not his father should really feel that if Beningo simply stated that he is a heterosexual man who is into women as opposed to lie about being a homosexual which he isn't, then this alone should pose a "risk" to his daughter and cause him great doubt as to accept him as her carer?

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[–] huwdj (4563) 2 years ago

I think the father would prefer that the care given to his daughter was free of any sexual overtones and to that end was wary of a heterosexual male nurse. This may be a politically incorrect and unfounded point of view but for a parent not unreasonable.

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[–] TheMan18 (12686) 2 years ago

True!

But then - look at how he succeeded in convincing him and then sexually assaulted his daughter when she was in a coma. And I bet the father still regretted or especially greatly regretted not only hiring him after what he told, but also, perhaps, not checking up further on him.

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[–] TheMan18 (12686) a year ago

I wonder also. When he found out that it was Beningo who did it, I wonder...

Since he told the father he likes men more than women, would the father especially now think he was lying given that, even if that crime is usually more about power, it is rarely if ever still carried out by men who are of that orientation rather than typically straight and no offense to anyone.

And would he probably also think that Beningo lied specifically in order to somehow draw away the father's idea that he has a secret crazy crush on Alicia even with her being in a coma?

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