MovieChat Forums > The Clearing (2004) Discussion > I Don't Understand The Title

I Don't Understand The Title

posted 17 years ago by hannibalsrequiem
5 replies | jump to latest

I don't understand why the film is titled "The Clearing." Could someone explain the title to me?

[–] Avidog 17 years ago

I think it had something to do with finally letting his wife know that he loved her and therefore cleared the air with that clarification.
However, this is the biggest piece of crap that I ever saw with Redford in it. What a disappointment; you could almost smell the underlying European influence, i.e. - "I'm not really such a good guy and you're not really such a bad guy". Believe me, if I had Defoe by the throat, I wouldn't have stopped until his eyes popped from his damned head. Then I would've retrieved the pistol and put two or three rounds squarely in damned head.
The pace was painfully slow and the plot woefully thin. Bleecchh!! Redford should be ashamed to waste his and our time. He's fallen a long way from "Three Days of the Condor" and "Butch Cassidy.."!!!

[–] jikbokk 17 years ago

Dog said: What a disappointment; you could almost smell the underlying European influence, i.e. - "I'm not really such a good guy and you're not really such a bad guy"

European films are disappointing? Run, Lola, Run; Blowup; The Good, the Bad and the Ugly; Breathless; Leon; Dr. Strangelove; Alphaville; The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie; Tom Jones; La Dolce Vita; Strangers on a Train; My Name Is Nobody ... ? Actually, some of these films have black and white moral issues and Hollywood endings, whereas some American films deal in shades of grey (like Redford's The Sting and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid). But I agree that European films tend to be more thoughtful and less predictable, and I like it that way.

On topic for this thread, two internet posters say:

Richard von Busack: The title refers to an open spot in a forest ... But it also means a clearing of heads.

Dennis Schwartz: The Clearing gets its ironical title from the location in the woods where the ransom drop is to be made. A case can also be made that the title refers to how emotionally satisfied Eileen becomes after being assured her hubby really loved her, as all doubts are cleared up by the climax.

Laugh while you can, monkey boy.

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] DeepFriedJello 14 years ago

"Dennis Schwartz: The Clearing gets its ironical title from the location in the woods where the ransom drop is to be made. A case can also be made that the title refers to how emotionally satisfied Eileen becomes after being assured her hubby really loved her, as all doubts are cleared up by the climax. "

The ransom drop wasn't made in a clearing, it wasdown a heavily wooded road.
I got the impression that Eileen felt confident with her husbands love, even with the affair. There was no sense of estrangement.

I thought the they would hike into a clearing where something pivotal would take place, but never did.

[–] MarwoodWalks 14 years ago

To me it reminded me of the phrase 'The clearing at the end of the path', which means death. So i always knew Redford was going to die, because of the title.

'Fiery the Angels rose, & as they rose deep thunder roll'd.'