What happens next?
As a practical matter, the lover's death forces Anne to choose not between continuing that affair, but to going back with her husband, or being alone (at least for the time being). The film virtually never shows Anne as a person in her own right. Does she even want that? The film describes the affair as something that was in effect offered to her, not as something she actively sought out. Was her life before all that awful?
Probably not. And as others have pointed out, in so many words, she has now certainly gotten her husband's attention. Perhaps even on some level forgiveness.
But that does not answer what he will or should do.
On those two questions, I think the answers might well be different. Wilkerson's character now has good reason to fear his wife, fear that something like that might happen again. She more or less invites this kind of assessment on her view of the affair. It was so passively portrayed, which might make one think going forward that she will not seek one out. But on the other hand so little seems to have been necessary to encourage her into it. At a minimum the husband knows he will have to keep his eye on her constantly. Is that any way to live a marriage? No.
But the film also strongly suggests that his view of his wife is primarily not about some rational deduction. The assistant who eventually beds the husband is certainly the more sympathetic, even supportive, of the two. I may as I do find Emily Watson extremely attractive, but it is her character we are talking about here, and the assistant's character was objectively more appealing. Yet the husband clearly preferred the wife, and not because of their marriage vows. In the end, I think THAT husband, based on HIS feelings toward and love of is wife, despite her great sins against their marraige, will overcome his hurt, anger and concerns.
Of course by now I have clearly implied he should not go back with Anne. I can't imagine what life would be like for him going forward. It's not merely a matter of saying that she cheated on him that dictates this result, since I don't feel that way in all such cases. But in this particular case, her passive, matter of fact attitude is just too much of a concern going forward. It simply would not work.
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lamont-hard
12 years ago
I think they will be much stronger, he learned his lesson and so did she. They are still in love but on a more respectful level, she got it out of her system and he will not put it back in there, no way/where but up for them in my opinion. By the way your analogy is great it just may be a bit complicated for two middle age people who are more simpler than what you portray. There problems died when they both let them die with the lover. He taught them what they needed to move on from him. Notice the beginning of a new relationship of are you free for lunch after they leave the funeral.
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dealey52
11 years ago
Oh, so many people rationalizing her behavior! No body drives anybody to anything. We all have free will. He should have left her when she admitted what she did. And then she continues to rub his nose in it, what an f-ing bitch! And once again it is sooo true, man cheats and he's a dirty dog, a women cheats and "she must have had a reason. The husband should have cashed in his chips and left the table. Had he survived the boyfriend would have eventually gone on to someone else and left the wife alone.
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