MovieChat Forums > Touching the Void (2004) Discussion > Richard wanted Simon all to himself

Richard wanted Simon all to himself


"I can hear Joe calling, but if I just go back to sleep..."

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Yeah, there were a number of times when he sure seemed to like Simon a heck of a lot. Like stating if one of the two men returned from the mountain, he'd want it to be Simon.  Owch! Poor Joe.

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I respect his honesty after all these years. Why would you tell this to anyone, even though it was true? It gives you insight in the human thoughts that we all have but are too afraid to express. You'd probably be lying if you told the public it didn't cross your mind after several days and/or you don't have a preference who'd you like to see come down more. Like I said, I respect his honesty.

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but i'd like to know the reason. was he closer with him? did he consider him a better climber? did he tell good jokes?

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but i'd like to know the reason. was he closer with him? did he consider him a better climber? did he tell good jokes?


Richard says in the film that he found it easier to get to know Simon, as opposed to Joe. Simon was an extrovert, more gregarious and chatty in general, while Joe was introverted and very driven and intense -- not unfriendly, as demonstrated by his significant number of close and loyal friends over time, but not someone who made friends quickly and easily. Simon says that in hindsight he realizes that a lot of the friends he made easily were really just friendly acquaintances, not friends in the truest sense, but as one can see in some of the DVD extras, Simon is simply more orally articulate than Joe (who is certainly articulate on paper - a more reflective medium that suits his more introverted personality). Simon also appeared to have a sunnier disposition than Joe, who was something of a brooder.

In one of the interviews on the DVD, Richard mentions that he felt more accepted by Simon despite his complete lack of mountaineering expertise (or interest). So, one can see why he would have felt more comfortable traveling back to Lima with Simon alone rather than with Joe alone, because he could communicate more easily with Simon than with Joe. In his own books Joe admits to being rather moody and hard to relate to at times.

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