MovieChat Forums > Elegy (2008) Discussion > Hopper kissing Kingsley

Hopper kissing Kingsley

posted 15 years ago by sleepingmarionette
10 replies | jump to latest

*Spoiler*

As Hopper's character is dying, he kisses his wife and then proceeds to kiss Kingsley before he finally dies. There was a moment, I thought, where Hopper sort of realizes what he's doing (kissing his colleague and friend) and stops. I don't know what to make of it and what was the director's intent.

For those who have read the book, is it explained why he did that? Or was it just to indicate that Hopper was clearly out of his mind and did not know what he was doing?

His wife later says to Kingsley, "I wonder who he thought I was..".

[–] jaimebien 15 years ago

For those who have read the book, is it explained why he did that? Or was it just to indicate that Hopper was clearly out of his mind and did not know what he was doing?

That could be so, but I also took it as perhaps his only way of communicating his love for his closest friend, since he seems to have lost all verbal function.

[–] sleepingmarionette 15 years ago

I'd like to think that. That scene kind of stayed with me. It bugged me for a while because there was something sort of sad and desperate about the way he tugged at his wife's chest and kissed her. My first impression was that this horny, dirty old guy even in death is pawing at women.. but it really could be interpreted as expressing true love, beyond the physical, erotic love of the young students he would prey on, of the two closest to him, his wife and his best friend.

Yes, I do remember Hopper mentioning to Kingsley in one of the last conversations about rediscovering his love for his wife. It makes sense.

[–] TheWordN 15 years ago

I do believe that the kiss was nothing but a sign of love and affection.

He kissed his best friend. It's no big deal. Especially if you're dying and you know it.

[–] WarpedRecord 14 years ago

I agree with all of the interpretations here. It was George's way of communicating with a friend who meant a lot to him, but he never really told him how much – and now he couldn't. And sadly, life has now imitated art. It's very difficult to watch this film knowing the talent we've lost in Dennis Hopper.

[–] ChazzJazz 14 years ago

the fact that the wife questions whether the horney toad even knew his wife when he groped her, leads me to believe that the director's and writer's intention was to show a man driven by animalistic instincts rather than "cultural" love.

[–] WarpedRecord 14 years ago

His character certainly was one to show rather than tell, and he showed it with many of his young girlfriends through the years. In this case, though, I think he was genuinely overcome with emotion for his friend's years of support, and unable to speak, he needed to communicate his gratitude.

It's a very bold scene, and if this were an American film by a major studio, it probaly would have never made the final cut (if it even made it that far). If this causes the weak-kneed viewer to do a double-take, I'd say the director has done her job. I found it most effective.

[–] psdhart 8 years ago

I agree with all of the interpretations here. It was George's way of communicating with a friend who meant a lot to him, but he never really told him how much – and now he couldn't. And sadly, life has now imitated art. It's very difficult to watch this film knowing the talent we've lost in Dennis Hopper.

^this, he seemed unable to speak as someone else said

[–] zachanscom 13 years ago

kissing...a sign of love and friendship?

who knew?

[–] vestdennis 11 years ago

Yes it was a sign of love and friendship to his old friend. But just the same, when one of my male friends is on his death bed I'll settle for a firm handshake...

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]