MovieChat Forums > The Village (2013) Discussion > Bairstow has a heart? Stop the presses! ...

Bairstow has a heart? Stop the presses! S2 E6 SPOILER

posted 10 years ago by !!!deleted!!! (41638798)
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Did anyone else think it was being strongly inferred that Bairstow, himself, was illegitimate?

He responded forcefully against the comments in the Allingham parlor when it was said that a mother bearing an illegitimate child was a whore-like person.

And in the end, he was the one who (apparently having done a thorough job of his background and dirty secret homework on the Allinghams as Edmund's rain maker) had found out where little Joe was.

And then of course HE was the one who told George. He had a kind of sympathy with little Joe and Caro's predicament. And this from a man who appears to have not a single emotional bone in his body.

At first, I thought they might be leading up to Bairstow saying he was the bastard child of old man Allingham. But guess it was enough to infer he was illegitimate himself, which then prompted his later actions.

Loved the bit where Bairstow was able to do a kind act and bring little Joe home and then not have to pay for his disloyalty to Edmund by being fired--by blackmailing him over his secret life.

Edmund is so naive! God help His Majesty's subjects with Edmund as Home Secretary. Yikes. ha

[–] FudgeBrownie 10 years ago

Maybe, but I just took it to mean he was sensitive about the illegitimate kid he had with Agnes.

[–] !!!deleted!!! (41638798) 10 years ago

Yes! And if Bairstow also was illegitimate as well, he's really going to be a bit tetchy about that subject.

I'd also wondered because of the way he became very uncomfortable when asked in The Lamb what his dad had done for a living. He kept trying not to answer any questions about him, and then finally said he died when he was a baby, and then changed the subject.

It was perhaps that scene that made me wonder, in addition to reuniting Caro with Joe. Bairstow always got a bit sad when he saw his baby, didn't he?

[–] rdavies23 10 years ago

Bairstow is a fascinating character. I'm glad he was redeemed. I agree that it was implied that there was never a father in his life. Perhaps his mother, *Miss* Bairstow, could make an appearance in S3, to link Bairstow's character to his roots. I'd like his background to be explored.

[–] !!!deleted!!! (41638798) 10 years ago

Oh yes, more please next time about Bairstow.

After seeing a little more hints about him, it seems that he has chosen after his terrible experiences in the war and living with his injury, to do his own version of what Gibby professes on his soap box as a socialist.

But Bairstow has taken a different route to wrest control from the aristos. He's insinuated himself into their sphere as an indispensable factotum and rain maker to virtually control whether or not weak Edmund and the Allinghams stay in the forefront of the leadership. He can make 'em or break 'em now.

We saw Bairstow's fangs coming out at the end didn't we? He's used the Allinghams and by targeting Edmund's vulnerable spot that he will need to hide about himself, Bairstow has total control over the Allingham public persona and the son's success that the family are slavering for.

We have seen there's Gibbey's way. But there also was working class Bairstow's way to get one over and control the upper classes (as the possible illegitimate man who had not to play by the normal rules).

But they are doing the same thing essentially. Bairstow is the one who has real control at present. Gibbey isn't as powerful as Bairstow right now.

Who knows? Bairstow may be plotting the total destruction of the Allinghams. He may wait until he gets Edmund into the Home Office position then take them all down with massive scandal and destroy them in public.

I say this because we don't yet know if Bairstow has some personal agenda pertaining to the Allinghams--like he's old man Allingham's son by one of the maids or such. If so, he might be playing the long game for maximum humiliation that will destroy the Allinghams.