MovieChat Forums > High Sierra (1941) Discussion > I rooted for Earle - if you like it or n...

I rooted for Earle - if you like it or not!

posted 11 years ago by vawlkee_2000
3 replies | jump to latest

Yeah he was a criminal, did time and was pardoned and picked up where he left off.
I often look at this film from the perspective that he was stuck in a syndrome and there was no way out.
He shoots the security guard during the commission of the robbery and is a hunted man thanks to Mendez's squealing. He gets double crossed by Mac's goon, Jake and shoots from self defense...You just can't win!
He was a decent person in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Call Roy what you will but I still root for him even though you know where he's going.

I think of "Pard", in reality Bogey's real life pet "Zero". Let's face it, that little bastard (script-wise) was a Jonah and spelled doom for everyone that befriended him. "Pard", was that an in side gag by the writers indirectly referring to Roy's PARDon from the big house? Hell, we'll never know.

"Mad Dog" my ass, Roy is my hero in this film and I always hope that in an alternate reality he gets away and dumps the mutt!So there!

[–] PussyCrusher_Principal 11 years ago

Well, You're meant to root for him.

As far as Pard's name is concerned, I guess it's possible it was an In Joke about his pardon - how it was tainted (arranged by another crook, for the very purpose of committing more crime) and therefore wouldn't ever be a good thing. Or how Earle would never fit in with society, his world falling down around him the longer he's out of prison.

I think of the name Pard as being short not for pardon, but for "Pardner", and how it was impossible for Earle to have a "Pardner", be it in work (they were all weasels, all the oldtimers, presumably with stronger values, are all dead, as was said) or in love (Velma, who is, not unimportantly, much younger than Roy - he has spent a lot of his life in jail, and life and the opportunities presented to a more law abiding citizen have passed him by - it is too late for Roy. Yes, Marie is in love with him, but she's too close to his old life, he wants someone (seemingly) sweet and innocent like Velma. He's totally misguided, of course, but he hasn't lived in the world for some time. Anyway, Pard, representing a partner, is really a curse for a guy like. Earle...he can't trust any man but himself. And trying to get himself a woman turned out a disaster. (Don't forget that Dillinger, whom Earle was based on, was sold out to the Feds by his partner, the Lady In red.)

"Shake the hand that shook the hand
Of P. T. Barnum....and Charlie Chan!"

[–] vawlkee_2000 11 years ago

In a VERY roundabout way we seem to agree on Earle's predicament, more or less.
I chose to keep it simpler and more to the point.
As far as "Pard", I'm ore than aware of the various interpretations of the name. I'm not stupid!
I threw the name "Pard" into the mix simply out of speculation only. Nothing more was implied.
In the case of a film made 73 years ago, no one involved with any aspect of it's production is alive.
A shot in the dark, no more no less!
Capiche?!

[–] johnnm58 (545) 6 years ago

We want him to win. We root for him to win. Him.