Was Gillis actually sleeping with Norma??????? Why on earth would he do that???
shareShe put a roof over his head and bought his clothes and jewelry. I think he felt that he at least "owed" her the way some women feel they "owe" a man when he pays for things.
"There will be blood. Oh, yes, there WILL be blood."-Jigsaw; "Saw II"
She was a beautiful woman. Do you think I would have rejected Sophia Loren because she was 50 and I in my 30's?
shareI wasn't criticizing the age difference, just questioning his reasoning. Well, he paid for it at the conclusion. Norma was crazy, and the affair led her to fall in love with Gillis, and that was his downfall.
shareWithin the limits of what the Production Code allowed at the time, the film implies that there had been no sex - or even anything overtly romantic - between them until New Year's Eve (and until that night, he'd been lodged in the room over the garage). As Joe's narration says, "Maybe I'd been an idiot not to have sensed it was coming - that sad, embarrassing revelation."
By that time, he was completely dependent upon her, so her hooks were already in pretty deeply. If he'd stuck to his reolution to break from her and stay with Artie, he might have been free (assuming she couldn't lure him back). But her suicide attempt, if interpreted as either a play for sympathy or a manipulative guilt trip or both, worked. Because, as you said in your post on the other thread, he was weak.
Poe! You are...avenged!
And, talk about her "hooks". . . .on the special features of the DVD I watched, there were several references to the Norma's "claws" -lots! I re-watched it with the commentary on and it was very descriptive of all the indications of how much Norma was in control, whether it was her demanding tone, or her playing at being helpless. What a film!
shareMy favorite reference to Norma's claws is when Joe is walking out of the front door and watch Norma gave him catches on the door and he can't walk out- symbolizing her grip keeping him in the house.
shareIt's a nice touch, admirable not only from the standpoint of its thematic symbolism, but from that of some basic but clever film-making sleight-of-hand mechanics: after opening the door, Joe pauses just long enough to glare daggers in the direction of Norma's bedroom, obscuring the fact that Holden is hooking the watch chain onto the door handle while his body shields that action from the camera. Very smoothly done.
Poe! You are...avenged!
I think he felt sorry for her and it was pity sex. ; )
Piney
Rewatched it last night and I think he did.
Norma and he both imply he does so at the end when they're talking to Betty.
It's almost sort of like he became her personal gigolo. Joe is financially dependent on Norma, so I think he, albeit reluctantly, repays her in other means.
Did you ever notice that people who believe in creationism look really un-evolved? - Bill Hicks
Why wouldn't he? She was an attractive middle-aged woman who was providing him an apartment and financial assistance, and coming on to him.
share