MovieChat Forums > The Whisperers (1967) Discussion > Bad Luck and Poor Choices

Bad Luck and Poor Choices

posted 12 years ago by AccidntlTourist
3 replies | jump to latest

Okay, I will probably set off a few folks with this perspective, but here goes:

Our fine lady came from a good family, but she married beneath herself (as she explains in the film).

Maybe it was an act of rebellion against her parents or maybe she was simply beguiled by a smooth-talking con-artist who wanted to marry money.

I feel sorry for her, but there is such a thing as choices and consequences.

She chose to marry a lying, cheating scumbag (no doubt against the wishes of her parents).
She raised a thieving scumbag son.

Her life must have been terrible, filled with disappointment. Such a hard life might have driven her a little mad. Denial and escapism would certainly be a direction to go; dementia almost welcome (at the end she seemed happy to return to this imaginary world of whispers).

Her childhood was filled with crystal chandeliers and giggling girls in pretty white dresses.

But life is tricky (and often dark, cold and cruel). So many choices to make.
Sometimes our future good fortune is completely out of our control and other times it can fall to a few poorly made choices.

In my opinion, though I feel bad for our fine lady, in the crime infested slum, I also think she is just a little responsible for her hard times.

[–] mrjeelsfan 12 years ago

Either you miss something or I miss heard something, but did not the movie say that she had only been at the Bishop's mansion as a servant. The past she talks about is a fabrication.

If I am right then pretty much all you said is null. If I am wrong, I need to pay more attention.

[–] Schmoozette 11 years ago

Yes, mrjeelsfan, you're right. She had been at the bishop's palace as a domestic, and when Archie takes the driving job for Mr. Fish, he said he had been a chauffeur (who lost his license after he "borrowed" a car). So they were both in service, and met and married. She married an equal, not "down," although in terms of character and respectability, she certainly did marry beneath her.

[–] CalvinJarrett (469) a year ago

Mrjeelsfan is right. She did not marry below her station. She was a domestic; he was (likely) a chauffeur. He statement was part of her fantasies/dementia. The only poor choice she made was divulging too much to the obnoxious lady at the national assistance office. She should not have said, "This is likely the last time I shall be here," and she certainly shouldn't have revealed the bank notes in her purse. That set her on a terrible crash course she was fortunate to survive. Her money is stolen by the fellow assistance seeker. Her husband and son literally cart her off to an alley and leave her to catch pneumonia. She is cared for by the National Health, but in the process, the people at the mental hospital (somehow) think it's a good idea to reunite her with her estranged, destitute husband. He treats her like garbage until he has to split town. That turns out to be the best thing for her. He's out of the picture. Her worthless son is in prison. And she can go back to her routine and fantasy world. Not the best existence, but better than her experience after she 'lucked' into that money and had the ill-conceived notion to blab about it to an opportunist stranger.