Do you think his final smile on the plane is hopeful and optimistic? I don't think he knows at that moment that she has betrayed him. I bet he's smiling while envisioning a future for them after she takes the money and goes after him. Please feel free to let me know if I've misunderstood it.
shareIt's a definite possibility. At that point he would have no way to know if she had sold him out or not. She certainly would have the knowledge and resources to get to Switzerland with the money, she had already shown how devious she could be. It makes the ending even sadder to think he might be expecting her.
shareCrown was smart enough to know the actions of his opponent.
There is no doubt in my mind that Crown knew what Vikki would do, why else would he even get on that plane?
A similar smile can be seen on Crowns face when Vikki calls for a 'deal' in the steamroom. Crown knew that there would be no way that Paul Burkes character would make a deal, Vikki did not know this, hence the smile.
Checkmate, was what the smile was for.
"You sent us to guard the wrong man Mr. Chalmers."
"Checkmate, was what the smile was for."
I agree.
I think it is a little sad - he knows she betrayed him (being divorced he must have learned not to trust a woman), yet he is still hoping she will follow her heart - that's why he left the note. But of course he knows that hope is futile, that's why he is already on the plane in the first place.
Women are like deer - You can't just charge in, you gotta stalk 'em...
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Just a thought..
The chess scene is central to the movie to show that Vicki and Crown are equally competent, competitive and do not like to lose. If the movie itself can be considered to be a long chess match between the two, then Crown's final smile probably says, "What's your next move, Vicki?".
Crown knew all along she would betray him. He was too smart to let that happen, hence he left the country. He doesn't care either way what she does.
"Women should be obscene and not heard." - Groucho Marx
He cared, but I don't think he was surprised by the result. He would have liked it better the other way.
share
Valleycats has the best to say. Thomas and Vicky were of the same professional sucsessful mind set. Two examples: when Crown sold his building his somewhat snide remark to the buyers, "You over paid", Vicky, on the other hand got the IRS, had him staked out, and out-right told him that she was after him at the art auction -- she's a head hunter. And, she states to the cop that she is imoral -- only in it for the money.
During the investigation, those two like minded go-getters come close to, if not indeed, fall in love. Crown's make up, "Who am I going to be tomorrow", is more important than love, (even though it is something he wants or needs), he can't have a snooper in his life that would bring him down. That's why he plans the second hiest -- to beat the system. Vicky IS the system.
Crown set it up for her to make the choice. She did not have any evidence on Crown -- first or second robbery, only a big hunch. Crown's final smile was a combination of expressions -- look at it again and you'll see two, maybe three expressions in that one smile shot. He is happy for pulling off another bank job, he is sad to have lost a woman he truly cared about, and he's content to move on. His affairs are in order, (by his giving power of attorney to his man on what to hold and what to sell regarding his assets upon his leaving).
Back then, a million dollars was a lot of money. He was quite set to live a fine life. I saw his three smiles a wonderful ending that sumed up all of the adventures he had been through.
When a man assumes a public trust, he should consider himself as public property - Thomas Jefferson
The chess scene is central to the movie to show that Vicki and Crown are equally competent, competitive and do not like to lose. If the movie itself can be considered to be a long chess match between the two, then Crown's final smile probably says, "What's your next move, Vicki?"
The test was the key. He had to test he and he had to do it on his own terms.
He sent her his driver in the Rolls Royce...with the instructions for her next move. She would either be alone when she received it or with the Police.
If she was with the Police than as far as Crown was concerned, she'd failed. That's why she's crying.
She's had everything she wanted all her life. Now she's found something she could have had but lost it.
He doesn't care about the result. If she does what he wants her to do, he wins. If she does what he suspects she's going to do, he doesn't win but he doesn't lose either.
I think it's worth remembering that Thomas Crown is portrayed the way a lot of very wealthy people are. They don't necessarily know more about business than the rest of us but they know about people. That's why they're good at making deals. Vicky is quite similar. However else Thomas sees her, Vicky is still a challenge to him so it's a playoff between them to see who will crack. Thomas wins.
Good evaluation.
But I think they both lose. They both want one another more than anyone else in the world. It's true love, but they can't fight the need to be in control.
It would go down as unfullfilled love . . .
shareOkay, maybe I put it wrong.
Thomas loses Vicky but he doesn't go to prison. He probably can't live in the United States any more but he's still relatively free and with his money he can pretty much do as he pleases.
Vicki not only loses Thomas but probably a lot of her credibility as an investigator.
So, yeah, I guess you're right. They do both lose but Vicki loses more.
Definitely she loses more.
So much that we could say that Thomas WANTED to destroy her career in order to make himself the only one she could run to in the end. So maybe that was part of his smile at the end? He knew that she would have to go to him eventually and that he would have the control.
Even so, under those conditions he would lose Vicky's love. So all is still lost.
"The smirk of love is in your eyes..."
-- Ew lover, you gonna make me clutch my pearls --