MovieChat Forums > The Getaway (1972) Discussion > Harold's hanging

Harold's hanging

posted 9 years ago by jarrodmcdonald-1
5 replies | jump to latest

One scene that stands out to me in this movie is where Jack Dodson's character hangs himself in the motel bathroom. In the film IN COLD BLOOD, a point is made to explain that when the men are hanged, their bowels give out (and I presume their kidneys, right?). So when Rudy goes in to find Harold, and we have Harold hanging in the background, wouldn't he have peed all over himself at the very least, if not worse? I suppose it could be said that he might have relieved himself before the hanging-- but given that this is a Peckinpah film, I would have thought there would be a bit more graphic realism involving the hanging.

Thoughts...?

[–] antonasmodeus 9 years ago

In a movie filled with blood and violence, it was shocking enough just to see poor Harold hanging there lifeless while Big Al takes a crap next to him.

[–] Slurrysback 9 years ago

No, I wouldn't have expected Peckinpah to show that. Get real.

[–] meguroutsubo 8 years ago

I noticed that, because that's a repeating motif in the novel The Godfather. Every time a gangster is killed, Puzo writes something like, "his bowels voided themselves." For some reason, the fact that you crapped yourself when you died was incredibly important to young people in the 70s. :D

[–] kevin-bergin 8 years ago

Granted those are cartoons but the dead do void, boy do they void themselves.

"It's the system, Lara. People will be different after the Revolution."

[–] millsey72 (10552) 2 years ago

When this movie was made, medical science didn't know yet what the bodys digestive system did after being hanged