MovieChat Forums > Foul Play (1978) Discussion > Foul Play - Plot Hole

Foul Play - Plot Hole

posted 17 years ago by mwmtampa
23 replies | jump to latest

Just saw Foul Play for the first time after all these years, and agree with the majority of the posters here - very good movie indeed with quite a few stars in the cast.

I have just one bone to pick. It's noted by the police detectives that their undercover agent (Scotty) sniffed out a "major" assassination plot and had a specific date and time. Unfortunately, he was killed before more info could be gathered (or the roll of film could be discovered). However, the cops were mystified by what major assassination attempt could it possibly be?? Come on now, wouldn't it be quite obvious (or at least quite likely) that it would be the Pope who was visiting San Francisco that particular evening??!!! How many other dignitaries/luminaries could there possibly have been of his magnitude? Surely, they should have easily put two and two together and made certain to have assigned considerably extra police detail to the opera event. Pretty weak in my opinion.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] joking_klown 17 years ago

At one point they say the vice president is coming, too.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] mwmtampa 17 years ago

Wow, that's some recall to remember that level of detail with the newscaster announcement.

Regardless, since it was assumed to be a fact that the assassination was on a very major figure, there can't be more than a handful of obvious choices, whether it be the pope, the mayor, or maybe a couple of others. And certainly, the pope,and perhaps the mayor, would be the primary targets, given their prominence and that logic. However, despite this knowledge, it appeared the SFPD decided to give very scant police protection to the event the pope was attending. There was only about 5-10 cops outside the arena, and inside there was only a couple. The assassin was shown walking around the backstage and orchestra rooms completely unimpeded, and setting himself up comfortably inside for a shot at the pope. Given the circumstances the SFPD was aware of, this place should have been flooded with cops. This is a major gaffe in the movie.

Even with just a few more policemen walking around inside they would have detected his presence and apprehended him - again, this made no sense.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] 17 years ago

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[–] mwmtampa 17 years ago

I cared about the plot hole, and it lowered the movie a notch in my opinion.

But totally concur on Cuthbert! Want to see more of that.

[–] BeckyRay 17 years ago

I found it quite funny that the reason Tony brings Gloria along into the danger in the theater is that he says something to the effect of "you are the only one who knows what the albino looks like." Um, he's the albino? AND Tony had already seen the photo of him earlier.

But then, I'm willing so suspend my disbelief as this isn't a documentary. :)

[–] mwmtampa 17 years ago

Yeah, that one slipped by me, and also pretty silly. Good pickup. I guess that Tony must have thought that menacing albino assassins were running amok at that point.

[–] oddball_oddity-1 16 years ago

Tony specifies that the Albino "might be wearing a disguise"- so if he had glasses, wore a wig, added some makeup to look less pale, Gloria might have less of a hard time picking him out compared to Tony who only saw his photograph. Honestly, whenever Tony mentions that, I wonder why DIDN'T the albino wear an elaborate disguise? It was a decent excuse to get Gloria into the opera house, but one I think they should have followed through with.

And yeah, I still think it's bizarre that they didn't think the Pope would get assassinated up front.

Still, love the movie.

[–] Pinky2000 16 years ago

That is what makes it so damned funny! I always thought about that when I was a kid and seeing this movie like 50+ times on cable. Yeah Albino Assassins are running a muck in San Francisco LOL that is too funny!

YOU MADE ME PLAY SECOND BASE!

[–] danafranklin 14 years ago

Tony's said something along the line of "You're the only one who's seen him, and he may be wearing a disguise."

"The best thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother."

[–] mwmtampa 17 years ago

I think you missed the point. The undercover cop had found out there was to be a "hit", and also had the date it would occur, and that the target would be a very "major" figure. Based on that information, I think a 5th grader (no pun intended to the TV show) could figure out that there would be a good chance it would be the Pope. How often does someone with the prestige and magnitude of a Pope visit an American city?? There aren't many people at that level - maybe the President and a few other dignitaries, but someone at the level of the Pope visiting San Francisco would be rare. I'm not saying focus only on the Pope, but certainly play the odds and get a load of policemen there. There was only a handful of cops there - sorry, very dumb and very major plot hole.

[–] MSStMarie 15 years ago

If you think about the time in which that film was made, assassinations, and assassination attempts, were being made frequently.

In San Francisco, in particular, that could involve any number of public people.

This film has a major plot hole in that no one in the theater saw a dead body being hauled out, but not in the fact that one could know WHOM was to be assassinated.

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Aagh; you're a HEDGE!

[–] zaphod1957 15 years ago

I agree there are a few plot holes in this film you could drive a yellow, VW convertable through, but the truth is most films actually have these, but if you are caught up in the action and are enjoying the film, you don't notice them.

I think the real plot hole here isn't the fact that they can't figure out who is being assinated (after all there could have been other tragets in a big city like this, and even if you did know the target and the date, you would also want to know the location and time). The real plot hole is at the beginning when Gloria picks up Scotty. If Scotty sees that he is being chased by the bad guys, why don't he just find the first policeman he can and ask for help! He's an undercover cop. If the bad guys are chasing him his cover is blown anyway, he could just as well have Goldie drive him right to a police station.

The idea of slipping her the film works if he is spy who is going to be searched then released, but it doesn't really work in this case.

Also at the end it doesn't really make sense that Chevy and Goldie make this crazy drive across town (wrecking 3 cars along the way and endangering a bunch of people) He could have just told them where the shooter was hiding on the phone and that the police entering the auditorium (or the Pope leaving) would trigger the shooter to fire. He really didn't need to be there personally.

Still, I like the film.

My favorite little manipulation here is when they have Goldie try on her bridesmaid's outfit just before she gets a call from Fergie (which is a trap). She doesn't bother to change and spends the rest of the movie running around in this cute/sexy little halter dress!

[–] MSStMarie 15 years ago

You are so right, on all counts.

The chases are the funniest things in the film, apart from the Scrabble thing. So I really don't mind that. They're typical San Francisco chases which take place in neighborhoods that are far apart and make no sense, but whatever.

I like that she's in the bridesmaid outfit. It's a nod to the exploitation of the '70s.

If not for all the bungling, there would be no film, I guess.

I love this film. I've loved it since I was a kid, so I can NOW look back and say, "WHAT?!?" But I still like it.

And actually, I'm all for taxing the churches, so...

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Aagh; you're a HEDGE!

[–] mwmtampa 15 years ago

Sorry, again I have to chime in with my viewpoint again. The SF poice had a very reliable tip that there was an assassination plot on a "major" target and they had the date it was going to take place.

It should be acutely obvious to anyone, that the most "major" individual in the city that day would be the Pope. The plot hole was that the police, who were aware of this tip, did connversely so little to protect him given that level of knowledge.

[–] MSStMarie 15 years ago

Right. We are all in agreement here.

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Aagh; you're a HEDGE!

[–] mwmtampa 15 years ago

Gotcha, and I think we are all in agreement we all loved the film too>

[–] GuyOnTheLeft 11 years ago

You do make some solid points.

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See a list of my favourite films here: http://www.flickchart.com/slackerinc

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] android_movie 12 years ago

Actually, if I were a real assassin, I would choose that date to hit a target who would normally be heavily guarded but because of Pope's visit, s/he became less guarded. From the Art of War, confuse and misdirect your opponent.

So, it's actually logical NOT to hit the Pope but someone else while the Police attention would be focused on the Pope.

Just my 2 cents.

Show me the holes!

[–] Randy-144 10 years ago

Related to the assassination plot, when Tony (Chevy Chase) finally figures out that the Pope is the target, instead of phoning for police help to thwart the attempt on the Pope he drives like a maniac with Gloria to the opera house. In the process, he has to use three vehicles because he wrecks the first two.

I can overlook this in a comedy because the movie going public isn't as critical about plots of comedies. But you see this in serious movies like some that Clint Eastwood has made. I'm thinking of Tightrope co-starring Geneviève Bujold where Clint does the driving, and The Rookie co-starring Charlie Sheen where Sheen drives his motorcycle to save his girlfriend.