MovieChat Forums > Harlequin (1980) Discussion > Arresting Images (spoilers)

Arresting Images (spoilers)


*Wolfe dangling the kid over a cliff. Does that remind anyone of a similar, more recent incident?

*The 'acid bath' scene. Really, what was she thinking?! Keeping corrosive substances in (unmarked) shampoo bottles in the bathroom...

*The finger-chopping 'trick'. That was never going to go down well.

*Towards the end as Wolfe's body is hauled from the lake. After surviving all of those rounds, I was beginning to think we were in for some sort of Friday the 13th/ Halloween comeback. But no, to the film's advantage I think.

Anyone got any others?

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As I understood it, I thought the corrosive substance in the acid bath scene was placed there psychically by either the kid or Wolfe (- unless you're being ironic)

When Wolfe dangles the kid over the cliff you'd've thought the minder chap who saw the whole thing (even pulling out his gun and aiming it at Wolfe) would report the incident. Wolfe would then have been arrested or at least prevented from seeing the kid again. (there again that would've spoilt the rest of the film a bit)

Another arresting image is obviously right at the end when the boy looks back at his mother suddeny with the harlequin look about him.

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About the scene of Wolfe and the child on the cliff I think he was comparing this scene to Michael Jackson dangling his baby over a balcony, am I correct?

You should add to your list the few minutes prior to the "finger-chopping" act. Robert Powell looked so gorgeous like that! I preferred that outfit to the Harlequin one... but if he hadn't been dressed as a Harlequin the movie should have had another name...

Another arresting image : the healing of the boy where Wolfe is dressed like a Jedi!!!!!!

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Towards the end as Wolfe's body is hauled from the lake.
That was not in "Harlequin". Is it possible that you saw the extended version called "Dark Forces"? Please describe the longer ending to me.

"Harlequin" has the following ending: Gregory is shot and thrown into the sea. I can't remember if there was something happening next which I forgot or if it cut directly to the ending scene. At either rate, in the last scene the mother and her boy are shown sitting at a lakeside, the boy turns around, looks at her and his face is painted Harlequin-like. That's where the film ends.

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At the beginning of the film when Wolfe was dressed as a clown. Apparently he was aware the precise moment a thunderclap would occur. How did he know that?

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Harlequin

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