MovieChat Forums > Body Heat (1981) Discussion > Great fun, but MAJOR plot holes

Great fun, but MAJOR plot holes

posted 11 years ago by rrb
4 replies | jump to latest

SPOILERS!!!

If these have been discussed, forgive me. If they've been resolved, I'd like to hear how.

So, we’re meant to think the police never wondered why Ned would’ve killed Matty? With another arson device yet (not too suspicious)? And stuck around to watch her blow up? None of it makes any sense.

For the fake Matty’s plan to work, the ME’s report needed to show that the real Matty died as a result of the explosion. So how did the fake Matty keep her incapacitated in the boathouse for hours? She must’ve been heavily drugged – but that would have shown up in the coroner’s report. How could she have been seen by Oscar walking to the boathouse while she had enough drugs in her system to make her unconscious at the same time?

And isn’t it a dandy coincidence that Ned ran into the lawyer who steered the fake Matty to him? That’s the cheapest trick in the script.

One poster posited that the fake Matty planned it all - Teddy's alerting him to the boathouse bomb, the lawyer telling Ned about meeting Matty. Please - talk about reaching. A well-plotted script doesn't leave you grasping for explanations - especially if there's a scene (like Ned & Oscar's in the jailhouse) that's there to tie up loose ends. The items above are simply flaws in the script.

The director's visual cues - the hustler in the mens room, the clown, the hat, the sitting ducks - I found superfluous.

Other posters have asked how Matty just happened to be at the bandshell concert the same night as Ned. That didn’t bother me. I assume she tailed him, knew his haunts and schedule, discovered he did the bandshell concerts regularly, and set that as the place for him to see and approach her.

All that said, Body Heat is still an enjoyable noir with terrific performances from Hurt, Turner and the overlooked Richard Crenna. The holes stand out in high relief b/c so much of the film is so well done.

[–] riverwalk 11 years ago

''So, we’re meant to think the police never wondered why Ned would’ve killed Matty? With another arson device yet (not too suspicious)? And stuck around to watch her blow up? None of it makes any sense.''

the police would have thought ned was trying to kill maddie in order to get his hands on all her money. They'd have known they [or he alone] both killed edmund for his money but assumed that he got greedy and tried to finish her off to avoid splitting it-thieves fall out as they say. Also yes it makes perfect sense he'd watch her blow up-why wouldn't he? It was a hidden bomb in the shed, it blows up,she dies and then he flees-what's unbelievable about that?

''For the fake Matty’s plan to work, the ME’s report needed to show that the real Matty died as a result of the explosion. So how did the fake Matty keep her incapacitated in the boathouse for hours? She must’ve been heavily drugged – but that would have shown up in the coroner’s report. How could she have been seen by Oscar walking to the boathouse while she had enough drugs in her system to make her unconscious at the same time?''

Mmmm not necessarily, say matty had drugged the real matty a day or many hours before the explosion and then tied her in the shed, the bomb goes off and real matty who could have been conscious by then but tied up dies in the fire. Just because drugs are in somebody's system doesn't mean they were knocked out by them at the time if you know what i mean. Also there are certain drugs[poisons] that aren't picked up by coroner reports or are at least very hard to detect. Plus the worse shape a body is in the harder it can be to do an autopsy in. Or say fake mattie had knocked her out by a blow to the head without drugs and then tied her up? Besides this was way back in 1980 remember, not even dna testing was around then-thus how good or accurate was a coroner's report back then compared to today? especially when the body was burned and blown beyond recognition with possibly limbs missing and everything...

''And isn’t it a dandy coincidence that Ned ran into the lawyer who steered the fake Matty to him? That’s the cheapest trick in the script.''

Again it's a film and this is possible- besides can you name 1 that isn't ott at times??

[–] Rusty (548) 2 years ago

Drugged? Isn’t the real Matty dead? Presumably fake-Matty killed her and left her body in the boathouse, always planning on it blowing up to fake her own death.

[–] ExTechOp (2770) a year ago

I'd always assumed the real Matty was dead, but any decomposition might be noticed even after the explosion

Drugged or unconscious makes more sense, actually, though I'll admit I never thought of it in nearly forty years since seeing the film

But no, I don't think it's a "dandy coincidence" that he ran into "Michael Glenn from Bashford-Hillerman." It's well established that the local legal community is relatively small, small enough that running into someone twice is far from contrived, especially at a local watering hole where, judging from the number of guys with ties, is popular with lawyers.

Also, it's not a "cheap trick" because it's not CRITICAL to the movie's plot. Ned had plenty to make him suspicious: the mysterious 330am phone calls, the glasses negotiation and Teddy, all of which were absolutely NOT contrived.

Given all that, running into Michael Glenn was just "seasoning" on the last meal.

[–] Pinehaven (9) 3 months ago

I didn't mind Ned running into Mr. Glenn at the hotel bar, even in Miami. What I didn't like was that the guy was trying to help Ned out and that seemed sincere. However he also told Ned's prospective client that he knew Ned by having to sue him for messing up a will. Mr. Glenn was a doof but he was also a lawyer.
I can see fake Matty researching somehow cases of legal estate malpractice, finding Ned's case against him, then seeking him out and tailing him to prepare to target him. She probably told Glenn that she was looking for an estate attorney, so why recommend one who he had sued and then tell her about his massive mistake?