MovieChat Forums > Witness (1985) Discussion > FINAL SCENE - SPOILERS - Do you really t...

FINAL SCENE - SPOILERS - Do you really think he would . . .

posted 16 years ago by jgroub
11 replies | jump to latest

. . . just kinda give up like that? I don't think they established enough about the Chief's character to explain why listening to Book's speech about "Are you gonna kill him? Are you gonna kill her?" would cause him to react the way he did, and stop and hand over the gun. Here's a guy who is taking $22 million worth of drugs, 550 gallons worth, and spreading it all over the lovely city of Philadelphia, without consideration for the destruction and ruined lives all these drugs will cause. He first has a fellow police officer killed because of it, and then orders McFee to do the same thing to Book because of it. Then he orders another police officer - McFee's partner - to be killed as well.

Why would he all of a sudden get religion, so to speak, stop and be overwhelmed by the enormity of his actions thus far and let Book go? I mean, if it were me, yeah, I have a sense of justice and fairness, right and wrong, so when Book says, "Enough!", it would sure as hell work on me. But this guy's a stone-cold blooded killer. Why should it work on him?

And if he's willing to kill three police officers (two of whom are already dead), don't you think he would have at least threatened to kill Book's sister and kids to get Book to come out? That would have gotten Book to stop, and pronto, even if he wasn't willing to really go through with it. Just imagine - he arrives at the Lapp place, and calls out, on a bullhorn, "Book, we've got your sister and your nephews. They're all perfectly safe, for now. But if we don't check in within the hour, I have people who will change that situation for the worse. Come on out, let's talk. It's over." That would get Book out of that farmhouse in a hurry.

I asked the doctor to take your picture so I can look at you from inside as well.

[–] cjgalwey 16 years ago

The reason why Schaeffer hands over the gun in this scene is because Book has managed to assemble too many witnesses. If he actually shot anyone, dozens of people could swear that he'd done it.
I think, too, a death threat to Book's family would have made his position too precarious. The deaths of policemen can be explained away as the random work of criminals, but to kill or kidnap women and children would require a cover-up that he can't put in place in time.
Also, even the most ruthless criminals burn out. And thinking about it, I don't think Schaeffer was ever very comfortable with the role of a killer. What you see of his family life indicates that he didn't particularly like violence, he was in it for the money, and hoped to maintain a cover of respectability.
But no plot completely adds up, if you insist on holding it up to the light from all angles!

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] cjgalwey 16 years ago

This analyzes the situation very well. Except that 'Fergie' didn't just die of allergy in the corn ... he was well and truly suffocated: a gruesome scene.

[–] GentianViolet 15 years ago

Um-I believe the "allergy" comment was a joke...

[–] jgroub 15 years ago

Naah. Book was the one who brought it up about shooting this one and that one. He could have just calmly responded, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is a police matter, no one's going to shoot anyone. Come along Book, hands on head."

Then driven off a couple of miles, and blammo.

What's the big deal about that?

I asked the doctor to take your picture so I can look at you from inside as well.

[–] MuchToBeGratefulFor 15 years ago

He could have just calmly responded, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is a police matter, no one's going to shoot anyone. Come along Book, hands on head."

Uh, remember he had the gun to Rachel's head to get Book to come out? That was why Book dropped his gun. After that, it would be hard to pretend this was a normal police matter.

You must be the change you seek in the world. -- Gandhi

[–] jgroub 15 years ago

Ah, good point. I have no retort to that. I doff my hat to you, sir or madam.

I asked the doctor to take your picture so I can look at you from inside as well.

[–] jporter-6 15 years ago

" . . . is because Book has managed to assemble too many witnesses."

Grandpa encouraged Samuel to ring the bell. Hence, too many witnesses.

(Don't you just hate people who get picky like this?"

[–] Thomas_S 15 years ago

I don't think he gave up because of moral thoughts but because he was check mate. His intention was to silence just Book and to do it quietly. Once confronted with all these people, what could he do? Shoot them all? He'd have some case to explain to the police. Start shooting some or just one? The Amish men would overpower him. Take a hostage? He might be able to flee with the hostage but probably be caught by the police sooner or later, and there would be a whole bunch of witnesses. Once out of the shadow of his dirty dealings and fully exposed, he'd lost. It is somehow symbolized by the fact that almost as soon as he's out of the shade of the barn, his game is over. From that moment, he could only make it worse for himself by not giving up.

[–] uvl 15 years ago

In addition to the comments already made, he was in a position where he had to do the actual killing (and in cold blood), rather than having others to do it for him. It takes a certain mental and emotional disorder to do that, which I don't believe he had.

[–] Jester2000154113 15 years ago

I think it's an important distinction that Schaeffer didn't kill the man in the restroom himself, he didn't try to kill Book himself, and we can probably assume he didn't kill Carter himself.

There's a difference being having someone killed while you sit in your big house with your nice family and don't have to see it physically happen, and personally murdering someone. I don't really think Schaeffer had what it took to do his own dirty work.

Also, there was no real way he could possibly kill the dozens of Amish who were watching by that point, and he couldn't just shoot the unarmed Book in front of them and still be halfway convincing that he was there on official police business.

He was screwed, and he knew it, and it wasn't in him to pull the trigger himself.

my movie review website: http://www.angelfire.com/blog/jester_1/