A few questions for those in the know...

My answers tend to gravitate towards the structure of story-telling, so they will be a little different.

"Longbaugh vs. Parker:

"Twice in the movie I notice this (well, this time I noticed it twice); that Longbaugh sets up a situation to kill Parker, by chance. The obvious scene was after the hearts game, when Longbaugh says he forgot his jacket in the room, knowing full that Robin had the shotgun. He saves Parker in the end, but I think it dealt with Longbough trying to toughen up parker after he goes soft.

"Last night I noticed this for the first time. Earlier in the movie when Dr. Painter arrives at the gas station, Longbaugh checks his bag, before they go to the van. Then at the van, Parker sees Painter go for the gun in the bag and smacks him on the head. It can't just be a mistake, I'm positive Longbaugh spotted the gun in the bag in the scene before, so why didn't he remove it?

"Why does Longbaugh deliberately set up the chance that Parker would get shot, twice? Is it just to keep him on his toes? or to show that these two aren't as close as we think?"

All these characters represent something more than themselves; all films do this, use a vague sort of symbolism. As representations, we then ask, "What do these characters represent?"

McQuarrie says this film is an allegory on the film-making process; he clearly outlines it during the entertaining commentary, so I won't bore you with it. Here's a different take. Remember PULP FICTION, where Sam Jackson makes the declaration, "I am the tyranny of evil men?" Kinda the same thing here: del Toro's character represents the hardened criminal, about a midpoint between relative newbie Phillippe and crusty old bastid Caan. Just as WAY OF THE GUN is a tough guy film of the old school, this triumvirate represents the "honorable" romanticized version of outlaws.

Throughout the film, we experience the dyanmic between del Toro's jaded cynicism (setting up a character arc that concludes inside the birthing room) and Phillippe's naivete. This creates drama, which is entertaining to watch.

Good screenplays, such as this one, will not make symbolic representations obvious -- after all, this a movie not an Aesop's fable. Further, good screenplays will make questions rise in your head, which is a testament to how successfully you were swept away by this film.

It's a great one.

"Longbaugh vs. Sarno:

"After Sarno and Longbaugh have coffee, they exit the cafe and have a small discussion to see if he can bring Longbaugh back to get a fast million. When he does this, Sarno holds out his wallet and shows something to Longbaugh. We can't see it because of the position of the camera, but I'm wondering what it was he showed to Longbaugh. I don't think it would be an I.D. or business card, because it's not an I.D. or business card kind of position. could it be, just part of Caan's acting?"

It's a note from Jimmy Hoffa that says, "Give this man whatever he wants." The easiest conclusion is it's a photo that provides definitive proof that Caan is Juliette Lewis' father (who is ironically watched over in the film by Abner, played by her actual father Geoffery Lewis).

The thing most people overlook about this scene is this is the only place Joe is different from how he is in the rest of the film. After talking to del Toro at the dive bar, getting a sense of the man and ultimately liking him, he puts his own security on the line by revealing something of himself that could potentially harm him later.

It's like saying, "Hey, you're a good guy, and I'm a good guy -- at least that's what we're saying to each other. I'm asking you, give this one up and I'll see if I can't cut you some kind of deal."

Of course, del Toro, by this time, had been a bag man long enough to know you can't risk anything to chance -- his character was all about self-preservation.

"Wandering Francesca:

"In the second act during the scenes in the house, with some creative camera work we see Francesca wandering in the background during some important conversations. I wondering why Chris did this, was it to make her seem more involved? Though she overhears a lot of conversations, she doesn't see to do anything to capitalize on it."

Yeah, that's more of an homage to the British New Wave of the 60s. She's meant to be more of an impression or threat than an actual person. She's the cast-equivalent to eerie, disquieting music.

"At the gas station, when Dr. Painter is in the bathroom patching himself up. Parker and Longbaugh are at the doorway listening and preventing anyone from entering. Then an unassuming guy shows up to use the bathroom and pause for a minutes. Parker then snaps his fingers and say, "Use the bushes, man." I missed that the first couple of times and laughed out loud this time."

That's another McQuarrie brother. One was a SEAL, this one a masseur.

There's been a lot of praising of this thread, and I don't think that's without reason. Hell, I even made a thread about it: http://www.imdb.com/board/bd0000007/nest/141638844?d

He came home and fell down an elevator shaft onto some bullets.

[deleted]

Tou are intuitive,observant and intelligent my man TRev.

In the end Francesca Chidduck is pregnant.Who is the father Hale Chidduck or Jeffers?