MovieChat Forums > Down in the Valley (2005) Discussion > Scene in Synagogue

Scene in Synagogue

posted 18 years ago by commanderjim-2
17 replies | jump to latest

Does this scene suggest that Norton's character is Jewish? Two or three times in the film he is seen writing a letter to someone called "Joe." As he writes, he narrates the text of what he is writing.

He stops by what obviously is a Jewish home and asks the woman of the household something. No dialogue accompanies that brief scene, but she seems to give him directions.

He next appears during the synagogue worship service, where he seems to be trying to get the attention of a specific individual. His behavior disrupts the service and he essentially is chased out. One worshipper ignores Norton completely and that appears to be the person whose attention Norton is trying to get.

Norton then breaks into a Jewish home, seemingly confident that the owner will not return, presumedly because that person is attending the worship service.

Having stolen some valuable items from the home, Norton leaves an envelope on
the dining table. It is addressed to "Joe."

Commanderjim

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] refracter 18 years ago

I think he also said in his letter voice over that he has tried to live in the valley again for the second time and he can't do it.
I assumed he had a life there before.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] quitecontrary7 18 years ago

... And his real name, Martin, is on the box he pulls out of the closet, which contains his boyhood photo.

[–] jungleesh 18 years ago

This was something I wondered about as well. There is also the scene when Harlan is in the middle of the road in between a lot of cars, a guy gets out to hug him and calls him a preacher and Harlan says the beginning words of a prayer in Hebrew.

[–] da3daluz 18 years ago

Not exactly, he says Asalam Alaykum (SP?) Wich means go in peace, it´s an islamic thing.

And just for the record: The box says "Marty" Not Martin :P

[–] Cbarrek 18 years ago

Actually he did say something in Hebrew before the Islamic phrase. Almost sound like something that is said at the beginning of aBar Mitzvah prayer

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] steelless14 18 years ago

Sholom Aleichem is hebrew, it means the same thing and sounds very similar.

[–] angloo 12 years ago

Obviously you did not listen to the dialogue. He very clearly says "Baruch atah adonai" in Hebrew (albeit with a southern accent).
Why does everyone else hear t but you?

[–] lgab 18 years ago

He clearly says Joe is his father, possibly the same one that left him when he was 13ish, but who knows, he was delusional.

Mandatory emoticon dispensed.DON'T PANIC

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] pharout420-2 18 years ago

Clear as day, in the scene where he is on the X and roaming thru traffic he does speak hebrew. He said barukh atah adonai, right after the men jumped out of the car and the one man hugged him. It was a really sweet scene, considering,how the movie went. I liked watched it, but there is no reason to disect the whole thing. There seemed to be the indication he was raised Jewish, but the movie wasn't based on it.

[–] CharlesMartel80 14 years ago

Did anyone catch the real name of Norton's character? When Wade and the other guy were in the car, looking at 'Harlan's' police file, one of them said it.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] AccidntlTourist 13 years ago

Remember there was a scene where Harlan was trying to get Lonnie to run away with him? Harlan warned Lonnie he would end up in a foster home and went on to talk about the ins and outs of foster homes, some are good and some are not.

So, my guess is that Harlan was abandoned or taken away from birth parents when he was very young (which would help to explain some of his lack of emotional maturity / stunted psychological growth). Bounced around the foster system, then (I suppose) Martin was eventually adopted into "Joe"'s home (or maybe Joe was also a foster parent).