Sexual tension between young Charlie and old Charlie?
-
smitty1941 — 17 years ago(April 05, 2008 06:13 AM)
I think you're right about families being closer. Nowadays, that kind of conduct might spell bad things, but back in the 40s, they didn't even think that way. So I really don't think any such relationship was intended by Hitchcock or anyone else. They didn't think along that line. I think Charlie and Uncle Charlie were just extremely close.
-
-
ichimaru — 18 years ago(September 22, 2007 08:22 PM)
I disagree about that being able to be attributed to families being different in the 1940s. Certainly, there were differences, but their body language is anything but familial to me. Their body language and expressions and even their dialog said their feelings were not simply familial, different times and attitudes don't come into it at all.
It's obvious it was purposefully done and skillfully too. It would have been noticed just as much back then as it is now because it's so blatantly obvious. Trying to attribute it to misunderstanding and changing times is pretty much an insult to the movie itself. It's a complete underestimation of the script and everything in it. -
lily_slade — 17 years ago(April 10, 2008 10:43 PM)
OHHHH I totally think there was stronge sexual tention between them you could just feel it while you watched it. Many times I thought that Uncle Charlie was going to kiss young Charlie. In a way you could tell they both wished in way that they could be together. And share their lips on one another. Until the whole murder thing came out then it all went down hill. Just like a relationship would if something were to come inbetween it. I think its was done tastefully in the relationship between Uncle Charlie and Young Charlie. It was directed perfectily and beautifully throughout the whole movie. Good stuff. You don't get movies like this anymore. What am I saying I'm 18 we've never had movies like this. Thats why I watch Turner Classic Movies all the time.
-
crachelm — 17 years ago(December 17, 2008 11:59 AM)
I certainly noticed the tension. I didn't know if it was intentional by Hitchcock or if they were dating in real life and couldn't hide it or what, but I think it's undeniable that it's there.
"She plays like a Stradivarius, man," said Mr. Dobkin of Rachel McAdams.
R.I.P. Heath Ledger -
FrameXFrame — 18 years ago(September 03, 2007 07:18 AM)
Yes, I picked up on that sexual tension the first time I ever saw the movie. I think of it as Uncle Charlie representing the dangerous but seductive side of life. Yes, indeed, sexual tension that "could be cut with a knife." Plus, Hitchcock has Uncle Charlie toss his hat on young Charlie's bed, which could be seen as a "claiming territory" move.
-
jigsawsXapprentice — 18 years ago(September 13, 2007 07:57 AM)
Yeah, I'm watching it now in class and it does seem that Hitchcock made their relationship more sexual then an uncle and a neice usually are. I'm not really sure why I think he did that, but I'm only halfway through the movie.
In Nomine Patris, Et Filii, Et Spiritus Sancti -
MrBlondNYC — 18 years ago(September 23, 2007 12:38 AM)
Not in a lustful sense but young Charlie was clearly attracted to Uncle Charlie. For example, when young Charlie is lying in bed playing with her hair while she's thinking about Uncle Charlie. And young Charlie loved what people may have thought as they walked down the street holding hands.
Tony Soprano: Everything turns to sh-t. -
capricious_nature — 18 years ago(September 23, 2007 03:42 AM)
This has probably been mentioned, but also note that the first time the garage door is closed on Young Charlie, it is just after a declaration of love from the detective. Part of Uncle Charlie's attempted murder of her is implicitly inspired by sexual jealousy, not just fear of discovery. He sees his power over her slipping as she moves towards a more natural sexual/romantic relationship and away from their "connection." Incest, murder and insanity in small town America
~I cannot fiddle, but I can make a great state of a small city.~ -
jt-hix2112 — 17 years ago(January 12, 2009 11:53 PM)
I think capricious nature makes an interesting point.
I really don't think that there is anything really going on between them, but there is definatly a sexual tension that makes the viewer a little uneasy. For me, the biggest evidence of this is the scene where they're walking through the town and her friend looks jealously at her.
But, yeah, very interesting about how Charlie lost perhaps his object of lust. We know he thinks strangley of women already, whose to say he doesn't lust after his neice, the exact opposite of the women he loathes.
CGI SUCKS -
amyghost — 11 years ago(April 29, 2014 03:42 AM)
whose to say he doesn't lust after his neice, the exact opposite of the women he loathes.
Good point; I've thought something of the same thinghe's drawn to Charlie because she
is
the exact opposite of the rich, greedy older women he does away with. At the same time, he's also motivated by a cynical desire to strip her of her innocence, a desire that probably does have a sexual aspect.
I don't know if anyone's ever noticed this, but I think the scene where he steers her into the seedy bar could also be taken as a sort of symbolic defloweringhe's propelling her into an utterly adult environment, a place that symbolizes adult misconduct and 'sin'. And it's there that he really introduces her to his ideas about life. And afterwards, that great line he has, where he chides Charlie about her living her peaceful life and dreaming her silly dreams"and I gave you nightmares"wonderful line, because it can be taken so many different ways as to just what those 'nightmares' are he's referring to. Talk about Freudian!