Meaning of the last line
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PillowRock — 14 years ago(November 14, 2011 03:17 PM)
No, they're not suggesting that at all.
In this usage "wonderful" is not being used by Fred as a synonym for "good".
It is being used to mean "amazing", "herculean", "unbelievable". He's saying: "Maybe I didn't really do something that was impossible, but just the run-of-the-mill proving that somebody is who they are." -
viaggio1 — 14 years ago(November 18, 2011 09:34 PM)
Hi Pillowrock
Thanks for your interesting take on Fred's comment.
My statement was in response to Nemesis' July 20th attempt at trolling.
Have you had a chance to read his posting ?
"A bride without a head !"
"A wolf without a foot !" -
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skohl632001 — 14 years ago(December 11, 2011 07:55 PM)
It's funny but I had the exact same response-as a kid I always got the idea that Fred suddenly felt that maybe he SHOULDN'T have gotten Kris off-not exactly sure why he would feel that way-it's just the wording of the line and the way John Payne plays it.
Now that I'm an adult, it's clear to me that he is in fact commenting on the suddenly very real possibility that Kris really IS Santa Claus.
I watched this the other day with my ten year old niece and I had to explain the line's meaning to her so there definitely seems to be something about the way it's worded that doesn't translate to kids.
It's about the only (marginal) flaw I can think of in this otherwise beautifully written, directed and acted film. -
Skye_Reynolds — 14 years ago(December 24, 2011 12:56 PM)
Yeah, he's definitely commenting on the possibility that Kris really is Santa. He thought that he made Santa out of a kind old man when really he was Santa all along. Of course, the film is rather ambiguous as to whether he really is or not or even if he's being facetious in that statement.
It's sort of an "I want to believe" in light of the improbability of the situation. -
viaggio1 — 13 years ago(December 04, 2012 10:44 AM)
Another possible take on the line Fred realized that because he freed Kris, Kris was then able to "find" Susan's house and thus set up the eventual marriage and housekeeping of Fred, Doris, and Susan. Despite the facts that Fred clearly loves Doris and Susan, and marriage with Doris is "in the cards," no one likes to feel that they are being pushed or "manipulated" into taking such a huge step as matrimony even if the manipulator is Kris Kringle !
"J'ai l'oeil AMRICAIN !" -
viaggio1 — 13 years ago(January 18, 2013 03:33 PM)
This is the biggest, most over analyzation of the line that I've ever seen, lol.
Thanks on a board that is filled with 4 pages (and counting !) of analysis of a single line from this movie, that's quite a compliment !
But in all seriousness, many couples in long-term relationships would know the feeling that Fred was experiencing for example, the irritation that comes when some acquaintance or distant relative nudges them and chuckles, "So, when's the big day ??" or else "So what's holding up the birth of your first-born ??" when all they want to do is enjoy their present time together, and not be pushed into anything until THEY decide they are ready (for marriage / setting up house together / becoming parents / etc.)
"J'ai l'oeil AMRICAIN !" -
gayspiritwarrior — 13 years ago(December 09, 2012 10:23 PM)
I find this entire discussion superfluous. Considering the year this was made and the customs of Hollywood movies, there is no other interpretation than #1.
"The value of an idea has nothing to do with the honesty of the man expressing it."Oscar Wilde -
SKay02 — 13 years ago(December 09, 2012 10:42 PM)
The quote is:
"Maybe I didn't do such a wonderful thing after all"
I think it's simply referring to that Mr. Gailey didn't have "everything" to do with purchasing the house for Susie. (Miracle on 34th Street) Remember, just minutes before he says this, he's boasting. What a good lawyer he is. What a good person he is in what he has done. All that pride. Then he sees the cane, and thinks that perhaps "Kris Kringle" somehow, some way contributed to the house being on sale. That's just my opinion. Am I on to something?, or am I crazy? -
JR541 — 13 years ago(December 10, 2012 09:59 PM)
He was really saying that maybe it wasn't his great lawyering that convinced everyone that Kris was Santa Claus. It's that he really was Santa Claus. He just chose his words poorly.
He's taking the knife out of the Cheese!
Do you think he wants some cheese? -
zumbinis-1 — 13 years ago(December 11, 2012 01:37 PM)
Thanks for this thread. I, too, have enjoyed the movie many times, yet have always been baffled by the last line. I just watched it again yesterday, then came here to see if I could settle my confusion, My feeling is now in line with reading #1; originally I wavered between OP's readings #1 and #2.
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blondee661 — 13 years ago(December 19, 2012 09:25 AM)
I've watched this movie countless times and I was always confused by the last line myself. I'm glad I'm not the only one who seemed puzzled too but I think the first explantaion makes the most sense. I also think number 4 makes a little sense too, because before the movie Kris seemed to live a fairly normal life and now everyone kinda nows his secret identity.
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ollpheist — 12 years ago(August 14, 2013 07:25 PM)
I think that when he saw the cane, he realised that Kringle didn't really have a limp at all, and that he was in fact Keyser Soze all along. Hence the line: "Maybe I didn't do such a wonderful thing after all". Because he's just let the crazy bastard free.
We have such sights to show you