WARNING: "Spoiler" spoilers below Questions for those who have seen it...
-Did Carson Cross rape Mabel? Not only was she piss drunk, but he forced himself on her, and then it fades out. It might be a reason why she thinks he's Nick in the morning, or because he's the only other guy to have slept in the same bed.. Maybe it also shows how little she sees of Nick (especially in a fragile state of mind).. Does anyone else find it extra conformist when Carson doesn't mind raping Mabel, but when he finds out she is involved, he makes it seems like THAT is where he draws the line, even though she says "Get off me" "Cut that out" over and over..
(also, when Carson introduces himself, Mabel says "I know" but he seems dumbfounded.. Does he just chase women since he's loaded with money? He talks to himself saying he should know better, "Divorced twice")
-Does anyone doubt that Nick is the really dangerous guy?
-When the kids temporarily come back with their grandma.. As they leave, Mabel whispers (while she's looking at the window) --
-Is "Dr" Zephyr the worst? He's causing so many problems with his deceptive passive-aggressive threats, as he does it with a smile, soft pace.. After she comes back, he's always making suggestions, and then when Nick's mom proposes something immediately, he'll echo her..
-Nick's mom.... In the first half, before she's committed, SHE is the bother. When she comes back, for the most part, she's the one who handles it all. Nick thinks of a party (silly idea) and his mom tells him "Coca-Cola?" -- after Nick says they don't have drinks "It's a party, right?" - I think he depends on his mother too much for approval, but constantly seeking society's approval... He only seems to care about appearances, what co-workers might be talking about. And then when one guy is NOT, he's accused of being a silent ******** (and then the guy is injured).
-"No one's gonna get pneumonia when I'M the father" -- that's all that counts, eh?.....
Mabel goes through the trouble to have her mom takes the kids, even though it makes her anxious. At work, Nick is overworked (a big source of trouble) and feels Mabel is mad at him, because she's been left alone. The minute a co-worker asks if she'd climb the walls (Nick cancels their date night after the city needs him after a water mane breaks), he's the first to come at her (or his) defense.. "She cooks, she cleans, takes her of the kids, what's crazy about that?" and then when the co-worker tosses it aside, Nick plays contrarian and says "She could get hit by a car!"
Spaghetti Dinner
-After him breaking their date night (which is probably once a year anyway it seems), the first thing he does is bring 10 guys and tells his wife they are hungry. Mabel innocently makes a guy or two uncomfortable because of her curiosity and playfulness, but Nick is the one who once again loses his temper, telling her to sit her ass down - and you see that familiar look of sadness on her face.... Things are interrupted when Nick's mother calls, complaining of a pain, but won't see the doctor, so she's probably just lonely, wanting his attention, I love the part on the phone when Nick says "Do you want me to bring Mabel?" and then we find she didn't. And Mabel lets her guests know she doesn't care for his mom...When they leave, Mabel is frustrated, and to alleviate the tension, Nick says "You didn't do anything wrong" - and then she's back to smiling, constantly seeking his approval. She goes on to bed "Nick, I'll do whatever you want. I can be whoever you want me to be." and goes on...
-When Mabel picks up the kids at school, she doesn't have a watch, so she asks a lady with a watch. The woman (around her age) is cold, and just walks past, just as the others -- no one wants to help her. It angered me when I first saw it, since I think there is a loss of humanization, and Mabel expresses her angry for a few seconds until the bus arrives. She even thanks the bus driver -- which someone (who saw this with me a few years ago) thought THAT was weird.... When they get home, Mabel asks her kids what they think of her. "Am I mean?" she asks. Her oldest child says "You're nice, pretty, and nervous"... I also think with all the timely stuff that happens causes her anxiety to be elevated -- so she dances like a swan -- big deal, that's considered "crazy" in this movie, in 1974.
-Mr. Jansen and the Party... You can tell from the start he wants to drop his much younger kids and leave. Mabel tries to make everyone happy, and even says "Are you uncomfortable?" after he says he has things to do... Mr. Jansen smiles and comes in.. To make him happy, she suggests the children do a rendition of "Swan Lake" (since it was on the radio).. "Mr. Jansen, they just DIED for you!" (since he isn't amused). And then Harold Jansen tells Mabel he's not sure if he should leave his kids with her.... Again, phone interruption. Nick calls and probably drops everything to come home after hearing there is a Mister at their house.... Like life, you can come in at a random point and things aren't what they seem to be. Maria is running around naked, and when Grandma won't leave her alone with the questioning, she assumes and brings up "Mommy?" and of course the 2-yr old is going to say whatever it takes to escape the interrogation. And then Nick sees Harold in a bedroom, and Nick knocks Mabel out and then starts a fight with Harold.. Normal, eh?
Then Nick calls Dr. Zephyr, and his flaky behavior causes Mabel to be paranoid, and then Nick's mother goes off and off.. Mabel doesn't help the situation by implying and asking if morphine is a drug, then brings up Vitamin C as a "fellow pill". I saw her drink once, as she waited for Nick... They all seem to be teaming up against Mabel, and this gets to her obviously. I was always surprised that Nick doesn't do anything when his mother says "You had a man in this house last night" and goes on to say all the stories Nick tells his mother about Mabel, how she's empty inside.
Right before she's committed, Mabel tells "We're a team" and then mentions getting pregnant, and how she said how the marriage would work, since she was already pregnant.... And that's probably how this all started... Nick was probably a jock in high school (there are trophies, and the kids are too young) and Mabel is very pretty.. Life is circumstantial, and when the libido is high, things happen -- they had sex, she got pregnant, and they were sorta stuck with each other.. Another reason I think Nick was quick to call to have her committed. Yeah, he's frustrated, but it's probably being overworked, but of course, he takes it out on whoever is around.
On Day 1 of watching the kids, the first thing he does is take them out of school, scaring the principal as well... He brings a friend from work, and takes them to the beach. He seems to yell at them, in my words it seems like "You kids will have fun if I have to kill you all"... To make his life easier, and so his kids can "sleep like rocks" he lets them all have beer, and they get sick.. I love the moment when they are in bed, dizzy. He is alone for the first night, and wants companionship, and tries and tries, but won't get it, until his daughter finally understands and suggests he lay down next to her in a moment in the conscience of a child..
6 Months Laters
-Inviting a bunch of people, including one guy (Joe Namath-look-a-like) who is only looking to get laid (I don't know anyone here, don't know the WIVES)... But Nick's mother does the correcting, and the dirty work... When Mabel asks to see the kids, Nick and Dr. Zephyr kinda object due to possible excitement. When Nick's mother says "She can see them" she does. Even later on when Mabel asks Nick something, after saying no, she asks his mother, the real boss.... In the next scene, Mabel asks politely if they can leave, so she can go to bed. She even asks again, saying she can't talk with everyone there... Finally, in desperation, she asks if her father will stand up for her. He physically gets up, not understanding until Mabel's mother tells him.. We also see a lot of hostility between Mabels' father and Nick, though most of it is non-verbal.. Again, Nick is yelling at everyone to be normal, and to Mabel in private "BE YOURSELF"
-Anyone notice that every time Mabel asks Nick if he loves her, he won't answer. The only time he says it is when he wants her committed and another time he wants to coerce her into doing what he wants, and he knows how to take advantage of the situation by using "love".
(P.S. - During the movie, Nick threatens to kill everyone in sight at least 3-4 times)
Questions for those who have seen it...
-Did Carson Cross rape Mabel? Not only was she piss drunk, but he forced himself on her, and then it fades out. It might be a reason why she thinks he's Nick in the morning, or because he's the only other guy to have slept in the same bed.. Maybe it also shows how little she sees of Nick (especially in a fragile state of mind).. Does anyone else find it extra conformist when Carson doesn't mind raping Mabel, but when he finds out she is involved, he makes it seems like THAT is where he draws the line, even though she says "Get off me" "Cut that out" over and over..
(also, when Carson introduces himself, Mabel says "I know" but he seems dumbfounded.. Does he just chase women since he's loaded with money? He talks to himself saying he should know better, "Divorced twice")
-Does anyone doubt that Nick is the really dangerous guy?
-When the kids temporarily come back with their grandma.. As they leave, Mabel whispers (while she's looking at the window) --
-Is "Dr" Zephyr the worst? He's causing so many problems with his deceptive passive-aggressive threats, as he does it with a smile, soft pace.. After she comes back, he's always making suggestions, and then when Nick's mom proposes something immediately, he'll echo her..
-Nick's mom.... In the first half, before she's committed, SHE is the bother. When she comes back, for the most part, she's the one who handles it all. Nick thinks of a party (silly idea) and his mom tells him "Coca-Cola?" -- after Nick says they don't have drinks "It's a party, right?" - I think he depends on his mother too much for approval, but constantly seeking society's approval... He only seems to care about appearances, what co-workers might be talking about. And then when one guy is NOT, he's accused of being a silent ******** (and then the guy is injured).
-"No one's gonna get pneumonia when I'M the father" -- that's all that counts, eh?.....
Mabel goes through the trouble to have her mom takes the kids, even though it makes her anxious. At work, Nick is overworked (a big source of trouble) and feels Mabel is mad at him, because she's been left alone. The minute a co-worker asks if she'd climb the walls (Nick cancels their date night after the city needs him after a water mane breaks), he's the first to come at her (or his) defense.. "She cooks, she cleans, takes her of the kids, what's crazy about that?" and then when the co-worker tosses it aside, Nick plays contrarian and says "She could get hit by a car!"
Spaghetti Dinner
-After him breaking their date night (which is probably once a year anyway it seems), the first thing he does is bring 10 guys and tells his wife they are hungry. Mabel innocently makes a guy or two uncomfortable because of her curiosity and playfulness, but Nick is the one who once again loses his temper, telling her to sit her ass down - and you see that familiar look of sadness on her face.... Things are interrupted when Nick's mother calls, complaining of a pain, but won't see the doctor, so she's probably just lonely, wanting his attention, I love the part on the phone when Nick says "Do you want me to bring Mabel?" and then we find she didn't. And Mabel lets her guests know she doesn't care for his mom...When they leave, Mabel is frustrated, and to alleviate the tension, Nick says "You didn't do anything wrong" - and then she's back to smiling, constantly seeking his approval. She goes on to bed "Nick, I'll do whatever you want. I can be whoever you want me to be." and goes on...
-When Mabel picks up the kids at school, she doesn't have a watch, so she asks a lady with a watch. The woman (around her age) is cold, and just walks past, just as the others -- no one wants to help her. It angered me when I first saw it, since I think there is a loss of humanization, and Mabel expresses her angry for a few seconds until the bus arrives. She even thanks the bus driver -- which someone (who saw this with me a few years ago) thought THAT was weird.... When they get home, Mabel asks her kids what they think of her. "Am I mean?" she asks. Her oldest child says "You're nice, pretty, and nervous"... I also think with all the timely stuff that happens causes her anxiety to be elevated -- so she dances like a swan -- big deal, that's considered "crazy" in this movie, in 1974.
-Mr. Jansen and the Party... You can tell from the start he wants to drop his much younger kids and leave. Mabel tries to make everyone happy, and even says "Are you uncomfortable?" after he says he has things to do... Mr. Jansen smiles and comes in.. To make him happy, she suggests the children do a rendition of "Swan Lake" (since it was on the radio).. "Mr. Jansen, they just DIED for you!" (since he isn't amused). And then Harold Jansen tells Mabel he's not sure if he should leave his kids with her.... Again, phone interruption. Nick calls and probably drops everything to come home after hearing there is a Mister at their house.... Like life, you can come in at a random point and things aren't what they seem to be. Maria is running around naked, and when Grandma won't leave her alone with the questioning, she assumes and brings up "Mommy?" and of course the 2-yr old is going to say whatever it takes to escape the interrogation. And then Nick sees Harold in a bedroom, and Nick knocks Mabel out and then starts a fight with Harold.. Normal, eh?
Then Nick calls Dr. Zephyr, and his flaky behavior causes Mabel to be paranoid, and then Nick's mother goes off and off.. Mabel doesn't help the situation by implying and asking if morphine is a drug, then brings up Vitamin C as a "fellow pill". I saw her drink once, as she waited for Nick... They all seem to be teaming up against Mabel, and this gets to her obviously. I was always surprised that Nick doesn't do anything when his mother says "You had a man in this house last night" and goes on to say all the stories Nick tells his mother about Mabel, how she's empty inside.
Right before she's committed, Mabel tells "We're a team" and then mentions getting pregnant, and how she said how the marriage would work, since she was already pregnant.... And that's probably how this all started... Nick was probably a jock in high school (there are trophies, and the kids are too young) and Mabel is very pretty.. Life is circumstantial, and when the libido is high, things happen -- they had sex, she got pregnant, and they were sorta stuck with each other.. Another reason I think Nick was quick to call to have her committed. Yeah, he's frustrated, but it's probably being overworked, but of course, he takes it out on whoever is around.
On Day 1 of watching the kids, the first thing he does is take them out of school, scaring the principal as well... He brings a friend from work, and takes them to the beach. He seems to yell at them, in my words it seems like "You kids will have fun if I have to kill you all"... To make his life easier, and so his kids can "sleep like rocks" he lets them all have beer, and they get sick.. I love the moment when they are in bed, dizzy. He is alone for the first night, and wants companionship, and tries and tries, but won't get it, until his daughter finally understands and suggests he lay down next to her in a moment in the conscience of a child..
6 Months Laters
-Inviting a bunch of people, including one guy (Joe Namath-look-a-like) who is only looking to get laid (I don't know anyone here, don't know the WIVES)... But Nick's mother does the correcting, and the dirty work... When Mabel asks to see the kids, Nick and Dr. Zephyr kinda object due to possible excitement. When Nick's mother says "She can see them" she does. Even later on when Mabel asks Nick something, after saying no, she asks his mother, the real boss.... In the next scene, Mabel asks politely if they can leave, so she can go to bed. She even asks again, saying she can't talk with everyone there... Finally, in desperation, she asks if her father will stand up for her. He physically gets up, not understanding until Mabel's mother tells him.. We also see a lot of hostility between Mabels' father and Nick, though most of it is non-verbal.. Again, Nick is yelling at everyone to be normal, and to Mabel in private "BE YOURSELF"
-Anyone notice that every time Mabel asks Nick if he loves her, he won't answer. The only time he says it is when he wants her committed and another time he wants to coerce her into doing what he wants, and he knows how to take advantage of the situation by using "love".
(P.S. - During the movie, Nick threatens to kill everyone in sight at least 3-4 times)
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