POSSIBLE SPOILERS
I think many people miss the whole point of this film, or at least the intent of the central character. Was George (Monty) an evil murderer? The answer is no; he was a normal male. He was faced with a choice--marry a pregnant Shelly Winters or marry a 19-year-old Elizabeth Taylor...hmmmm. We know that just before the accident (yes accident!) he reluctantly accepts the former.
Now as far as being a murderer, did he commit murder? NO, he didn't! He was convicted because the jury believed the prosecution's (Raymond Burr's) conjecture that he slammed Alice (Shelly) on the head with the paddle. However we see exactly what happened; it was an accident a la Chappaquiddick--an accident--one he tried to cover up yes-but 1st degree murder?
The main issue I have with this film is how he could have been attracted to Alice (Shelly) in the first place? I mean it's believable to be attracted to Liz, but Shirley? We know now Monty's orientation, but even so his scenes with Liz I think were believable, and with Shirley, not.
And at he end his acceptance of his fate and "guilt", which the priest prompts him to do, was a cop out ending I believe, because it was like he deserved the chair, when it's obvious to me he didn't--- jail time for trying to cover up the accident, maybe. SPOILERS AHEAD---
I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, "you're overlooking the fact that George plotted the murder at least in his mind and began to act on it". Yes, true to a certain extent. It's not, or at least should not, be illegal to contemplate anything. But exactly what did he do to act on it? He pretended to run out of gas, rented a boat (it's not his fault they didn't have life vests--the boat renter is responsible for that), and then after realizing he could NOT act on this half-baked notion, the accident occurred. That is the most half-hearted half-baked, half-a--ed murder plot in history. Yes, he gave a fake name to the renter...however he showed his face...unless he wanted to get caught and IDed, is that a murder plot? So to me he's guilty of covering up after the fact...nothing more.
And the question at the end is the ultimate copout. It's not against the law to fail to save someone, however the Priest used that as justification of capital punishment.
Overall a great film, though very widely misinterpreted.
I think many people miss the whole point of this film, or at least the intent of the central character. Was George (Monty) an evil murderer? The answer is no; he was a normal male. He was faced with a choice--marry a pregnant Shelly Winters or marry a 19-year-old Elizabeth Taylor...hmmmm. We know that just before the accident (yes accident!) he reluctantly accepts the former.
Now as far as being a murderer, did he commit murder? NO, he didn't! He was convicted because the jury believed the prosecution's (Raymond Burr's) conjecture that he slammed Alice (Shelly) on the head with the paddle. However we see exactly what happened; it was an accident a la Chappaquiddick--an accident--one he tried to cover up yes-but 1st degree murder?
The main issue I have with this film is how he could have been attracted to Alice (Shelly) in the first place? I mean it's believable to be attracted to Liz, but Shirley? We know now Monty's orientation, but even so his scenes with Liz I think were believable, and with Shirley, not.
And at he end his acceptance of his fate and "guilt", which the priest prompts him to do, was a cop out ending I believe, because it was like he deserved the chair, when it's obvious to me he didn't--- jail time for trying to cover up the accident, maybe. SPOILERS AHEAD---
I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, "you're overlooking the fact that George plotted the murder at least in his mind and began to act on it". Yes, true to a certain extent. It's not, or at least should not, be illegal to contemplate anything. But exactly what did he do to act on it? He pretended to run out of gas, rented a boat (it's not his fault they didn't have life vests--the boat renter is responsible for that), and then after realizing he could NOT act on this half-baked notion, the accident occurred. That is the most half-hearted half-baked, half-a--ed murder plot in history. Yes, he gave a fake name to the renter...however he showed his face...unless he wanted to get caught and IDed, is that a murder plot? So to me he's guilty of covering up after the fact...nothing more.
And the question at the end is the ultimate copout. It's not against the law to fail to save someone, however the Priest used that as justification of capital punishment.
Overall a great film, though very widely misinterpreted.