The Sixth Sense

Dr. Malcolm Crowe is a successful child psychiatrist and happily married to Anna. Returning home from an awards ceremony, Malcolm's confronted by Vincent Grey, a distraught former patient who shoots Malcolm and commits suicide. Months later, a recovered Malcolm meets with Cole Sear, a shy and troubled 9 year-old boy. Cole has been experiencing disturbing situations he can't fully understand. His mother, Lynn, is concerned about his withdrawn and fearful behavior and attributes it to her recent divorce and Cole being bullied by school classmates.

Initially, Cole is uncomfortable talking to Malcolm but comes to trust him and confides, "I see dead people." He says the ghosts don't always know they are dead. Malcolm diagnoses Cole as delusional, noting he shares similar symptoms to Vincent Grey. Eventually, Malcolm realises Cole really is able to communicate with the dead (as was Vincent). He believes the ghosts are benevolent and tells Cole the spirits somehow find their way to him for his help.

Since the shooting, Malcolm and Anna, have grown apart. She has become depressed and uncommunicative. Malcolm unsuccessfully reaches out to her, and is upset when it appears she is seeing another man.

Continuity mistake: During the "I See Dead People" scene, Cole is facing Malcolm and a tear runs down his face. When Cole turns away, his face is dry with no trace of a tear.

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Trivia: The doctor that treats Cole after the incident at the birthday party is played by director M. Night Shamalyan. Interesting about this scene is that Shamalyan came from a family of doctors, including his wife who is one. He also at one time wanted to become a doctor before he decided on a career in filmmaking.

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Question: Through most of the film Malcolm is dead. All the other ghosts still have scars from how they died but why doesn't Malcolm have his mark which should be a bullet wound?

Answer: Because as Cole tells us in the middle of the movie, "They only see what they want to see." The movie shows us Malcolm as he perceives himself. He can't actually put on an overcoat, or change clothes. He sees what he expects to see. He goes outside in the cold to visit Cole, so he sees himself wearing an overcoat. He doesn't know he is dead - he doesn't see his wound. To preserve this misdirection throughout the movie, we are shown Malcolm as he sees himself.

Actually, we do see Malcolm and Cole sees him. The entry wound in his abdomen is tiny, and the large, obvious exit wound is on Malcolm's back, which we never see.

C Classic

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