raywest

Tea Time - S4-E10

Question: Mrs. Teleton says that she won't divorce her husband, nor allow him to "obtain a divorce." What is the difference?

Answer: She means she won't allow him to be the one to divorce her; she will contest it and won't sign the papers if he does file, and she will fight any grounds he attempts to file under.

raywest

Question: When Indy and Helena go to the tomb, they find the watch on Archimedes' wrist. However, when they go to his time, Archimedes offers the watch atop the present-day Antikythera. How can the watch still be there if it was given back?

Answer: I remember that Archimedes gave Indy the dial, but he kept the wristwatch.

raywest

20th Jul 2023

Lakeview Terrace (2008)

Question: Just a thought. If the Mattsons chose to file a complaint against Abel, would his history of unethical behaviour on the job make his superiors more inclined to take the complaint seriously? It just seems odd to me that accusations of inappropriate behaviour against a policeman outside the job would be dismissed so easily when he has a long history of questionable behaviour on the job.

Movielover1996

Answer: It's not unheard of that some police departments have covered up their own officers' inappropriate behaviour or misdeeds, particularly ones who are higher ranking. It would then become a matter for Internal Affairs or even the Department of Justice to investigate.

raywest

20th Jul 2023

Charade (1963)

Question: Why was Charlie running away from Paris? And what happened to the things from his apartment?

Answer: Charles was escaping to South America because his cohorts were after him for their share of the stolen army gold. Charles had sold off all the apartment furnishings and other items while Reggie was gone before intending to disappear, though he was killed before getting away.

raywest

19th Jul 2023

Anastasia (1997)

Question: Anya believes she has family in Paris, according to her necklace. However, if she had never met Dimitri and Vladimir and gotten there herself, how would she have been able to find her "family" if she did not remember their names, her real name, and last name?

Ashley Davis

Answer: Anya was desperate to locate her family and may have been willing to search for additional leads in Paris. Thousands of Russian refugees had settled in Paris after escaping the revolution, and they could have helped her, someone might have recognized her, and so on. Also, Anya's memory was slowly returning.

raywest

14th Jul 2023

Batman (1966)

Answer: There were three well-known actors who played Mr. Freeze, each one a different height, weight, and physique. As these were notable guest stars, the costume designers would adapt the costume to best fit each actor who likely would want to avoid comparisons to the other Mr. Freezes, incorporate their preferences, as well as refresh the look, rework whatever didn't work in previous versions, and so on.

raywest

12th Jul 2023

ALF (1986)

Border Song - S1-E18

Question: How did Alf grow so much zucchini when he insists that he didn't plant any? Did I miss something? Is there a deleted scene, maybe?

Answer: Regarding the "how", zucchini is an easy-to-grow vegetable that proliferates quickly, almost like a weed. My mother and our neighbours used to grow it, resulting in an over-abundance that was sometimes difficult to give away.

raywest

Answer: In addition to Raywest's comment, Alf must have planted some zucchini, unless it originated from a neighbouring property. He is probably joking when he says that he didn't plant any, because he knows the family is mildly annoyed.

3rd Jul 2023

My Girl (1991)

Question: Is it ever said how Vada's mother died? Harry mentions she met Vada and lived a couple of days after her birth.

Answer: She still died due to complications from childbirth, despite living another couple of days. Hence why Vada believes that she "killed" her mother. Jane Seymour, the third wife of Henry VIII, also died from complications, but she lived for two weeks after.

To add an additional example to your accurate answer, a condition like postpartum pre-eclampsia (extreme hypertension) can occur from a few days to six weeks after giving birth and is sometimes fatal.

raywest

The D'Arcy Files - S8-E20

Question: Jefferson doesn't know who the vice president was during Eisenhower's presidency. Why does this convince Al that Jefferson is a real American?

Answer: The joke being that Americans don't know their own history, whereas foreigners do. When applying for US citizenship (naturalization), non-exempt applicants have to take a civics test that tests the person's knowledge of US government and history.

Bishop73

Answer: Although the vice presidency is the second-highest U.S. office, it is also a relatively non-powerful one. Few VPs were notable or distinctive while in office, and most are forgotten once their term ended unless they later assumed the presidency, such as Teddy Roosevelt, Richard Nixon, and Lyndon Johnson. A few VPs who became president, such as Andrew Johnson, Chester A. Arthur, John Tyler, and Millard Fillmore, are barely remembered for holding either office.

raywest

3rd Jul 2023

Titanic (1997)

Question: When Jack and Rose encounter Thomas Andrews in the smoking room, he gives Rose a life jacket and says, "Good luck to you, Rose." Does he not really care whether Jack lives or dies? Why not wish them both good luck?

Answer: She's the one he has a relationship with, and she's the one he's talking to. Jack isn't part of the conversation, so Mr Andrews addresses Rose alone because she's the one who's listening to him.

Answer: Would add to the other accurate answer that Andrews would have little concern about Jack because he is a male third-class passenger. It's unlikely he knew about Jack and Rose's romance. Andrews also knows there are not enough lifeboats, and women and the first-class passengers will get top priority in leaving the ship. He would consider Jack's fate already sealed, while Rose can be saved.

raywest

I believe he also only had the one life jacket that was his own, and being a gentleman, he gave it to the lady, Rose, as an act of etiquette.

Ssiscool

Question: What song is Professor Lupin playing while everyone is learning Riddikulus?

Answer: "Hot Liquorice" (that's the correct spelling) by Dick Walter, though it seems somewhat intermixed with the film's soundtrack composed by John Williams.

raywest

Question: Snape promised Dumbledore that he would protect Harry. When Snape found out that the flying car was seen by Muggles, he tells Harry and Ron that he'll have them both expelled. Why would Snape expel Harry? Doesn't he realise that if he expels Harry, he won't be able to protect him?

Answer: What Dumbledore or Snape say and what actually happens are two different things. Dumbledore may threaten expulsion, but his intent is to scare them into behaving. It's doubtful he ever would, particularly Harry. Snape is always torn between his promise to protect Harry and his hatred for him. He is usually being reactive, and his misplaced animosity is irrational because it is Harry's father, James, that he actually despised. He also loved Harry's mother, so he would always protect Harry because of that. Also, one professor cannot expel a student. There would be an official hearing, and Dumbledore would make the final decision. As the other answer pointed out, Harry would still be protected by the Order. He is also magically protected by his mother's blood until he turns 17 years old, as he is when he spends summers at the Dursleys.

raywest

Answer: Snape, and others, could certainly watch and protect Harry outside of Hogwarts. Members of the Order of the Phoenix watch him later on, before his fifth year of school begins. Also, in the "Chamber of Secrets" book, Dumbledore tells Harry and Ron, "If you do anything like this again, I will have no choice but to expel you." Even he considered the possibility of Harry not finishing school.

25th Jun 2023

Anastasia (1997)

Question: In both Anastasia's ballroom daydream and nightmare scene, why is it her sisters are the only ones who age and not her brother?

Answer: Dreams are not reality and are subject to an individual's interpretation. Anastasia's brother, the youngest sibling, was sickly and physically weak. (In real life, Alexei suffered from hemophilia.) Anastasia apparently always sees him as an innocent, vulnerable child needing to be protected.

raywest

25th Jun 2023

Anastasia (1997)

Question: During Anastasia's ballroom daydream, why is it everyone, except her father, are wearing different outfits than the ones we saw them wear at the beginning of the movie?

Answer: As noted, this is her daydream, not reality. She has a particularly strong mental image of what her father looked like, which is what she sees in the daydream. Also, her father is dressed in a royal uniform reflecting his rank as the czar, so it would be something he consistently wore during formal occasions. As a plot device, it also identifies for the audience that this is her father.

raywest

25th Jun 2023

Roseanne (1988)

Father's Day - S1-E14

Question: When the family is having dinner, and Ed tells them about how he almost invented rear windshield wipers, he mentions that at the time, Dan was three years old and Audrey was eight months pregnant and required a bathroom break, so he lost his train of thought on the wipers. For the rest of the series, Dan is portrayed as an only child until his father marries Crystal. So, what happened to that sibling? Was anything else ever mentioned over the course of the series?

Answer: It was never mentioned again or explained, and Dan was always portrayed as an only child until Ed married Crystal. There could be any number of explanations, such as Audrey had a miscarriage or stillborn, the baby died shortly after birth, etc. Ed's colorful stories are usually so embellished, it's hard for the family to know what is true or accurate. The show may also have been intending for Dan to have a previously unmentioned sibling to be introduced as a new character at some point. However, this likely was a continuity error.

raywest

Question: I'm curious, what does Madam Pomfrey put on Hermione's hand in the hospital wing? It doesn't look like a cast. Also, what did she do to the wounds on her face?

Answer: She's not in a cast. It's just a gauze bandage wrapped around her hand and wrist, probably for cuts and scratches. It looks like her face has what is called "butterfly" bandages that go over a cut or gash, essentially acting like stitches, holding the skin together while healing.

raywest

20th Jun 2023

Ever After (1998)

Question: According to the Baroness, Henry was planning to choose Marguerite as his bride before Danielle arrived at the ball. If it's true, why does he almost marry the Spanish princess instead of Marguerite?

Answer: Rodmilla is an untrustworthy source of information. Rodmilla arrogantly tells Danielle, "I have it on good authority that before your rather embarrassing debut, the prince was about to choose Marguerite to be his bride." I believe Rodmilla is lying to Danielle only to further torment her. Rodmilla plunges the figurative knife into Danielle by declaring her a "pebble in her shoe" step-daughter, before she's taken away by the repulsive Le Pieu. When Henry made the deal with his father, he was given the choice of finding "love" or to marry Spain's Princess due to the marriage treaty. Right before the ball, Henry in despair, thinks he failed at finding love, and King Francis tells him it may have been unfair to put so much pressure on him about Spain's marriage contract. Francis says, "We don't have to announce anything tonight," and Henry replies, "I've made my decision." Their conversation implies Henry agreed to marry the Princess of Spain, and the announcement was to be made at the ball.

Super Grover

Answer: The Baroness says, "I have it on good authority," about Henry almost choosing Marguerite. Her source could be wrong, but if it's true, he was probably so upset about Danielle deceiving him that he wanted nothing to do with anyone from her home anymore. Especially if Marguerite planned to bring Danielle and other servants to the palace with her. Danielle might have hoped to stay at her father's property and manage the place herself, but Marguerite could probably arrange for her to work in the palace.

Answer: Henry was to be betrothed to Princess Gabriella of Spain, though he did not love her. When Henry's father said he could choose his own bride, the Baroness then lied to Danielle, saying the Prince intended to choose Marguerite, and also falsely told the Prince that Danielle was already engaged, all to put Marguerite into a prominent position to be chosen. After discovering the Baroness' deception, Henry would not have chosen Marguerite. Henry would still have married Princess Gabriella, but after learning she loved another, he freed her from their engagement. He later chose Danielle.

raywest

No offence, but this is not answering the question. You're re-hashing half the plot.

Question: Why does Poirot constantly laugh as he reads Charles Dickens' works?

unkajes

Answer: Dickens used satire, irony, and humor as a means to express social criticism and political commentary. His novels were filled with comical characters and colorful dialogue. He used a humorous writing style to expose the Industrial Revolution's harsh and negative impacts like poor education, worker exploitation, social inequality, and other societal ills such as extreme poverty, domestic violence, alcoholism, and so on. Poirot is obviously responding to that.

raywest

Question: Why does Jennifer at the end never seem surprised or even question Marty over why he is dressed as a cowboy (even though Marty's family does and Dave even comments on it)?

Gavin Jackson

Answer: Not sure why it's suggested that Jennifer knew about Doc and Marty's time-traveling. She immediately wakes up and tells Marty that she "Had the worst nightmare," and then in the truck, she starts saying, "That dream I had seemed so real. It was about us, and you got fired." She then asks Marty to confirm if it was a dream. Marty only had to inform her and show her the remains of the DeLorean because she still had the "You're Fired" paper in her pocket, neither of which Marty or Doc knew she had. At that point, it would've confirmed to her that she wasn't dreaming.

Answer: Jennifer was already aware of Doc and Marty's time-traveling, while his family knew nothing about it. She'd been to the future with Marty and Doc, and previously saw Doc wearing futuristic clothes. There's no reason she should be surprised, and Marty quickly updated her about everything soon after.

raywest

18th Jun 2023

Ever After (1998)

Question: Why is the Baroness still being called just that, a Baroness? This would make sense if she were still a widow, but she married Danielle's father. Any property from her first marriage seems to be gone, hence why she "settled" for Danielle's father. She is not the "Baroness" of any place now. Even the king refers to her as "the Baroness Rodmilla de Ghent" when he sends for her and Marguerite, near the end of the movie.

Answer: A woman who was previously married to a peer no longer holds the title after being widowed or divorced, unless she was granted the title in her own right. However, there is also what is known as a "courtesy title", where someone formerly married to a peer, may still be addressed by their former title out of respect, even though it is no longer valid. This seems to be the case here. Also, this is a fictional story and historical accuracy is often ignored. It's also used for persons in other professions, such as a U.S. senator, who would is often still addressed as "Senator."

raywest

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