He was responsible for his own death when he gave Hans the idea to actually kill him if McClane didn't comply. "John, tell them where the detonators are or they are going to kill me" I believed he said.
Thats what you get for being high in a room full of terrorists. At least he had a Coke before he died, or was it Pepsi?
Id say he was skeptical all the way, but allowed Ellis to live thanks to Ellis' at least identifying McClane for him.. Up to the point he got his gun out with that curious and dubious look on his Chevvy. That seemed to me to be the point where he had seen enough to confirm that skepticism is how ive always read it, personally.
For attempting to subvert Guber's plan, perhaps for wasting time and effort when Gruber's concentration was needed all over the place already in that situation...? He did want this all to be "smooth, efficient, adult and cooperative" after all... You know how efficient most Germans like things to be....
Maybe he, being pretty good at reading people, just didnt like him right off of the bat and looked at him as a deceptive weasel that he was and though "Fu** it" when Ellis had made this venture needlessly complicated...! 馃槢
I always thought it was the perfect segue into the human element of it all, even if John didn't care about Ellis...because as Hans says "Sooner or later, I might get to someone you do care about."
If I'm not mistaken, what follows afterwards is Powell's discussion on his accidental shooting and a bigger role for Holly.
Got a question in two parts for Sadako:
Watched it again for the millionth time this past weekend mainly to check out the goofs listed at imdb.com, but I also thought about two lines that always bugged the hell out of me.
1) When McTiernan cuts away from the action in Holly's office, you hear Ellis' voice say (sic), "What am I, a method actor Hans? Put away the gun - this is radio, not television."
What do you make of that? Does Ellis actually think he's living out the role of heroic "character?" I say yes. And if so, do you think he's doing it primarily because he's hopped up on coke or to impress Holly...or both?
2) When John first talks to Holly after Ellis has left, John says (sic), "(Ellis) has his eye on you," to which she responds (sic), "I've got my eye on his private bathroom."
WTF?? This always bugged me. First off, John is in Ellis' private bathroom, right? I assume so because its mentioned. It's hard to tell because I think the camera cuts from Holly's office to the bathroom. And maybe its just me, but even though Holly may be "using" Ellis for his luxuries, come on Holly! Private F***ing Bathroom? Holly, you're better than that! Or maybe the line is something simple, like she's physically wants to lead John inside Ellis' private bathroom at that moment to clean up.
Or maybe I'm not seeing something in both cases. Care to offer your opinion?
Originally posted by botankus
Got a question in two parts for Sadako:Watched it again for the millionth time this past weekend mainly to check out the goofs listed at imdb.com, but I also thought about two lines that always bugged the hell out of me.
1) When McTiernan cuts away from the action in Holly's office, you hear Ellis' voice say (sic), "What am I, a method actor Hans? Put away the gun - this is radio, not television."
What do you make of that? Does Ellis actually think he's living out the role of heroic "character?" I say yes. And if so, do you think he's doing it primarily because he's hopped up on coke or to impress Holly...or both?
2) When John first talks to Holly after Ellis has left, John says (sic), "(Ellis) has his eye on you," to which she responds (sic), "I've got my eye on his private bathroom."
WTF?? This always bugged me. First off, John is in Ellis' private bathroom, right? I assume so because its mentioned. It's hard to tell because I think the camera cuts from Holly's office to the bathroom. And maybe its just me, but even though Holly may be "using" Ellis for his luxuries, come on Holly! Private F***ing Bathroom? Holly, you're better than that! Or maybe the line is something simple, like she's physically wants to lead John inside Ellis' private bathroom at that moment to clean up.
Or maybe I'm not seeing something in both cases. Care to offer your opinion?
Great post. Good points.
1) I think 'both'. The old marching powder no doubt convinced him that he had it in him to pull off bullshitting Hans or even ending the situation with a bit of Yuppie arrogance in negotiation.
I think that he may have wanted to portray himself heroically for Holly's benefit too. Yeah I think Holly was using him a little.
Now I might be wrong but in the book, Joe Leland is McClane, and Holly is his daughter. I think she was married to Harry Ellis.
I wanna get hold of the book again. Tw'was bleaaaaaak.
2) I always thought it was Holly's or maybe even a communal one.
Very interesting point, you raise there. I'll look it this....
If its Holly's and Ellis' bathroom is bigger/better and she is just covetting it, then no surprise that she wants to work with Yuppie vermin, as she'd fit in well with that ambitious/greedy b*tch ethos.
If its Ellis' the man she musta reallllllllllllllllllllllllllllly been stringing him on.... Private bathroom.....? She had damn well had better swallowed and the whole deal for that.. lolz
So either way, I feel REAL sorry for McClane, man..... 馃槢