Wouldn't sex with a stranger be the last thing on your mind if you just lost a loved one?
shareExcellent point. My wife always says that the "something horrible just happened; let's have sex" scene so common in movies is a bizarre movie convention...and I tend to agree.
However, in the context of the this movie, I'm willing to let just about anything go. It is, after all, a complete, lovely, romantic fantasy...and we shouldn't parse it too carefully. Just enjoy it.
Ron
It's not solely a movie convention in this case -- these events are autobiographical and according to everyone involved, really did happen.
Also, sex is not always just sex...in the context of something horrible happening, it can be comfort or a distraction or warmth or a way to escape...or even all of these at once.
Nicely put, Robbzilla. Many people don't realize that sex can be a very healing act as well as an act of love. I believe this is what transpired between Dorothy and Hermie.
shareHerman Raucher has addressed this; in addition to the fact that she had been drinking, her grief also led her, at least partially, to believe that Hermie was her husband. This was trimmed from the film version, of course, because it'd make things a little bit too twisted, but in reality, when Hermie came into the house, Dortohy thought that he was her husband come back from the war, and when they were in bed together, she kept saying her husband's name over and over again.
shareFunny how posters have focused on that love scene but the movie was remarkable for its' candor when they boys were together like teens their ages will do...the porno book, the beach scene and so many others made it a summer many of us have experienced though maybe not at a summer home at the cape...
shareIt's a fairly well recognized phenomenon sometimes referred to as "post-disaster sex".
http://articles.latimes.com/2001/oct/01/news/cl-51893
What Oscy and Miriam had, was sex. What Hermie and Dorothy had, was something completely different; they made love. Let me try to explain.
Hermie had a terrible crush on Dorothy (which she fully realizes). In their youth, most young people have had similar crushes on someone of the opposite sex. In that famous love scene, beginning with receipt of the telegram informing her of her husband's death, she sought loving solace with her only friend, Hermie, whom she knew loved and cared about her. Their lovemaking was very tender, caring, passionate, and clearly showed the deep feelings they had for each other. There was nothing "dirty" about their relationship or the feelings they expressed. Passionate and foolhardy, yes, but "dirty" never. Anyone who asserts that their lovemaking was pedophilic or inappropriate has never loved or been loved and must be living a life of quite desperation.
In the book, Dorothy, in her mind, subsitutes Hermie for her dead husband in the love scene described above. In the movie, Dorothy turns to her only friend, Hermie, in her time of deep sorrow for solace and love. However, the outcome of their relationship was inevitable. This is truly heartbreaking stuff.
I have read that the author has confirmed, and I have no doubt, that the story of The Summer of '42 is autobiographical. Also, he states that he did not even change the name of any of the characters in the story. I wonder what happened to Dorothy. She would be 86-88 years old now. Wouldn't be terrific if she now came forward and completed her story. Do you hear me, Dorothy?
This is a stunningly beautiful coming of age movie and one of my all-time favourites.
What though the radiance which was once so bright
Be now for ever taken from my sight,
Though nothing can bring back the hour
Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower;
We will grieve not, rather find
Strength in what remains behind.
- William Wordsworth, 1770-1850
You are a true Wordworthian, filthy beast, and a philosopher. It makes me feel less alone in this world!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2BU8-7kQLI
It wasn't sex she wanted...but closeness...especially the closeness of someone she knew was a sweet person. She needed to be vulnerable with someone..and she knew Hermie would be kind and gentle with her.
share[deleted]
" how do we know she had nothing to do with it, herself?"
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With what, the death notice? The scene was what it was, no mystery involved.
"He sent the rain."
"Who sent the fire?"
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cookiela2001 wrote:
"On the other hand, people can be cunning (beautiful women especially so)
With her husband away all summer, Dorothy might have wanted "company" before...but as a woman living in the 1940's, it is only with that fateful telegram that she "sees a way out", as it were. At last, she can live fully again!
THEN....a man walks in the room. It could have been you, it could have been me. They could have been short, they could have been tall. Fifteen or fifty. But, it was Hermie. Or Mr. Raucher. Whoever.
The point is, with Dorothy's husband out of the way (and how do we know she had nothing to do with it, herself?), NO ONE would have got out of that room undefiled."
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Cookie, I think you have completely misunderstood the story of the Summer of '42.
Dorothy was a recent "war bride" who was obviously very much in love with her new husband. She is not "looking for a way out to fully live again," nor is she seeking to have an affair with someone while her husband was gone off to war. While some wives, beautiful or not, were unfaithful, there is not one scintilla of information in the book or the movie to suggest that Dorothy had any ideas about being unfaithful. Dorothy was fully consumed by her love for her husband and lived only for his letters and the day she would see him again. There is no hint that Dorothy "got her husband out of the way." I think the U.S. military did that.
Hermie's feelings about Dorothy were basically a "crush" on a young beautiful woman, who is only a few years older, but completely unattainable. I think every young man has had "crushes" like this for older, beautiful women, I know I did! On the other hand, Dorothy liked Hermie, he was her only friend on the island, and I think she knew of Hermie's feelings for her. But nothing came of their relationship until that fateful night when the telegram arrived.
Hermie just didn't walk in, he had been invited. Dorothy, in her anquish, sought solace from her only friend, one she knew she could trust, and who in his own way, loved and cared about her. In times of great sorrow, similar scenes often occur. I think the point you missed is that Dorothy and Hermie didn't have sex, they made love to each other, and nobody gets defiled in lovemaking. With sex, maybe, but with making love, never. This love scene is one of the most tender ever portrayed in the cinema.
This is a terrific coming of age movie and one of my all time favourites.
I hope you will not find my comments offensive, because they are not intended to be.
"To live in the hearts of those we leave behind, we never die."
"Ours is not to reason why". It just happened. And that's about as much analysis as I've ever given it.
shareIt's a movie people!!!
shareSorry no matter how much she loved Hermie as a young pal, he was only 15. It would have been nice if he just held her. Anyway she gave Hermie wonderful memories.
shareI think the idea of Hermie taking the place of her husband is a pretty ridiculous interpretation of events, whether the (male) author of the book confirmed it or not.
Her husband: a strong, mature, hot army guy who she loves.
Hermie: a weak, young, awkward little boy who she pities.
~ Observe, and act with clarity. ~
I don't think she pitied Hermie. She seemed to think of him as an innocent boy who was sweet to pay so much attention to her. I'm sure she realized he had a crush on her.
shareShe was seeking solace... not that uncommon.
... the hardest thing in this world is to live in it...
She wanted to feel close to a man, even it was Hermie, to be held and
comforted in his arms.
I saw this film 15 years ago and had not thought much about it. Then recently it popped back into my head.
Frankly this scene always bewildered me. I think there are some thoughtful and well written responses to the original question.
That said, would it have actually been the "beautiful experience" that the film and everybody in this thread make it out to be? I would guess there would be a lot of "older-woman-walking-awkward-teen-through-his-first-time" type of stuff going on.
Maybe Hermie got some pointers from his buddy.
It's been a while but it seems to me that the movie was ambiguous about whether Hermie and Dorothy ever had sex. You see them go to the bedroom, they take off their clothes (yes I suppose it is fairly easy to suppose this is what happened) but the movie doesn't show a thing. I read an interview with Herman Raucher, the author, and he said that in real life the relationship wasn't consummated. They held each other all night long with her repeatedly calling him by her husband's name. I like to think that's more the way it was in the movie. It makes it more innocent despite the circumstances and makes the memories that much more special in the mind of a 14 year old and less salacious.
sharethe answer is simple. She felt a connection to him, even though he was young. He was a comfort to her, and she leaned on him for support right after her husband died. Why she never saw him again is because she thought it was wrong, him being so young, and she thought it was wrong to lead him on, despite them having an odd unexpected attraction. It was an emotionally fuelled decision for her
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