Need something explained to me here-I did read the book, but it's been forever. What, EXACTLY, happened at the 'meeting' the Walter went to prior to all the men meeting at his house? I mean, he is sitting in front of the fire drinking, and his mood is very solemn. Does anyone know what happened? Because they don't tell you in the movie.
sharePresumably they explained to him the reason everyone has a ‘perfect’ wife, and if he wants one too he’ll have to agree to have his wife murdered and replaced by a fembot. Walter agrees to this and loses his soul in the process, that’s why he’s reflective and depressed in front of the fire, he’s wracked with guilt and self-loathing (but not enough to stop the process, he still wants those big fake tits and sweet robo-puss)
"Big fake tits and sweet robe-puss." That had me in stitches, Rusty.
shareThey showed him how they achieve the attitude adjustment of the wives.
Now I differ in opinion of what really happens to the wives. The robot is a temporary placeholder while the wives are given the full MK ultra treatment at the men’s association for 6 months or more. The hints and subliminal cues support this interpretation.
I don't follow-could you explain please?
shareI believe he's suggesting the women aren't killed, they are sent somewhere for reconditioning, and that once fully broken down and made compliant, they return to their place in the family and the robot is presumably junked. I haven't seen it in awhile, but I don't know if there is really anything to support that.
shareThere isn’t.
I don't think you're correct, Annkat. What are you cutting those horrible husbands break for? They didn't brainwash their wives; they killed them. Both in the book and the movie.
shareYou never saw anyone be killed in this story. Not in the movie or the book.
shareI think that decision makes the film all the more eerie. I don't think it was done to create doubt. It makes the final reveal at the Men's Association all the more chilling. And if they showed that to be the fate of other Stepford wives earlier in the movie, they would have given away the ending. The fact that these men are able to commit murder time and time again with impunity shows they pretty much have it down to a science. And it shows how powerless Joanna was from the get-go despite her single-mindedness and intelligence. It is a truly harrowing depiction of oppression foisted upon any wife unlucky enough to move to Stepford, and it goes beyond mere Stepford, Connecticut. Who's to say this couldn't happen in 'your own home town' - it's worked so well in Stepford?
shareThere’s no evidence for this. The wives are all killed and replaced with bots.
The first one we meet - the next-door neighbour - starts malfunctioning at the party. She’s not a ‘new’ one like Bobby, Joanna and Tina. All the other wives are bots.
The hints are subtle, if you don’t pay attention you miss them. Even the villain says it isn’t what you think.
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