MovieChat Forums > The Good Shepherd (2006) Discussion > Knocking off the professor

Knocking off the professor

posted 11 years ago by PotassiumMan
5 replies | jump to latest

During the war, British Intelligence deploys the Americans to kill Fredericks, but I found the rationale for doing so to be flimsy and inconsistent. During the brief meeting beforehand, it is revealed that Fredericks has had a homosexual lifestyle. But as he is being killed, Arch Cummings tells Wilson that Fredericks "knows too much". The overall reason to taking him down wasn't all that explicit.

Although this event happens early in the film, its a significant plot point in that its the first instance of intergovernmental cooperation in the killing of someone deemed to be a problem. It turned out to be the harbinger of later practices.

[–] mdpfbgd 10 years ago

Yeah the thing that bugged me about that was that Dr. Fredericks was given a choice: retire or . . . . As if retiring from the service would affect the fact that he knows too much or leads a compromising lifestyle. Seems to me he could do as much damage retired as active.

And as alluded to in another thread, he seemed to know what was coming and accept it, an act of courage inconsistent with his screaming while being murdered.

Weird scene. Unsatisfying.

[–] philoj 10 years ago

Remember that Turing was imprisoned for being a homosexual in the UK. During those years being gay was a very, very bad thing. However, many people would just turn a blind eye if a friend or coworker was gay.

What they discussed before sending Wilson on the mission was that apparently Fredericks had slept with a man who was either a spy for the other side (Nazis or KGB at that point - not sure), or had information to sell to the other side.

With proof that Fredericks was gay, a foreign power could seriously blackmail him. Even if he retired, they still had the threat of getting him thrown in jail, losing his pension, embarrassing his family, and so on. With that threat, they could get him to give up all kinds of secrets - "He knows too much"

So he had to die, and in a way that looked like a random street crime. Then his family can be distraught, but they get his benefits and keep their good name.

The only part I didn't like/didn't understand was why the death had to be so brutal. Just shoot him and throw him in the river. It was an ugly scene.

[–] MisterMovieGuy 9 years ago

Well said Philoj.

I especially agree with your last sentence. Earlier in the film, the professor tells Edward that their work is a dirty business. I'm sure that must have been echoing through Edward's head as he listened to the professor die in such a brutal manner.

I found that scene to be very effective. Despite not showing the act itself, I found it difficult to watch as the death was unnecessarily brutal and cruel, evidenced by the horrible screams echoing through the streets as the professor was being killed. The fact the professor knew he was going to be killed made it even worse in a way, as he must have been screaming out of sheer physical anguish in his final moments, rather than from surprise or crying out during the struggle.

[–] MrAnonymous (145) 7 months ago

Agreed. It seemed needless to make his death so torturous. They still could have made it look like a robbery while making it quicker.

[–] Annkat (218) 4 months ago

All the deaths of agents in this film were brutal. They wanted Edward to hear his professor's death. It was a warning and a lesson.