University of Virginia Library

Disturbing Laughs

What is disturbing is that the
laughs often come at the expense of
character development. We wonder
at times if Uncle Fred isn't viewing
the whole set-up sardonically. For
example, when Natalie attempts to
commit suicide, the action does not
come off melodramatically. We
know she won't kill herself, thus we
can't become emotionally involved.
When she jumps off the dock and
lands in three feet of water (it was
low tide), we are supposed to smile.
Yet we are unable to because the
entire sequence is forced into the
story; it defies logic, but more
important it betrays the character
of the girl around whom the film is
centered.