Best crime movie questions of 1999

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The Green Mile picture

Question: When the guards are talking to Percy in the restraint room, Paul says he knows he sabotaged Del's execution. Why did he let him get away with it?

MikeH

Chosen answer: Percy's aunt is married to the state Governor, giving Percy powerful connections. All it would take is one phone call from Percy and Paul and the other guards could lose their jobs and if Percy wanted to, never find jobs again. Something Paul or his friends didn't want to happen.

The characters talk about this several different times in the movies, how political connections can ruin careers.

MovieFan612

Answer: In addition to previous answers, it is probably also worth mentioning that they will never be able to prove it. Percy mentions multiple times that he "didn't know the sponge should be wet," even when they are back in the Green Mile and only Paul and the other guards are around, indicating that that will be his defence when they ever make it into a thing, knowing that they will never be able to prove otherwise.

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The Thomas Crown Affair picture

Question: How does he fold the Monet in half to fit into the briefcase? Originally I thought he'd separated it from the wooden frame (ie. just a canvas), but when he takes it out back at his house he holds it up, and the wooden frame's still in one piece. Also, surely folding it in half would crack the paint, but despite the painting being twice the width of the briefcase (it fits snugly when the case is open), he then shuts the case down to a "normal" size. Any ideas?

Answer: I believe that the Monet that Crown hides in his study is not the one that was stolen, it is a copy that he already had prepared. He can enjoy the copy knowing that the original (with the broken spreader bars) is also in his possession. The stolen original then goes to the forger who repairs the broken spreader bars, and then paints another painting (using water soluble paint) over the Monet, so he can "return" it to the museum 3 days later. It gets more complicated when he discovers that Russo is on to him so he has a second forgery made (even the edges forged to match) over the top of "Dogs Playing Poker." He doesn't know if it will be necessary, but given his research into his new adversary, he concocts this contingency. It is likely that he has many contingencies in place, but the "Monet with a ghost underneath" is the only one we get to see. Of course for my theory to hold water, there must be (or have been) that earlier forgery - unless it has been destroyed.

It's not the forgery that he takes out of the briefcase. Even if it were, he still put the Monet in the briefcase at the museum and would have had to break the frame to close the briefcase, thus also breaking the paint and tearing the canvas. The real answer is that it is just something that couldn't really happen, and the movie people don't want the viewer to notice.

Answer: The only explanation I can come up with is that the inner part of the frame is precut. With the frame cut that way it would allow the picture to fold, but when unfolded it would be fairly rigid with the exception of bending it forward at that point. When he pulls the painting out, it still holds the square shape of the frame. Best I can come up with.

Answer: He doesn't fold it. The frame is solid. It's just movie editing to make the viewer think he put it in her briefcase. You can't fold a Monet.

He absolutely folds it. We see him put it in the case and him then shut the case, folding it in half.

Jon Sandys

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The Talented Mr. Ripley picture

Question: Maybe I missed a major plot point, but why exactly does Tom kill his lover at the very end?

Krista

Chosen answer: Tom & his lover are travelling on a boat. The rich girl, who knows Tom as Dickie is also on the boat. If they were to meet, Tom's false identity would have been revealed, and the lover would have been able to figure out that Tom actually murdered Dickie.

marfbody

Answer: He had to kill him. Tom couldn't kill Meredith because she wasn't alone and Peter was.

ChristmasJonesfan

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Life picture

Question: Why does Biscuit try to run right before he's let out? Why does he say he can't go home to his mama?

Answer: Because he is gay. In the time this movie is set, being homosexual was not only an extreme moral and religious taboo, but it was illegal in most parts of the US. Biscuit is too ashamed of letting his mother find out about his relationship with Jangle Leg, so he runs, knowing the guards will shoot him dead.

roboc

Answer: It wasn't in the script for him the die - the actor who played Biscuit went into a interview and said that he improv that scene the letter he opened up was initially was an call log not an release paper and he stated if his character was going to die he wanted him to die by crossing the gun line.

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Blue Streak picture

Question: In the scene where the three officers (one of them being Martin Lawrence) went to the airport to check out the situation there, Mallone picks up a piece of the exhibit. Wouldn't the FBI run the prints on the items, and if so, Martin Lawrence's fingerprints would come up and reveal his true identity since he is in the system?

Answer: Yes, however Malone is not a real cop, only pretending to be one. Therefore it is safe to assume he would not know procedures of the police department and would not think his prints would be run by the FBI. He thinks he is safe because he is a cop. That's how big his ego is.

SAZOO1975

Yes, but the reason they don't worry about fingerprints is because they decided to immediately set up the sting operation, since they only had hours before the package was to be delivered in 3 hours. So, they had to hurry and make it there in time to do the bust.

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Jawbreaker picture

Question: The whole point of the trick is to persuade the police that Liz was murdered after having sex with a random stranger. The police decide to accept this suggestion. Why do they accept this, when they know that a woman pretending to be Liz's mother called the school to say Liz wouldn't come in - ie. the police know that a woman must have been involved, yet they decide it was just a man who did it?

beckhamsfauxhawk

Answer: They have no reason to follow up the call or never did all they know is that she was at home.

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Double Jeopardy picture

Question: How is Libby able to be out in the prison yard without wearing her prison uniform shirt and instead wearing a dark green tank top? This allowed in prison or what?

Rob245

Answer: At that point she has been imprisoned for a few years. She had likely set up a good rapport with the guards over the years. She was likely on her best behavior, knowing that would be considered when her parole hearing came. Prisoners on good behavior are often afforded certain instances where some rules can be bended, which would be up to the discretion of the guards. Exercising was a routine for her that went on for years. If she wanted to run in a tank top, I'm sure that was of very little concern to the guards after a while.

jshy7979

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Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me picture

Question: Once Austin has introduced himself to the two models, and they start photographing, what is the music that is in the background?

Answer: The music is the theme song to the TV show "Charlie's Angels".

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Boys Don't Cry picture

Question: Why does Lana at the end of the movie call Brandon "Teena"?

Answer: Brandon's birth name is Teena Tenae Brandon. When Teena decided to become a man, he reversed his first and last name to become Brandon Teena. Lana may have continued to call him Teena as a form of "I know the real you" familiarity "pet name".

johnrosa

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The General's Daughter picture

Question: When the generals daughter is being brought out in the coffin at the end, "Amazing Grace" is being played on the bagpipes. Is this a military thing for dead soldiers, and if so, why "Amazing Grace" and why a Scottish instrument in particular?

Answer: It's just a generic funeral song and the bagpipes are supposed to make it more...mournful.

Rlvlk

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Go (1999)

Go picture

Question: What is the reason for all of the Iodine in the shrimp and if it makes people that sick, why would they put it in there?

Answer: Nobody puts iodine in shrimp. It is a naturally occurring substance in shellfish that some people are allergic to.

Guy

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The Boondock Saints picture

Question: What is the idea/situation behind the whole scene at the beginning of the film where the two 'Saints' walk up to the alter?

Answer: The priest thought they were trying to attack or assault the other priest, but since they Saints are very religious and the other priest knows it, he let them be. They kissed the statue to show respect.

Toolio

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Analyze This picture

Question: When Nicky Shivers is being held hostage, De Niro is about to belt him in the face with a metal pipe and make him fall into a hole. This most likely would have been fatal. But De Niro has a change of heart and walks away. Then Nicky sardonically comments "Well geez, that was pretty painless." Given that he was just spared from a painful ending, why would he make such a smart-alec comment?

Gavin Jackson

Chosen answer: That's how he dealt with facing certain death and then not being killed. Some would be silently grateful as you suggest, others wouldn't. Everyone reacts differently.

Captain Defenestrator

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Entrapment picture

Question: Is it actually possible to get on to a moving train as implied in the very last scene?

Answer: Unless the train stopped, it is absolutely impossible for someone, particularly a senior man and a woman in a tight skirt and high heels, to be able to jump onto a moving commuter train, and on one that would have automatic doors.

raywest

HA! A looser skirt and flat-heeled shoes wouldn't improve the odds.

KeyZOid

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Answer: Ghost Dog eliminated virtually everyone and was just finishing business. Louie was the only mobster left, but he was sworn to protect and obey him after he was saved by Louie as a young man. He owed it to Louie to finish the job.

Erik M.

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Office Space picture

Question: What song is playing at the way beginning, you notice it first when Milton says something about how he's going to be late again, and everybody is just starting to arrive while Milton is still waiting at the bus stop. It's kind of jazzy- swing-ish sounding.

Answer: Mambo 8 by Perez Prado.

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Payback picture

Question: Why doesn't Porter demand more money? Sure, his cut was $70,000, but since he's a crook, why not demand more?

Rob245

Answer: Quote, "A work man is worthy of his hire." In the original version, the Mob Boss asked, "why are you doing all this?" He replied, "I want my money." It's as simple as that. He did a job and wants his payment.

Answer: Porter only wanted what he was owed and had been cheated out of, and nothing more. He is a former Marine, so probably still adheres to a certain code of honor.

raywest

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