Questions about specific movies, TV shows and more

These are questions relating to specific titles. General questions for movies and TV shows are here. Members get e-mailed when any of their questions are answered.

Question: When the "hotel" left Danny just before the boiler set on fire, why didn't he use that chance to leave the building?

Question: A while ago, I read about a deleted scene in which Draco is having a conversation with a friend, who was not Crabbe or Goyle. It was noteworthy because this friend would be someone whom Draco treats like an equal (instead of harassing them, bossing them around, etc.). I think it was going to be in the Deathly Hallows book or movie, but I am not sure. Was it ever written and/or filmed?

Question: Do the teachers have a way of checking that other teachers awarded or deducted points for appropriate reasons? For example, Snape called Hermione "an insufferable know-it-all" and took five points from Gryffindor. I remember him doing that in the book also.

Answer: Adding on to the response by RayWest: In the books, it's common for the teachers to deduct or award five to ten points (twenty or more if the student has done something especially good or bad). The Heads of House are probably not suspicious about most incidents of someone winning or losing these smaller amounts.

Answer: I remember that the four giant hourglasses (one for each House) that is located in the entrance hall magically added and deleted House points by using different-colored gemstones. Even though it was done automatically as soon as a teacher awarded or deducted points, they were also supposed to report it to the House heads and would give their reasons.

raywest

Question: In the opening scene, why did Stauffenberg just sit in the jeep idly while watching the fighter's bullet path come towards him? Even if he saw that too soon, he could've at least tried to open the door and throw himself to the ground.

Answer: You have to understand, this is a dramatic reenactment of the incident which caused Von Stauffenberg to get his injuries. It is not based on reality. They are trying to add drama to the scene by having him watch his demise approach, which is common in movies.

lionhead

Question: When Hermione tells Harry and Ron that Neville has a partner for the dance, why doesn't she tell them that it's Ginny, Ron's own sister?

Answer: Because it's not really her place to tell them anything. She probably enjoys keeping them guessing, particularly Ron, and wants them to find out for themselves, which will surprise them even more. I don't remember how it was in the book, but for the movie, it sets up the scene for the audience to be surprised as well.

raywest

Question: Dr. Sayer turns down the date with the nurse and appears to live alone. Was he a recluse? Socially awkward?

Answer: Sayer suffered from extreme shyness. He later overcame it enough to ask Nurse Costello out for coffee.

raywest

Question: When Long let Dwan fall into the water, we see that the water she plunged into is pretty deep. How deep was the waterfall when she fell in?

Answer: He probably knew it wasn't deep. It's his island; he knew every inch of it. Besides, it's a pool, not an ocean. It most likely had a small underground tunnel which spilled out somewhere on the island.

Question: We learn in the film that Shazam and Wonder Woman are friends, and (Spoiler alert) she brings him back from the dead at the end. So, why didn't she help him during the final battle or give any other much-needed assistance during the film?

Gavin Jackson

Answer: The dinner scene, where Wonder Woman has the head of the Wizard, never happened. There's no indication they knew each other, let alone were friends. In the realm where superheroes actually do exist, there'd really be no reason why she, Superman, who is supposed to know them too, or any other hero wouldn't be there to help. So the only answer would be an unsatisfactory one that sounds pedantic: she didn't help because it's a Shazam movie and not a WW or JL movie. One could say that she and the other heroes were busy with fighting crime/battles in their own city or they didn't know they needed help. She only appears at the end, it seems, to restore the god realm. It's also been said they didn't think Gal Gadot would be available to shoot her cameo scene, so Wonder Woman may not have been in the film because of a scheduling conflict. But to me, if she was meant to be in the film, they would have secured her availability long before shooting.

Bishop73

Answer: Where did you get the idea that they are friends? The movie makes it pretty clear they have never met before.

Cause they are having dinner together near the beginning. And you still didn't answer why she didn't help.

Gavin Jackson

Answer: The other superheroes don't sit around waiting for someone to call. Batman has a city full of rogues' gallery: Joker, Penguin, Riddler, Mr. Freeze, Killer Croc, Catwoman. Wonder Woman also has the same. They're busy people! But they'll come if asked or if they find out another hero needs help.

Question: Where did Mary Jane plan to go, just before getting kidnapped by Venom in a taxi?

Answer: She was wearing her work uniform, so presumably to work.

TedStixon

Question: Did Stauffenberg's adjutant really step in front of him to take the bullet for him as was depicted in this film? And why did he, if he knew all of them were going to be shot anyway?

Answer: Per Wikipedia, yes, he did, as a sort of final act of loyalty and friendship, as well as a gesture of defiance to his executioners.

Question: In the movie, it shows flashbacks of Andy going to what looks like a porn theatre and talking to a strange man there. Is that where he caught HIV?

Answer: Yes. During the trial, Andy said that he went to the theatre and a lot of sex happened there. He had sex with another man and contracted AIDS.

Question: If Kathryn doesn't really care about Sebastian (she thinks of him as "just a toy"), why does she even care if he falls in love with Annette? I thought she was more concerned with Court.

Answer: Either she does care about him and merely calls him a "toy" to conceal her true feelings, or she is jealous at the thought of him loving/wanting anyone more than her. Either way, she manipulates the situation to ensure he and Annette do not end up together. This is the same thing that happens in the novel upon which the film is based, "Dangerous Liaisons."

Answer: I agree with a suggestion made in the other answer: that Kathryn does not want Sebastian to love someone else. I've known people like this. They reject someone but enjoy being desired by that person. Then they become jealous when that person is interested in someone else because they don't want to lose the admiration. Kathryn does not want Sebastian to change his ways and start a new phase of life with Annette.

Question: When Annette tells Sebastian that she doesn't trust herself with him, what exactly does that mean? Does she feel too tempted to sleep with him, or is it something more?

Answer: Just that. She wants to maintain her virginity, but is so attracted to him and wants to have sex with him so badly that she feels like she'll let that desire take over if they're together.

I think it's a combination of this, plus Annette wants to think that she is too good for Sebastian. If she spends more time with him, she might like him more, making it easier for him to deceive her.

Question: What did Beck mean when he said "I'm thinking of earlier times"?

Answer: He speaks of the times when he and others weren't forced to become traitors and are about to die. Times when they believed in Germany.

lionhead

Question: Why did Stauffenberg have to put in his prosthetic eye whenever he had to be in Hitler's presence?

Answer: In real life, Stauffenberg regularly switched from wearing his glass eye and an eye patch. He wore the glass eye when meeting with senior officers, not only Hitler. At other times, he used the eye patch. This was attributed to the glass eye probably being uncomfortable. Presumably, he did not want to appear handicapped or weak to his superiors. He may also have felt the eye patch was a distraction or looked less dignified.

raywest

Question: Why did Fromm unplug his telephone while admonishing Olbricht and Stauffenberg?

Answer: Probably to prevent any interruptions.

raywest

Question: Why did all of the officers and high-ranking officials put out their cigarettes when Hitler's plane landed at the airfield?

Answer: Hitler was fanatically anti-tobacco: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/07/the-nazis-forgotten-anti-smoking-campaign/373766/.

Brian Katcher

Answer: They are supposed to stand at attention when he arrives and salute when he walks past them. It is considered bad form to salute the Führer (or any leader) with a cigarette in your mouth or hand.

lionhead

Question: I don't understand why the police haven't checked out Hopkins' gun when he was removed from the crime scene. Wouldn't they check the serial number to see where and when he purchased the gun? The movie mentions that the gun was bought a month prior. Since the gun is actually the officer's gun, wouldn't that registration information come up? Then they would know it was not the murder weapon.

Answer: Crowford (Hopkins) shot his wife with the gun that belonged to Nunally (Burke), but switched it with his at a moment of Nunally's distraction. The gun that the police mistakenly collected was not the murder weapon. This was a key plot point. Crowford goes on to gloat about it near the end of the film, saying the one piece of evidence Nunally needed was on his hip the whole time.

FleetCommand

Answer: Since he had meticulously planned every detail, Hopkins would have provided all the necessary information (serial number, date/place of purchase, receipt, insurance, etc.) during discovery. The gun was recovered from the scene, so the police and the prosecution, who believed the case to be open-and-shut, simply didn't check this information against the gun itself and just assumed it was Hopkins'. This is exactly what Hopkins was banking on happening, so the revelation that it the gun was not, in fact, the murder weapon would be a surprise during the trial.

Question: After the incident at the zoo, on Dudley's birthday, Harry is restricted to his cupboard until after the summer holidays start (see beginning of Chapter Three). If Dudley's birthday is before the holidays, then why does Mrs. Figg normally watch Harry that day (except this year)? Any year when Dudley's birthday was not on a weekend, Harry could have simply gone to school as usual.

Answer: Harry has already experienced a few magical incidents, as children from Muggle families usually do. For example, changing a teacher's wig hair to a blue color. If Dudley's birthday is on a school day, his parents probably don't want the risk of a problem at school. It's easier to make Harry stay with Mrs. Figg all day.

Answer: As I recall, Mrs. Figg had broken her leg so she was unable to watch Harry. The Dursleys were then forced to take Harry to the zoo for Dudley's birthday.

raywest

That is not the question. The question is why she has been watching Harry every other year, except for this time (due to her injury). If Dudley's birthday happens before the summer holidays begin, why has she been watching Harry during the years when Dudley's birthday is a school day? Harry could have just gone to school.

Thank you for clarifying as your original question was rather confusing. I was assuming that Dudley's birthdays were not celebrated on an actual school day, but later on the weekends and that is why Mrs. Figg watched Harry. I don't think Dudley would be staying home from school every year on his B-Day.

raywest

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