“You distinctly told me not to speak to anyone until you got here”
This quote shows that Margot is a totally unsuspecting wife who has absolute faith in her husband’s wills and judgment. It has never occurred to her that Wendice could have had a personal agenda when he instructs her not to call the police. She blindly obeys the commands of Tony without even thinking about his possible motives and the consequences of her actions. It is quite ironic that a straying wife like Margot could also be such an obedient wife, who meekly bows to her husband’s orders. Margot’s total compliance towards Tony also shed light on her simple-mindedness and extreme naivety.
“anyone would have realized he was dead, just one look at of those staring eyes”.
Margot has never looked upon Lesgate’s eyes. Lesgate attacks her in a room shrouded in darkness. After Lesgate’s death, Margot rushes onto the balcony to get some fresh air, before she darts back into her bedroom. She could not bring herself to look upon the horrible spectacle of Lesgate’s corpse, let alone his eyes. So why does Margot profess to have seen Lesgate’s eyes? When a woman is frightened by a man’s penetrating gaze, it reflects her own powerlessness and objectification. Margot had just been violently assaulted under men’s hands. She had been objectified as a disposable object under the hands of a murderer. Perhaps after this traumatic encounter with men’s violence, Margot becomes subconsciously aware of her own powerlessness in a patriarchal environment. Her fear towards Lesgate’s eyes reflects her fear towards the dominating male gaze in general, which sheds light on her unease towards the brutal workings of the patriarchal order.
“Tony’s changed, he’s a complete person to the one I used to tell you about”
Margot is quite at loss towards Tony’s sudden change in character. In the past, Tony has been acting selfishly. He freely enjoys all the advantages of his wife’s wealth, and takes his privileged existence for granted. He continues to play tennis and does not put his wife in the center of his attention. After Tony’s discovery of Margot’s infidelity, he realizes that he could lose his financial support without a moment’s notice. He could no longer take Margot for granted. Instead, he must look for a way to secure her fortune for himself. He chooses to dispose his wife through murder, and to inherit her fortune. In order not to arouse her suspicions, Tony lavishes love and consideration upon his unsuspecting wife, while secretly working out every minute detail of his impending plan. Unfortunately for Margot, she fails to guess the real motive behind Tony’s sudden transformation. She genuinely believes that he has changed for the better.
“I remember, at collegue, you always used to smoke expensive cigars”.
This quote shows that Lesgate has expensive tastes and is accustomed to an extravagant lifestyle. Lesgate’s extravagance is an important character trait. Since Lesgate is a dissolute man about town with little professional skills, he is unable to earn his keeps. HIs insatiable appetite for luxury and his moral unscrupulousness force him onto the path of criminality. Had he been a man of simple tastes, he would be contented with a modest income and would not have chosen the path of criminality. Lesgate’s extravagance also makes him a double to Wendice. Both men are notorious spendthrifts who can not do without a handsome fortune. Both men are willing to use the most morally condemnable means to secure a fortune for themselves.
“What a murderous thug I look”
Lesgate has a profound sense of self-awareness. He is acutely conscious to the darkness of his character. He is also a seasoned criminal who seems to take pride in the sophistication of his criminal skills. The ease with which he confesses to his criminal like appearance shows his lack of shame towards his criminal character. To have Lesgate commenting on his criminal looking appearance early in the film is to hint upon his true character before it is revealed to the audience. This quote foreshadows Lesgate’s participation in Wendice’s conspiracy.
