Ok, so i get it. Michael Deane didn't want Dee to be in the movie so he sent her off to a remote fishing island. He told the doctor to lie to her and tell her that she had stomach cancer and that she had to go to Switzerland so that she can get cured. It scared Dee so much and although she got to meet Pasquale, it was a complete waste of time for her and caused unnecessary stress that she could have easily avoided. If Michael had just been straight up and told her that he didn't want her to be in the movie, wouldn't you think that this would have been a better option for both of them. For Michael, because he didn't have to feel guilty and for Dee so she could have spent that time doing something that she liked.
What does this say about Michael's character? It seems to me that he really doesn't respect anyone else's opinion except for himself. Was it fair what he did? How would you respond/take this if you were in Dee's position? Or do you support Michael and sympathize with him because you think that this was the best choice?
I think Michael is pretty much an opportunist and a jerk. If he were in Dante's Inferno he would probably be chasing that yellow banner. Taking advantage of people is how he rose to the top. He could see "what people wanted" and then would use that for his own benefit. For example Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor's relationship. Michael promoted their love affair and wanted a scandal to surround them, to create publicity for Cleopatra. He didn't care about their feelings or about morals, he just wanted to make money and secure a job.
ReplyDeleteWhen we meet the older version of Michael I though he changed. I thought he wanted to help Pasquale find Dee so that he could make amends with Dee and Pasquale and apologize for what he did to them. However he was just using them again.
" 'Michael What are you doing?' she asks under her breath.
He looks past her, to Dee and the boy. 'I'm doing what I came to do.'
'I thought you came to make amends.'
'Amends?' Michael Deane looks at Claire without understanding. 'For what?'
'Jesus Michael. You completely fucked with these people's lives. Why did you come here if it wasn't to apologize?'
'Apologize? Again, Michael doesn't quite understand what she's saying. 'I came here for my story.' "(Walter 321)
If I were Dee I would be furious and tell him to get out of my house and never come back. I don't think it was fair. He should have told Dee what was going on. Imagine how scared she must have felt to be told she was dying. I don't even know how he was allowed to get her medical records. Maybe there wasn't Doctor-patient confidentiality rules back then.