Questions about plot-holes in The Wicker Man (1973 basket weaving film)

[ASFTSN]

I rewatched The Wicker Man last night for the nth time, and something occurred to me that hadn't before. Obvious spoilers if anyone has somehow never seen this 50 year old film.

When Sgt. Howie has a little lie-down toward the end after searching the village for Rowan Morrison, the pub landlord and his daughter Willow use the hand of glory to try and keep him sleeping before they head off to the May Day celebrations. Obviously he then fakes sleep, knocks out the landlord, steals his costume and assumes the role of Punch, leading to a result we're all familiar with. Yet if he hadn't woken up, there would be no victim.   

On a similar note, during the classic arse-dance seduction scene with Willow earlier in the film, if Howie had gone next door and succumbed to her sexy charmz, he would no longer be a virgin and so would have failed to satisfy the requirements for the ritual.

Was Willow (and I guess the landlord) trying to save his life in these two instances? Or was it just a further test of his suitability as a sacrifice, like to make sure he's a 100% megavirgin and/or entering the circumstances of his own free will? Are these plot-holes or am I just being an eedjit/overthinking?

[sevendaughters]

All through the film they're trying to warn him, the daft Christian bastard!

[ASFTSN]

So you think the implication is that mostly the whole village is trying to warn him, and it's just Lord Summerisle is pushing for this new way of doing things (i.e. using an outsider as the offering)?

[The F Bomb]

The hand of glory stuff is all part of the set-up so that Howie assumes the role of Punch, 'king for a day'. We see McGregor (dressed as Punch) lurking in anticipation.

I think there is a bit of a leap in that they couldn't have known for certain that Howie would put on the costume, but it's feasible as the best way to access the inner workings of the ceremony.

As for Willow's temptation, yes, if he'd succumbed, they would have had to find someone else, but it emphatically demonstrates that he was the ideal candidate. He ticked every box.

I don't think these are plot holes nor you being daft, they're extra details which show how carefully constructed the trap was.

[ASFTSN]

The hand of glory stuff is all part of the set-up so that Howie assumes the role of Punch, 'king for a day'. We see McGregor (dressed as Punch) lurking in anticipation.

I think there is a bit of a leap in that they couldn't have known for certain that Howie would put on the costume, but it's feasible as the best way to access the inner workings of the ceremony.

As for Willow's temptation, yes, if he'd succumbed, they would have had to find someone else, but it emphatically demonstrates that he was the ideal candidate. He ticked every box.

I don't think these are plot holes nor you being daft, they're extra details which show how carefully constructed the trap was.

Makes sense, cheers! I think what put me off is the bit of dialogue between McGregor and Willow after they set the hand of glory burning, where they say he'll be knocked out for days, and both say that it's all for the better he's sleeping. So I guess even that little conversation was for his benefit and they knew he was faking sleep.

[ASFTSN]

Side note: I don't think the Director's Cut works anywhere near as well as the theatrical. What we gain from having the set-up ten minutes at the start showing Howie being a no-fun no-sex severe bastard, we lose with having Summerisle being introduced too early in the scene where he 'gives' the youth to Willow for some rumpy pumpy, and we also lose the otherworldliness of kicking the film off straight into the scene of Howie's plane flying over the isles.

[sevendaughters]

Side note: I don't think the Director's Cut works anywhere near as well as the theatrical. What we gain from having the set-up ten minutes at the start showing Howie being a no-fun no-sex severe bastard, we lose with having Summerisle being introduced too early in the scene where he 'gives' the youth to Willow for some rumpy pumpy, and we also lose the otherworldliness of kicking the film off straight into the scene of Howie's plane flying over the isles.

agree. Lord Summerisle should be built toward imho.

[iamcoop]

Yes, I wish they'd have tried to crowbar Gently Johnny into the regular cut as I love that song, otherwise I'm not a huge fan of the directors cut. Agree with all the points made above.

Anyway, my favourite film of all time. Just wonderful.

[The Mollusk]

Summerisle's outfits are incredible, dude looks amazing in every scene. The sudden reveal of him completely changed from his gaudy festival costume back to his lovely tweed suit for the final scene really adds to the dread of that whole culmination.

Also just want to add that his berating "McGregor" during the procession with "cut some bloody capers man! Use your bladder!" is one of my fave lines in any film.

[ASFTSN]

A couple of other pointless observations while the film is re-fresh in my memory:

- I find it really interesting that the paganism practiced on the island is technically only three generations old. Most horror films with an occult bent feel like they'd go for theee most ancient of traditions since time immemorial etc. It makes it scarier here, how quickly a whole community shifted to the belief that murder/appeasement was the way, especially since it was only a 'tradition' introduced as a social experiment by Summerisle's grandfather for the sake of expediency. It's saying something interesting about belief that I can't really put my finger on at the moment.

- It's pretty funny that Lord Summerisle just has some pictures of apples in frames in his living room that look like the stock photos you get when you buy a new picture frame.

[Minami Minegishi]

- I find it really interesting that the paganism practiced on the island is technically only three generations old. Most horror films with an occult bent feel like they'd go for theee most ancient of traditions since time immemorial etc. It makes it scarier here, how quickly a whole community shifted to the belief that murder/appeasement was the way, especially since it was only a 'tradition' introduced as a social experiment by Summerisle's grandfather for the sake of expediency. 

This is one of my favourite things about the film, and it was only something I noticed after repeat viewings. I took as an ironic comment on the adoption of post-Pagan, modern religions like Christianity. And I generally enjoy the film on that basis.

[Waking Life]

I've always wondered that had the crops failed the following year, if they'd actually go ahead and sacrifice Summerisle.

There's a flash of fear in his face when Woowar says it, but I suspect that a) it'd be bad luck in itself to have two bad harvests, and b) there's a cult of personality thing going on and he'd be able to turn it on someone else (Ingrid Pitt probz). He doesn't really seem like a true believer himself, so doubt he'd shrug his shoulders and say "fair cop".

Part of me wants to see a Wicker Man Revisited in 2024 to see how they got on over the last 50 years. Maybe would be like Ogdenville or North Haverbrook.

[ASFTSN]

I took as an ironic comment on the adoption of post-Pagan, modern religions like Christianity. And I generally enjoy the film on that basis.

Yeah! It also feels ironic that for all the general pan-psychism (if that's the term) that they express to Howie about how they don't believe in death and that you live on in the animals, landscape, trees etc when you are gone is a belief that was cultivated amongst them by someone who apparently was closer to a freethinking form of Victorian scientism/rationalism. Maybe even some interesting stuff going on there about how a top-down class structure can portray itself as benevolent too.

[ASFTSN]

I've always wondered that had the crops failed the following year, if they'd actually go ahead and sacrifice Summerisle.

There's a flash of fear in his face when Woowar says it

It's great that. He's shittin' it for a couple of seconds there! Howie's only chance, if he'd had the force of charisma it could have turned around there but nah, take him up, Oak.

[greenman]

It's great that. He's shittin' it for a couple of seconds there! Howie's only chance, if he'd had the force of charisma it could have turned around there but nah, take him up, Oak.

Yeah I really like that bit, gives us a tiny look into the drama around him, the idea that he's fallen into direct belief of something his grandfather was just using to control of the locals.

[Rev+]

I think what put me off is the bit of dialogue between McGregor and Willow after they set the hand of glory burning, where they say he'll be knocked out for days, and both say that it's all for the better he's sleeping. So I guess even that little conversation was for his benefit and they knew he was faking sleep.

That's the way I've always taken it, that they know he's listening and it's a way of kicking him into action.

Did anyone give the recent radio version a go?  It only went out in December but has already disappeared from BBC Sounds, ridiculously.  A shortened adaptation with Brian Blessed in very restrained mode as Summerisle, but it does culminate with some of those involved telling how Howie how he how was picked as the victim, and how they played their part.  It's nothing that's not in the film, really, but here it's presented as three people stating that they'd given him three tests, including the shagging of the Willow.

[xxxx xxx x xxx]

Side note: I don't think the Director's Cut works anywhere near as well as the theatrical. What we gain from having the set-up ten minutes at the start showing Howie being a no-fun no-sex severe bastard, we lose with having Summerisle being introduced too early in the scene where he 'gives' the youth to Willow for some rumpy pumpy, and we also lose the otherworldliness of kicking the film off straight into the scene of Howie's plane flying over the isles.

There's another version that starts off in church with Sgt Howie leading the congregation singing The Lord's My Shepherd - that's my favourite opening, it makes a nice symmetry with his desperate singing at the end.

[xxxx xxx x xxx]

On the subject of opening scenes, fun fact - Leslie Mackie, who played schoolkid Daisy Pringle, sang the theme song where Howie's flying over to the island (or is that a Frank Beardism?)

[xxxx xxx x xxx]

It's great that. He's shittin' it for a couple of seconds there! Howie's only chance, if he'd had the force of charisma it could have turned around there but nah, take him up, Oak.

That's the one and only thing I'd have changed about that brilliant film - I've always thought it would have been more effective if Lord Summerisle had maintained his insane look of belief.

(Sorry, three posts in a row but it's a faff doing edits on me phone).

[neveragain]

Agree with the comments herein. Love the film and the Inside No. 9 episode that resembles it.

[ASFTSN]

That's the one and only thing I'd have changed about that brilliant film - I've always thought it would have been more effective if Lord Summerisle had maintained his insane look of belief.

(Sorry, three posts in a row but it's a faff doing edits on me phone).

I can definitely see that point of view, since it's the only time he's ever anything but coldly/amiably confident. I think it's just nice for me to imagine it as a potential what if, a glimmer of hope.

[ASFTSN]

Is this the only horror film with a lead named Neil?

[lauraxsynthesis]

veal

Also just want to add that his berating "McGregor" during the procession with "cut some bloody capers man! Use your bladder!" is one of my fave lines in any film.

I love that too. Got this print of that bit recently:
https://slipperyjack.bigcartel.com/product/use-your-bladder


Can very much recommend this audio drama of Shaffer's sequel The Loathsome Lambton Worm.

[madhair60]

if it were me i wouldnt go in the wicker man. no fear mate. they couldnt make me, they don't seem that hard.

[xxxx xxx x xxx]

I can definitely see that point of view, since it's the only time he's ever anything but coldly/amiably confident.

Right - it would have been beautifully chilling to find that he's as "raving mad" as the rest of them. Not a criticism though, what a masterpiece this film is.

[studpuppet]

Questions about plot-holes in The Wicker Man (1973 basket weaving film)

"OH GOD!!! OH JESUS CHRIST!!!"

[BJBMK2]

Also just want to add that his berating "McGregor" during the procession with "cut some bloody capers man! Use your bladder!" is one of my fave lines in any film.

Still a thing me and my mate say to each other, during alcohol related occasions. "I suppose you've been getting drunk at your OWN BAR!"

[QDRPHNC]

Makes sense, cheers! I think what put me off is the bit of dialogue between McGregor and Willow after they set the hand of glory burning, where they say he'll be knocked out for days, and both say that it's all for the better he's sleeping. So I guess even that little conversation was for his benefit and they knew he was faking sleep.

He would have been a lot easier to sacrifice if he was asleep surely? But then if they were expecting him to sleep, why the whole performance for his benefit after?

Anyway, based on this thread, I watched this last night since I'd only seen it once before, about 20 years ago. Some very striking scenes, and a nice unsettling atmosphere all throughout, but I think it's reputation is a bit overblown. Would have made a classic 45 minute Twilight Zone episode.

[monkfromhavana]

Probably my favourite film of all-time as well, though not watched it for a few years. I keep planning to watch it every May day, but never get round to it. That final shot of the head falling off the Wicker Man with the sunset behind is up there with my favourite shots in cinematic history, especially given Howie was partially sacrificed to Nuada, the sacred God of the Sun.

One mark against the villagers and their notion that he, by the virtue of his character and own agency alone, passes all their trials to be the perfect sacrifice is that they tamper with his seaplane and it's radio so he can't leave the island or radio for assistance.

"Inside The Wicker Man" is a good book with loads of background detail about the filming, locations and all the Black Lion-related shenanigans.

[madhair60]

the villagers are a nasty lot for sure