Talk:The House of Yes

COPYEDIT
I began to edit the plot for this movie, but haven't finished yet. Since it's one of my favorite films, I am too picky about the details and need to take a break! But I found some of the details in the plot as written to be either strangely described or incorrect, and wanted to give it the attention it deserves. If anyone has comments, complaints, or suggestions, or wants to finish editing, I appreciate any input.

Also, the correct spelling for "Lesly" needs to be verified, as it was spelled three different ways in the previous plot (and nobody likes their name spelled wrong - even fictional characters!)  Dmodlin71 (talk) 09:46, 22 June 2008 (UTC)

An important portion of the story line that is missing from the otherwise satisfactory synopsis. To explains why the family hides the gun from Jackie as part of the preparations for Marty's homecoming:

Marty has a scar which he has told Lesly is the result of having his appendix out. However, it is revealed that this is a lie, and that Marty has tried to repress much of his life before he left home. The truth is that the last time Marty attempted to leave the family Jackie insisted that they play their "game" one last time and actually shot him. Jackie's recent release from a mental institution follows the treatment she received as a result of the shooting. In one exchange between the two, Jackie apologizes to Marty saying that she is sorry about it and that, "I didn't mean to maim you. I only meant to kill you." This also explains why the family is concerned about her appearance with the gun, her insistence that it was unloaded and Marty's apprehension towards playing "one last time". It also says something about what he was willing to risk to leave the household, one way or another.

Regarding the relationship between Marty and Jackie:

The entire family was not only aware of the sexual relationship between Jackie and Marty, who are twins, it was passively encouraged by their mother. The relationship kept the unstable Jackie happy and quiet, and kept her children close to each other and isolated with her at family home after whatever happened to their father. Their mother even makes the point of telling Lesly that the two belong to each other and that Jackie came out of the womb holding onto Marty's penis.

Parallel's to the Kennedy's.

The family's property abuts the Kennedy estate, and there are constant parallels drawn between the Kennedy's and this family. The family as a whole is somewhat obsessed with them, and live as sort of a pale echo of them. Jackie's obsession is obviously the strongest. The most consistent parallel involves family secrets, the murder of the president, and the potential murder of their father. Both of these men are authority figures with a certain amount of power, and both are blatant philanderers who's behavior is tolerated by their wives in order to maintain appearances. The assertion is made by Jackie that the illusion shattered for both families on the day of the Kennedy assassination when their father attempted to leave the family, and was subsequently shot and killed by their mother.

Did Mrs. Pascal Kill her husband?

The possibility of this event is constantly alluded to throughout the movie (and the play on which it is based). The story is only flatly denied by Marty as he attempts to break free of his family, repress his history with them once more, and flee with Lesly back to a life of normalcy. The rest of the family makes witty comments, but never outright denies this interpretation of the events. However it is up to the viewer to decided if this is passivity on the family's part to a long-told story by the unstable Jackie; or, if it is part of Marty's slowly revealed need to bury in his own subconsciousness the depth of his family's disturbance, and revise his own history. In any event, Jackie truly believes that this is the case and she asserts that to cover her own crime, the family buried Marty's body with that of their father's.

The play write, Wendy MacLeod, has refused to clarify the plot or answer this question. She has maintained that the actor's portraying Marty and Jackie must each be committed to their belief in the interpretation of the events.