# Miller's Crossing Question (Spoilers Inside) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 7, 2009, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/millers-crossing-question-spoilers-inside/505587 "2009-08-07T01:09:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/millers-crossing-question-spoilers-inside/505587/1 "2009-08-07T01:09:49Z")
I saw this last night. It was better than I remembered it. What is Tom’s end game here? What caused him to let Bernie go at first and then kill him later? If it was because he loved Verna, then why didn’t he just find a way for Bernie to live? Did it become impossible once Bernie tried to blackmail him? ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/millers-crossing-question-spoilers-inside/505587/2 "2009-08-07T01:23:26Z")
> [@Lakai](#): > > I saw this last night. It was better than I remembered it. > > What is Tom’s end game here? What caused him to let Bernie go at first and then kill him later? If it was because he loved Verna, then why didn’t he just find a way for Bernie to live? Did it become impossible once Bernie tried to blackmail him? Tom’s end game is to resolve the conflict between competing racketeers, in his friend’s favor, (in the most complicated and insrcuitable manner possible:p). Tom let Bernie go the first time because he’s not really a killer at heart and he was moved by Bernies pleas. He didn’t let him go a second time because he’s not a chump - fool me once, shame on … me … the point is… you can’t get fooled again. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/millers-crossing-question-spoilers-inside/505587/3 "2009-08-07T01:47:26Z")
Right. Also, Tom’s a pragmatist and believes there can still be some sort of honor among thieves. He played the odds as he saw them. He figured if Bernie took his advice and blew town, there was no particular chance anything would come back on him (a mistake, as it turned out, but an honest one). The second time, Bernie had proven himself a first-class rat. Tom gave him his chance once and if he didn’t take it, the hell with him. Man, I love this flick. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/millers-crossing-question-spoilers-inside/505587/4 "2009-08-07T02:00:40Z")
Also, Leo had said that Bernie wasn’t to be whacked for leaking news on the fixed fights. Tom’s always loyal to Leo, even when he appears to be working for Gaspar. So when Gaspar tells him to whack Bernie for leaking information about the fixed fights, Tom doesn’t do it. On the other hand, Leo never said anything about setting up Bernie and Gaspar to kill each other so as to end the gang war and re-establish Leo’s power base. So that’s okay. > [@Isamu](#): > > Tom let Bernie go the first time because he’s not really a killer at heart… “What heart?” ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/millers-crossing-question-spoilers-inside/505587/5 "2009-08-07T02:57:29Z")
> [@Isamu](#): > > Tom let Bernie go the first time because he’s not really a killer at heart and he was moved by Bernies pleas. He didn’t let him go a second time because he’s not a chump… I haven’t seen the film in a year or so, but maybe Tom has never killed anyone, ever. And, yeah, he was in love with Bernie’s sister. He shot Bernie the next time because he’s not a complete chump. He is a chump in the way he takes shit from Leo. Great film. Intricate plot and relationships, hot romance, excellent writing for Gaspar’s character, scary heavy in the Dane, excellent scumball in Bernie, appealing lead actor, nice set pieces… the “Danny Boy” machine gun fight, the Miller’s Crossing scenes. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/millers-crossing-question-spoilers-inside/505587/6 "2009-08-07T03:56:33Z")
I love the movie too. Favorite line - when Tom’s entering the ladies changing room “close your eyes ladies, I’m coming through”. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/millers-crossing-question-spoilers-inside/505587/7 "2009-08-07T04:13:30Z")
> [@Isamu](#): > > I love the movie too. Favorite line - when Tom’s entering the ladies changing room “close your eyes ladies, I’m coming through”. If you look to Tom’s left (your right) as he comes in through the door, there’s a matronly lady whose apparently the dressing room attendant - it’s Albert Finney, in drag. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/millers-crossing-question-spoilers-inside/505587/8 "2009-08-07T04:35:08Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > If you look to Tom’s left (your right) as he comes in through the door, there’s a matronly lady whose apparently the dressing room attendant - it’s Albert Finney, in drag. No kidding? I’m going to check that out tonight. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2009, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/millers-crossing-question-spoilers-inside/505587/9 "2009-08-08T00:45:28Z")
Anyone have any thoughts on why Tom left Leo at the end? ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/millers-crossing-question-spoilers-inside/505587/10 "2009-08-10T15:56:51Z")
> [@Lakai](#): > > Anyone have any thoughts on why Tom left Leo at the end? I always assumed it was because Leo was going to marry Verna. Tom knew there was no way he could stick around without he and Leo coming to blows again over Verna. Without an external enemy to fight, either Tom would kill Leo, Leo would kill Tom, or Tom kills Verna. ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/millers-crossing-question-spoilers-inside/505587/11 "2009-08-10T16:46:57Z")
While we’re discussing this, I sort of fell in love with the phrase, ‘getting the high hat’. Did the Coens make this up or did it exist before the movie. It seems so random that it wouldn’t have existed prior to the movie. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/millers-crossing-question-spoilers-inside/505587/12 "2009-08-10T17:36:27Z")
> [@Baal\_Houtham](#): > > Great film. Intricate plot and relationships, hot romance, excellent writing for Gaspar’s character, scary heavy in the Dane, excellent scumball in Bernie, appealing lead actor, nice set pieces… the “Danny Boy” machine gun fight, the Miller’s Crossing scenes. Not to mention that awesome Irish ballad piece played during the title. I had assumed that the music director of the film had dug up a lovely traditional melody for use in the film, but it turns out that it was composed for the film by Carter Burwell. I also like the word they use, “yegg”, but I’ve yet to find a good enough reason to insert it into everyday speech. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/millers-crossing-question-spoilers-inside/505587/13 "2009-08-10T17:39:10Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > If you look to Tom’s left (your right) as he comes in through the door, there’s a matronly lady whose apparently the dressing room attendant - it’s Albert Finney, in drag. My understanding is that with the exception of Marcia Gay Harden, there were no women whatsoever in that scene ;). ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/millers-crossing-question-spoilers-inside/505587/14 "2009-08-10T18:16:03Z")
It has something to do with a hat. Actually Miller’s Crossing is one of my favorite movies. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/millers-crossing-question-spoilers-inside/505587/15 "2009-08-10T18:24:22Z")
…I want to watch this again tonight. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/millers-crossing-question-spoilers-inside/505587/16 "2009-08-10T18:26:10Z")
> [@phreesh](#): > > While we’re discussing this, I sort of fell in love with the phrase, ‘getting the high hat’. Did the Coens make this up or did it exist before the movie. It seems so random that it wouldn’t have existed prior to the movie. I’m pretty sure it was made up for the film. ---
**Author:** ![Wakinyan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wakinyan/32/352_2.png) [@Wakinyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wakinyan)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/millers-crossing-question-spoilers-inside/505587/17 "2009-08-10T20:38:38Z")
Nothing really to add but here’s another Miller’s Crossing fan; one of the few films I rewatch every now and then. As for the OP, I always understood it as \*\*Isamu \*\*says in post no 2. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/millers-crossing-question-spoilers-inside/505587/18 "2009-08-10T21:59:09Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > I always assumed it was because Leo was going to marry Verna. Tom knew there was no way he could stick around without he and Leo coming to blows again over Verna. Without an external enemy to fight, either Tom would kill Leo, Leo would kill Tom, or Tom kills Verna. Although it’s been a long time since I’ve seen it, I don’t know that Tom figured the love triangle would end in blood, but it would certainly destroy their friendship. And Tom’s loyalty to Leo is his paramount drive. So the only way to remain loyal was to get out of Leo and Verna’s lives before he hurt Leo by sleeping with Verna. When my two-year-old is frustrated or upset about something, I usually ask “What’s the rumpus?” –Cliffy P.S. Not my favorite of his works, but Dahiell Hammett’s The Glass Key is very much an inspiration for the movie, with a central relationship very similar to the one between Tom and Leo.