# Question about Cast Away--spoiler **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 27, 2000, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-cast-away-spoiler/47391 "2000-12-27T16:45:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2001, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-cast-away-spoiler/47391/81 "2001-01-15T21:11:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Groundskeeper Willie \* > \*\*… and the winner of the Academy Award for the category “Best supporting actor”, is … Wilson! > Bill \*\* " I’d like to thank the anonymous Central American hepatitis-ridden impoverished child who stitched me together for the princely sum of thirty-four cents, making me so much more than the sum of my parts. Thank you all, I had a real ball making the movie, even the parts that left me bloodied and deflated. " 😃 😃 😃 Cartooniverse ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2001, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-cast-away-spoiler/47391/82 "2001-01-15T21:18:43Z")
Am I the only one who finds extreme irony in the fact that the driving force for his mental survival ( well, along with HH ) is wrapped up in VIDEOTAPE at the end? And, he uses videotape because he’s short on rope? Pity they had no sense of humor, how cool to do a freeze-frame on the DVD and see that those VHS cassettes were dubs of “Robinson Crusoe”… Cartooniverse ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2001, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-cast-away-spoiler/47391/83 "2001-01-16T15:04:06Z")
**RM Mentock** : > [@](#): > > What I want to know is, why was Helen Hunt running down the driveway, yelling Jack? My guess would be you misheard. “Jack” and “Chuck” sound similar, especially when shouted in the rain through a car window. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2001, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-cast-away-spoiler/47391/84 "2001-01-16T16:35:45Z")
The reason he says the box saved his life is the wings on the box form the shape he needs to get off the island. The broken porta-pottie forms the same shape of the wings and makes the sail necessary to overcome the waves. My questions are… Why didn’t he take the belt off the dead guy? How old was Helen Hunts kid? She looked 2. Two years plus 9 months plus the courtship time leading up to a wedding means that she got over Chuck’s death pretty quickly. I didn’t like the film much. I would have been happier if he left the raft to get Wilson. Or my wife suggested that Wilson should have been on the freighter. Like Wilson went for help. I would have been happier is at the end the woman asked Chuck what time it was and he could answer… “I have no idea.” ---
**Author:** ![RM\_Mentock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@RM\_Mentock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RM_Mentock)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2001, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-cast-away-spoiler/47391/85 "2001-01-16T17:05:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zebra \* > **I didn’t like the film much. I would have been happier if he left the raft to get Wilson. Or my wife suggested that Wilson should have been on the freighter. Like Wilson went for help.** Maybe the director’s cut will reinsert the scene where the whale goes and gets the freighter. “What’s that Willy? You found another castaway? We’re right behind you!” It wasn’t just me who heard “Jack” at the end of the movie, it was also my wife. And that link at the Internet Movie Data Base Cast Away Goofs says so, too. ---
**Author:** ![Doc\_Moss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Doc\_Moss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doc_Moss)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2001, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-cast-away-spoiler/47391/86 "2001-01-18T07:06:55Z")
I saw the movie today, it came out in Australia today, and although it appears I have missed the bulk of the discussion… I don’t understand why Helen Hunt remarried after such a short time, when she tells Hanks at the end that “I knew you were alive, I just knew it.” Eh? Also, why didn’t he attempt to leave the island until 4 years had passed? Obviously he was motivated by getting the “sail”, but why not use something else? After a year alone surely you would be willing to try anything to leave that island… ::hoping people are still clicking this thread:: - Doc. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2001, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-cast-away-spoiler/47391/87 "2001-01-18T11:48:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Paul Coleman \* > \*\*Also…is it just me or was Tom a bit of a lame-o when it came to making fire? Holy smokes…no pun intended, but I couldn’t believe how long he took to get it right, or even start on the job for that matter. I was actually relieved when the mag-lite died so it would hurry him along to finally get started on the fire thing. Why didn’t he just take out the batteries when they were still juiced, extract the wiring from the casing and touch pos to negative to generate a spark? Hell, he could have used the buckle from Al’s belt in lieu of legit wire if it was in short supply. (Am I missing something…other than compassion and modesty?) > \*\* It’s just you. You’re not going to get a spark out of 3 V DC, with the current supplied by 2 AA batteries. Having made fire with no matches - and earned a merit badge thereby, I might add - I assure you it’s no picnic. Yes, he made some basic mistakes, but I think someone not specifically trained, but having only a general understanding that friction makes heat, would likely make those same mistakes. - Rick ---
**Author:** ![RM\_Mentock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@RM\_Mentock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RM_Mentock)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2001, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-cast-away-spoiler/47391/88 "2001-01-18T16:31:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Doc Moss \* > **Also, why didn’t he attempt to leave the island until 4 years had passed? Obviously he was motivated by getting the “sail”, but why not use something else? After a year alone surely you would be willing to try anything to leave that island…** He did try, in what remained of his raft. That’s where he ended up so bloody and bruised and respectful of the breakers. ---
**Author:** ![Ceejaytee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ceejaytee/32/2956_2.png) [@Ceejaytee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ceejaytee)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2001, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-cast-away-spoiler/47391/89 "2001-01-18T16:39:52Z")
I really liked the first two-thirds of this movie–right up until he goes home. There are some lame things before then but they aren’t as bad as what happens after he gets home. (1) The package with wings: My husband was of the opinion that he didn’t open it, because he decided that he was going to get off the island and deliver it. I think it was the wings on the package, symbolizing hope or freedom. It’s the only way to explain why he **returned** the package, rather than delivering it, why he painted wings on his port-a-potty sail, and why he wrote the note about the package saving his life. (2) It was okay that Helen Hunt left him. Frankly, either possibility would have been okay. But I agree that she seems to have gotten married awfully fast. I guess Zemeckis wanted her to have a family to show us her conflict. But I think he could have gotten away with her being married for, say, a year, and pregnant. Same ties to Chris Noth, but more time for mourning Tom Hanks. (3) Robert Zemeckis is about as subtle as a sledgehammer. Did anyone else catch that the main philosophy of this movie was exactly the same as Forrest Gump? “Life is like a box of chocolates–you never know what you’re gonna get” compared to “You never know what the tide will bring in?” Puhleeze. Maybe he should try to make a different movie next time. (4) I don’t think the movie ended on an ambiguous note. Although Tom’s standing at the crossroads, he now knows that the hot babe who gave him directions is the sender of the package that saved his life (the wings are painted on the back of her truck). As my husband opines, he’ll go back to the farm of the hot babe, explain his note, tell her his story . . . and they’ll have great sex and live happily ever after. The tide brought her in. IMO, the movie should have ended after the Helen Hunt scenes (which I thought were quite good). Or Zemeckis should have shown us what it’s like for a man who’s been alone on an island for four years to be back in civiliztion. ---
**Author:** ![portofcall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@portofcall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/portofcall)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2015, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-cast-away-spoiler/47391/90 "2015-01-04T03:31:56Z")
just watched this movie for first time on tv and had questions…only thing stands out was Elvis Song Return to Sender at the end making me think her husband sent parcel right back? ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2015, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-cast-away-spoiler/47391/91 "2015-01-04T05:07:16Z")
Wow, this has to be some sort of record: almost 14 years between posts. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2015, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-cast-away-spoiler/47391/92 "2015-01-04T06:40:39Z")
**Moderator Action** Moving thread from General Questions to Cafe Society (which didn’t exist when this thread was started). Also, please note that this thread is 14 years old and many of its original participants may no longer be around to comment on the newer posts. ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2015, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-cast-away-spoiler/47391/93 "2015-01-04T15:53:08Z")
> [@Desert\_Nomad](#): > > Wow, this has to be some sort of record: almost 14 years between posts. and an actual relevant post to revive it, not some inane comment, ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-cast-away-spoiler/47391/94 "2015-01-05T02:34:16Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > What I want to know is why a pair of ice skates(???) was headed for Indonesia? The movie was set in 1995. In the following year, the [Mall Taman Anggrek](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mall_Taman_Anggrek) opened in Jakarta, featuring the very first indoor skating rink in Southeast Asia (I’m guessing there are zero outdoor rinks.) So the skates were sent to someone in anticipation of this exciting development. Makes perfect sense. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-cast-away-spoiler/47391/95 "2015-01-05T03:02:01Z")
Well, damn, this movie is spoiled for me. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-cast-away-spoiler/47391/96 "2015-01-05T03:30:37Z")
_Look what I have debated!_ ---
**Author:** ![samlaunch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@samlaunch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samlaunch)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2015, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-cast-away-spoiler/47391/97 "2015-07-04T05:14:49Z")
I think I’ve figured the movie out. The beginning of the movie, the package with the angel’s wings was delivered to the woman’s cheating husband. At the end of the movie, we see Tom Hanks with a Wilson soccer ball in the car. He returns the package to the woman with a note “This package saved my life.” He had one of two choices to make: 1. Go back to the island. 2. Go to the woman, he just delivered the package to! It was a matter of “Fate”. He lost Helen Hunt due to being stranded on the island, and he was being given a second chance, to be with someone else; or, go back to Wilson 2.🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-cast-away-spoiler/47391.md?page=4)