What do you think of Carson? Do you think he did enough to make up for being the reason Melanie was blacklisted?
Carson seems like a pretty typical self-centred “pretty boy”. He did not mislead Melanie as to his intentions towards her. He took care of her for as long as he needed to, to protect himself and his friends. Once he knew she would not name names, he felt he had done all he needed to do for her, that his obligation to her was over. He probably did more than others did/would have done in his place. he is a shallow man, but not a horrible one.
Thank goodness Carson had money, I feel that was all he had going for him! A fly-by-night relationship and he must be egocentric because he left her and didn’t look back.
Carson used her until he didn’t need her anymore. I am glad he felt he needed to do right by her.
I kept thinking about Gene Kelly as Don Lockwood and Jean Hagen as Lina Lamont in Singin’ in the Rain - another romance put together for the tabloids only. Truly, I thought Carson was more gentlemanly than he needed to be for a relationship neither of them felt invested in. Blacklisting tarred a lot of innocent people, and Carson couldn’t help that.
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You all have good points. But let’s face it, in the end he was only looking out for himself.
I don’t know a lot about the social politics of this time period but it felt weird that she was blacklisted and then he paid for her to “hide out” in Malibu. And then at the end, the blacklisting just disappeared as if it had never been an issue. Too much wrapping it up at the end with a bow.
I believe Carson was truly a narcissist, but did pay for her to hide out in Malibu, paid the rent, groceries, and maid service. Although they didn’t have a commitment to each other, he did have some backbone and sense of decency! She didn’t have anyone else to help her, except her agent, who continued to with her to the end.
Carson was pretty typical, but he did provide housing, food, maid service, for someone to whom he was not committed. Likely so she wouldn’t name names but not sure another “Carson-type” would have done the same, maybe for self-preservation since those times were pretty crazy.
Carson was fairly narcissistic, like most actors. Neither he nor Melanie believed that their relationship was a real romance & they were both fine with that. He did have a conscience, and since he had the financial means to do so, did the right thing by ensuring that Melanie was taken care of while unemployed. He urged her not to name names, which was the correct advice, no matter how self-serving. Those who did name names were despised for succumbing to pressure. There are strong parallels in this storyline to what is happening today in the U.S. Who will stand up to a would-be dictator who is thwarting the Constitution on a daily basis?
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Carson was a cad! He used Melanie to publicize the film. It was all for show. However, he redeemed himself by providing Melanie all her basic needs: a place to live, food, and help, but again only while it suited him. I’m sure he was getting ready to cut her off and his true colors would have revealed what a cad he was. He was a user!!
Carson was only looking out for himself. He hid Melanie until he was sure that she wouldn’t name names but once he was assured that she wouldn’t turn him in, he lost all interest in her.
I didn’t feel the character of Carson was well developed. He was so much in the background. Melanie was so young and inexperienced and would have been smarter to not listen to Carson.