History Headscratchers / NoCountryForOldMen

[[WMG:What was the point of tying a rope to the briefcase only to later having to make a hook to get it out again?]]
So Moss hides the briefcase in an air vent. He ties a rope to it, presumably so that he can pull it out again when he wants to retrieve it. But then a little later in the movie, several minutes are spent on him using various objects to create a make-shift hook, all so he can get the briefcase back out. Did I miss something or was that not the point of tying a rope to it in the first place?

[[WMG: Wouldn't people who hired Chigurh have sent...]]

** Short answer: yes.

Of course, since "the Mexicans" shot it out with Moss before Chigurh ever got there, it might be unclear to "the people who hired Chigurh" who actually had the cash.

** Plus, making up grandiose, narcissistic justifications for your behaviors is an almost textbook sociopath behavior.
*** He is a sociopath, and I don't think that anyone would argue to the contrary. The fact that his behavior fits into the "textbook sociopath" realm adds realism to the movie in This Troper's opinion. However, we clearly see that he follows a moral code that is incomprehensible to normal observers. Having a complex set of rules that only you follow does not mean that you are not mentally ill. In fact, it's probably a warning sign.

And why has he become a hitman in the first place? I mean, at the start of the movie, he's not a newbie and clearly has some street cred since he's hired by an apparently influential drug tzar. Yet, first he kills the two guys at the shootout scene, then [[spoiler: offs ''the man who hired him'' later on]]. This must be at least somewhat bad for business; not to mention killing people left and right while on a job seems unprofessional. I know Anton follows his own demented "morality", but he still has some sense of self-preservation, as demonstrated when he flees from Llewelyn shooting at him, or when he [[spoiler:refuses to fight Bell]]. He must be aware that his unfettered brutality is going to bite him in the ass sooner or later since no-one would want to work with him.

** Well, do you carry cameras to the pharmacy? Do you think people did back then? This was 1980 in rural Texas in the daytime, the best you'd hope for is a Polaroid but even that's unlikely. And in the book it is fairly clear that the exploding car was an act of misdirection and Anton sure is competent so he avoids being seen as, well, a car blew up! Plus he does check the coast is clear first. Who are you expecting to piece it all together? The sheriff himself calls the guy a ghost! And that's before I refer to reality, such as the fact most eyewitness descriptions are unreliable. The description of AC given later by the kid at the end is very, very bland. So what did you expect to happen? "Sheriff! This guy meddled with the car that blew up. No, I couldn't see what he was doing... No I didn't see a weapon... He looked average... White dude... He went into the store". Yeah, OK, that's up there with circulating a lookout for a milk drinker....

[[WMG: Why doesn't the air cannister run out?]]

[[WMG: Chigurh's Blue and Orange Morality is an Informed Ability]]

[[WMG: Did Sheriff Bell choose to act incompetently to allow Chigurh to escape?]]

[[WMG: Just something I notice, and I wonder if I'm alone in thinking this]]

[[WMG: Why would anyone consider hiring Chigurh?]]

[[WMG: How did Chigurh escape the motel room without Bell noticing?]]

[[WMG: How could Anton explode the car in front of the pharmacy and then steal it without no one doing anything?]]

[[WMG: How old are Ed Tom and Ellis supposed to be?]]

[[WMG: The "last man standing..."]]

* If no one had got away, the money would still be there. Also, the odds of there being one or more survivors is considerably higher than everyone being killed straight away, so it is just a more reasonable guess.

Did Llewelyn have any actual reason for thinking someone got away from the drug deal scene? Why didn't he consider the man in the truck to be the "last man," for example? He was obviously correct, but did he pick up on some sort of clue to determine that, or was it just an assumption/hunch/lucky guess?

More people after learning that M***' body was found in hotel w/o the money?

*** Llewellyn knew it was a dumb decision to bring a jug of water to a dying man, he lampshades this before leaving. He just let his conscience get the better of him. It still works with the theme of the movie (morality in an immoral world). One thing's for sure, Llewellyn's not an idiot, he may make a stupid decision every now and then but he still knows how to get out of a tough situation.

Bell noted that the break-in of the Moss trailer has occurred very recently (condensation on the milk bottle), yet did not investigate by asking the neighbors if they saw anything. The desk clerk would have been able to supply a full description, allowing an APB as Wendell suggested. When Carla Jean gave Bell the location of the motel in El Paso, he did not call the authorities there, but drove to the meeting point himself. Bell knew Llewellyn was being actively hunted, and his decision left Llewellyn exposed for several hours at least. Having seen Chigurh's reflection in the tube at the motel, Bell entered the room without calling for backup. Once inside, he failed to turn on the room lights, leaving plenty of shadows large enough to hide a man. He then walked straight into a brightly lit bathroom, blocking his peripheral vision.

* As to your second point, I'll point out that Bell DID give Carla Jean his word that he wouldn't get anybody else involved, in exchange for Llywelen's location.

Am I crazy, or does Llewellyn and Carla Jean's trailer have the same floor plan as [[Film/RaisingArizona Hi and Ed's]]? Could this be a rather stealthy shoutout?

* Roughly about the same age as the actors playing them, maybe even a little older. Jones was 60, nearly 61, and Corbin was about 69 when the movie was released. As for me, I saw nothing in the dialogue that implies they knew Uncle Mack. Just cause a Ellis says, "Uncle Mack knew the score, even if Aunt Ella didn't," doesn't mean he knew him. It might've been something he's parroting from his grandfather.

* Roughly about the same age as the actors playing them, maybe even a little older. Jones was 60, nearly 61, and Corbin was about 69 when the movie was released. As for me, I saw nothing in the dialogue that implies they knew Uncle Mack. Just cause a Ellis says, "Uncle Mack knew the score, even if Aunt Ella didn't," doesn't mean he knew him. It might've been something he's parroting from his grandfather.

[[WMG: "If the rule you followed brought you to this, of what use was the rule?"]]

That's what Anton tells Wells, but we don't see any Wells' rules mentioned earlier. What is it? NonSequitur, some NoodleIncident, or is it explained in the book?

* Roughly about the same age as the actors playing them, maybe even a little older. Jones was 60, nearly 61, and Corbin was about 69 when the movie was released. As for me, I saw nothing in the dialogue that implies they knew Uncle Mack. Just cause a Ellis says, "Uncle Mack knew the score, even if Aunt Ella didn't," doesn't mean he knew him. It might've been something he's parroting from his grandfather.

When Ed Tom goes to visit Ellis, they discuss "Uncle Mack," and the course of the conversation implies that they knew him. However, when Ed Tom asks, "When did he die?" Ellis says that it was 1909. They're having this conversation in 1980....

** Well, do you carry cameras to the pharmacy? Do you think people did back then? This was 1980 in rural Texas in the daytime, the best you'd hope for is a Polaroid but even that's unlikely. And in the book it is fairly clear that the exploding car was an act of misdirection and Anton sure is competent so he avoids being seen as, well, a car blew up! Plus he does check the coast is clear first. Who are you expecting to piece it all together? The sheriff himself calls the guy a ghost! And that's before I refer to reality, such as the fact most eyewitness descriptions are unreliable. The description of AC given later by the kid at the end is very, very bland. So what did you expect to happen? "Sheriff! This guy meddled with the car that blew up. No, I couldn't see what he was doing... No I didn't see a weapon... He looked average... White dude... He went into the store". Yeah, OK, that's up there with circulating a lookout for a milk drinker....

And he didn't even bother leaving the town! He just went back home! People could've put two and two together all the time and he just didn't care as if he'd came with a mastermind plan.

*** Llewellyn knew it was a dumb decision to bring a jug of water to a dying man, he lampshades this before leaving. He just let his conscience get the better of him. It still works with the theme of the movie (morality in an immoral world).

I mean, wasn't there any way to contact a police officer at all? What if someone'd take a photo of him (I know there were no phones, but it's still a possibility, someone might have one and be confident enough to think he might not be seen by Anton). Also, he was hurt and seemingly unarmed, someone might have tried to stop him on his own (He can't know what'd anyone that was there do). I know people was distracted but someone might have seen him meddling with the car! I kinda realize it was some sort of desperate action but that scene still feels rather stupid.

* Chigurh is not in the room. When the door is open we can see that there's no one behind it and that there are no feet darkening the stream of light underneath it. There is also not enough room for a man holding a shotgun and briefcase to hide behind the door anyway. This is why Bell opens it all the way, letting it thump against the wall. Chigurh left the room before Bell arrived. What we see is Bell imagining Chigurh being in the room, because Bell is afraid of having to face someone like him.

Am I crazy, or does Llewellyn and Carla Jean's trailer have the same floor plan as [[RaisingArizona Hi and Ed's]]? Could this be a rather stealthy shoutout?

[[WMG:Main/NoCountryForOldMen]]

The only way out was the way Bell came in. Chigurh was in the room. The bathroom window was locked. There's no way he could have gotten out without Bell noticing. So how did he?

And why has he become a hitman in the first place? I mean, at the start of the movie, he's not a newbie and clearly has some street cred since he's hired by an apparently influential drug tzar. Yet, first he kills the two guys at the shootout scene, then [[spoiler: offs ''the man who hired him'' later on]]. This must be at least somewhat bad for business; not to mention killing people left and right while on a job seems unprofessional. I know Anton follows his own demented "morality", but he still has some sense of self-preservation, as demonstrated when he flees from Llewelyn shooting at him, or when he [[spoiler:refuses to fight Bell]]. He must be aware that his unfettered brutality is going to bite him in the ass sooner or later since no-one would want to work with him.

And why has he become a hitman in the first place? I mean, he's not a newbie and clearly has some street cred since he's hired by an apparently influential drug tzar. Yet, first he shoots the two guys in the desert, then [[spoiler: offs ''the guy who hired him'' later on in the movie]]. This must be at least somewhat bad for business. I know Anton follows his own demented "morality", but he still has some sense of self-preservation (as demonstrated when he flees from Llewelyn shooting at him, or when he [[spoiler:refuses to fight Bell]]) - he must be aware that his unfettered brutality is going to bite him in the ass sooner or later.

And why has he become a hitman in the first place? I mean, he's not a newbie and clearly has some street cred since he's hired by an apparently influential drug tzar. Yet, first he shoots the two guys in the desert, then [[spoiler: offs ''the guy who hired him'' later on in the movie]]. This must be at least somewhat bad for business. I know Anton follows his own demented "morality", but he still has some sense of self-preservation (as demonstrated when he flees from Llewelyn shooting at him, or when he [[spoiler:refuses to fight Bell]]) - he has to realize that his brutality is going to bite him in the ass sooner or later.

And why is he a hitman in the first place? I mean, he's not a newbie and clearly has some street cred since he's hired by an apparently influential drug tzar. Yet, first he shoots the two guys in the desert, then [[spoiler: offs ''the guy who hired him'' later on in the movie]]. This must be at least somewhat bad for business. I know Anton follows his own demented morality, but he still has some sense of self-preservation (as demonstrated when he flees from Llewelyn shooting at him, or when he [[spoiler:refuses to fight Bell]] - he has to realize that his brutality is going to bite him in the ass sooner or later.

I mean, he's not a newbie and clearly has some street cred since he's hired by an apparently influential drug tzar. Yet, first he shoots the two guys in the desert, then [[spoiler: offs ''the guy who hired him'' later on in the movie]]. This must be at least somewhat bad for business. I know Anton follows his own demented morality, but he still has some sense of self-preservation (as demonstrated when he flees from Llewelyn shooting at him, or when he [[spoiler:refuses to fight Bell]] - he has to realize that his brutality is going to bite him in the ass sooner or later.