History Headscratchers / OBrotherWhereArtThou

* After the trio leaves Cousin Wash's, Pete makes the comment that they have only 4 days before the valley is flooded. However, at least 5 distinct night scenes pass before that happens. How is this possible?

* The night after the trio leaves Cousin Wash's, Pete makes the comment that they have only 4 days before the valley is flooded. However, at least 5 distinct night scenes pass before that happens. How is this possible?

* What ever did happen to Pete and Delmar in the ending? At the end we see Ulysses arguing with his wife to get back together while walking with his daughters, but it's never mentioned or implied what happened to Pete and Delmar.

*** Unless the flood was really a godlike intervention, as prayed for by the protagonists, in which case things were stacked against the Sheriff/Devil.

** They honestly had a better chance of surviving than the Soggy Bottom Boys, what with not being tied up at the time. Of course, that means the Sheriff might have survived as well...

*** Materialistic is a bit of a harsh read on her character. She's a single woman during the Great Depression trying to raise several daughters. Evertt is, at best, a conman and a huckster. That's not a very stable home life for his family. Him being part of a genuine musical sensation, though, makes him a much better provider.

** Because the Sheriff told Homer Stokes. The Sheriff that is tailing them is strongly hinted at to be the Devil himself, or at least the very same Devil that Tommy sold his soul to (a "white" man with "a mean old hound"). When the boys escaped from the Sheriff the second time, they left Tommy behind. The Sheriff likely ran into Tommy, had him arrested, handed him off to the Klan, and told Stokes that he sold his soul to the Devil. That's why Homer Stokes has it on "high authority" that Tommy sold his soul to the Devil - because the Sheriff, an authority figure, told him. It also explains why Tommy says that "the Devil's come to collect his due".

** I take the metaphorical/supernatural view of that. Seeing as the Sheriff was Satan, it's fair to say that the gravediggers were demons of some sort, underlings of the devil.

* So did those singing gravediggers just drown? That never sat right with me.

* How did no one in the Klan rally hear Everett and company talking to Tommy? Surely the two escorting Tommy to the gallows would've at least heard it?

** When they're recording the song at WEZY, Everett says "Hot damn, son, I believe you did sell your soul to the devil", right after they finish the song. One assumes it's still being recorded, and was later broadcast, or at least someone may have heard it at some point.

** Stokes was a Klansman who was in the middle of running for Governor (and was in the process of kicking or paddling Pappy O'Daniel's butt, depending on who you ask). It's entirely possible that Stokes made his own deal with the devil, and offering up Tommy was a way for the Devil to "pay."

* How did Homer Stokes know that Tommy had sold his soul to the devil? If I remember right, Vernon T. Waldrip whispered something right before the announcement, as if Vernon somehow knew it. The question is, how did ANYONE (aside from the three heroes) know about that? Is this a reference to the actual musician on which Tommy was based? As in, perhaps Tommy was sufficiently well-known and talked-about that his deal with the devil was a common rumor? If so, that rumor spread awfully quickly.

*** Grateful that he'd have her. And the other guy's trustworthiness is clearly less attractive to her than his money.

* Did Everett and Penny ever get back together again? Or did Penny, being the ungrateful b**** she is, do her stupid "count-to-three" act and refuse to marry him without the original ring?

*** Grateful that he'd have her. As noted, she's a gigantic bitch. And the other guy's trustworthiness is clearly less attractive to her than his money.

* Did Everett and Penny ever get back together again? or did Penny,being the ungrateful b**** she is,do her stupid "count-to-3" act and refuse to marry him without the original ring?
** Ungrateful? What does she have to be ''grateful'' for? It seems like Everett, while good-hearted, was a lot of talk with not a lot of acting on any of his promises, and then he got himself thrown in jail for practicing law without a license, and when he saw her again ''he was planning to do the exact same thing again'' with a dentist's practice. It's perfectly understandable that she would want to trade him in for someone more trustworthy. ... But to answer your question, I assume she must have eventually, because Penelope in the original myth believed Odysseus' return and accepted him.

* Did Everett and Penny ever get back together again? or did Penny,being the ungrateful b**** she is,do her stupid "count-to-3" act and refuse to marry him without the original ring?

* So, Tommy said he'd sold his soul to the Devil, and in return the Devil taught how to play the guitar real good. His description of the Devil matches that of LouisCypher Sheriff Cooley. So....does this mean Tommy was taught how to play the guitar by the Sheriff? Or is his story ''only'' a reference to the story of the real-life guitar player, with no real relation to the film?
** He wasn't so much "taught" as he received [[DealWithTheDevil unholy GUITAR PLAYING]] '''''[[{{Futurama}} TALENT!]]'''''
** Probably. [[FridgeBrilliance Maybe that's why the Sheriff tries to string him up too at the end, the Devil claiming his due.]]