Was the villain in Die Hard 3 really a stutterer?
01-02-08, 02:17 PM
#1
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Thread Starter
Was the villain in Die Hard 3 really a stutterer?
This has kind of bugged me for awhile now. Any review I ever read of Die Hard with a Vengeance seems to mention the villain (Simon, played by Jeremy Irons) was a stutterer.
I maintain he was not a stutterer. Instead, during his initial phone conversation with John McClane, he stuttered on purpose to make the police suspect he was off balance and just some crazy loon rather than a guy with a master plan to steal all the gold from NYC.
You notice he never stutters again for the entire movie until near the end where he says, "And remember. This was all made possible thanks to the g-g-g-g-gullibility of the New York Police Department!"
So notice where he chooses to stutter - on the word "gullibility." The guy isn't stuttering. He's making fun of the NYPD for believing he was a stutterer.
Or maybe I'm just reading too much into it. Thoughts?
I maintain he was not a stutterer. Instead, during his initial phone conversation with John McClane, he stuttered on purpose to make the police suspect he was off balance and just some crazy loon rather than a guy with a master plan to steal all the gold from NYC.
You notice he never stutters again for the entire movie until near the end where he says, "And remember. This was all made possible thanks to the g-g-g-g-gullibility of the New York Police Department!"
So notice where he chooses to stutter - on the word "gullibility." The guy isn't stuttering. He's making fun of the NYPD for believing he was a stutterer.
Or maybe I'm just reading too much into it. Thoughts?
01-02-08, 02:53 PM
#4
Moderator
He was originally scripted to stutter through the whole picture, but scrapped that idea when Michael Palin left the project and was replaced by Jeremy Irons.
01-02-08, 05:37 PM
#7
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Originally Posted by McHawkson
He did stuttered during the celerating speech with his fellow soldiers near end of the movie.
He obviously was not a stutterer.
01-02-08, 08:57 PM
#9
DVD Talk Legend
He was a stutterer.
The stutter at the beginning was something the police used to help identify him. When the Feds came in and confirmed his identity, you'd think they'd have mentioned something like "he's not really a stutterer," if he hadn't.
The idea that the stutter at the beginning made the police think he was "unhinged" is frankly an offensive suggestion. Stuttering is not a sign of someone being unhinged. The most the police inferred from the stutter is that McClane was able to upset him at that moment.
As for the end, stutters typically get more pronounced when the stutterer has to talk in pubic. He was giving a speech to his whole crew, which likely made him slightly nervous.
As for why he didn't stutter at any other moment in the film, I just took it to mean that he had the stutter mostly under control. There are degrees of stuttering.
The stutter at the beginning was something the police used to help identify him. When the Feds came in and confirmed his identity, you'd think they'd have mentioned something like "he's not really a stutterer," if he hadn't.
The idea that the stutter at the beginning made the police think he was "unhinged" is frankly an offensive suggestion. Stuttering is not a sign of someone being unhinged. The most the police inferred from the stutter is that McClane was able to upset him at that moment.
As for the end, stutters typically get more pronounced when the stutterer has to talk in pubic. He was giving a speech to his whole crew, which likely made him slightly nervous.
As for why he didn't stutter at any other moment in the film, I just took it to mean that he had the stutter mostly under control. There are degrees of stuttering.
01-03-08, 02:16 AM
#11
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by Jay G.
He was a stutterer.
The stutter at the beginning was something the police used to help identify him. When the Feds came in and confirmed his identity, you'd think they'd have mentioned something like "he's not really a stutterer," if he hadn't.
The idea that the stutter at the beginning made the police think he was "unhinged" is frankly an offensive suggestion. Stuttering is not a sign of someone being unhinged. The most the police inferred from the stutter is that McClane was able to upset him at that moment.
As for the end, stutters typically get more pronounced when the stutterer has to talk in pubic. He was giving a speech to his whole crew, which likely made him slightly nervous.
As for why he didn't stutter at any other moment in the film, I just took it to mean that he had the stutter mostly under control. There are degrees of stuttering.
The stutter at the beginning was something the police used to help identify him. When the Feds came in and confirmed his identity, you'd think they'd have mentioned something like "he's not really a stutterer," if he hadn't.
The idea that the stutter at the beginning made the police think he was "unhinged" is frankly an offensive suggestion. Stuttering is not a sign of someone being unhinged. The most the police inferred from the stutter is that McClane was able to upset him at that moment.
As for the end, stutters typically get more pronounced when the stutterer has to talk in pubic. He was giving a speech to his whole crew, which likely made him slightly nervous.
As for why he didn't stutter at any other moment in the film, I just took it to mean that he had the stutter mostly under control. There are degrees of stuttering.
The only way it could have been more obvious Gruber was faking the stutter to throw off the police would be if he looked at a henchman and said "I don't really stutter. I did that to throw off the police."
Last edited by Mr. Salty; 01-03-08 at 02:20 AM.
01-03-08, 10:15 AM
#13
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Originally Posted by Jay G.
He was a stutterer.
The stutter at the beginning was something the police used to help identify him. When the Feds came in and confirmed his identity, you'd think they'd have mentioned something like "he's not really a stutterer," if he hadn't.
The idea that the stutter at the beginning made the police think he was "unhinged" is frankly an offensive suggestion. Stuttering is not a sign of someone being unhinged. The most the police inferred from the stutter is that McClane was able to upset him at that moment.
As for the end, stutters typically get more pronounced when the stutterer has to talk in pubic. He was giving a speech to his whole crew, which likely made him slightly nervous.
As for why he didn't stutter at any other moment in the film, I just took it to mean that he had the stutter mostly under control. There are degrees of stuttering.
The stutter at the beginning was something the police used to help identify him. When the Feds came in and confirmed his identity, you'd think they'd have mentioned something like "he's not really a stutterer," if he hadn't.
The idea that the stutter at the beginning made the police think he was "unhinged" is frankly an offensive suggestion. Stuttering is not a sign of someone being unhinged. The most the police inferred from the stutter is that McClane was able to upset him at that moment.
As for the end, stutters typically get more pronounced when the stutterer has to talk in pubic. He was giving a speech to his whole crew, which likely made him slightly nervous.
As for why he didn't stutter at any other moment in the film, I just took it to mean that he had the stutter mostly under control. There are degrees of stuttering.
LOL!
LOL! Most braindead analysis ever.
Let me make it perfectly clear: He was toying with the police. That's why the stutter. To throw them off. that's why the Helsinki payphone, that's why playing with their telephones, that's why sending the cops around town: misdirection and distraction to divert their attention from what the real deal was: A big heist.
Remember, Simon "Peter Krieg" Gruber was just as cynical and money-lusting as his brother. Killing McClane in the process was just a bonus, not the objective.
This was a guy who ran his own rogue army squad consisting of I don't know how many vigilantes and terrorists - a guy who's an ex-Colonel.
This guy had things UNDER CONTROL - it's clear throughout the entire movie.
Why do you think he stuttered on "g-g-g-g-gullibility"? The very WAY he stuttered on that word should tell you he wasn't actually stuttering. the fact he stuttered on the word "gullibility" - the fact he was criticizing and mocking the police department on their incompetence (seeing how he could confuse them by setting up games here and there).
Seriously, get a brain. Your analysis is horrible. Of course, I hope you are joking.
01-03-08, 10:17 AM
#14
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Originally Posted by Mr. Salty
If you actually believe a single word of what you wrote, you need to rewatch the movie.
The only way it could have been more obvious Gruber was faking the stutter to throw off the police would be if he looked at a henchman and said "I don't really stutter. I did that to throw off the police."
The only way it could have been more obvious Gruber was faking the stutter to throw off the police would be if he looked at a henchman and said "I don't really stutter. I did that to throw off the police."
This is about as braindead was people arguing it was "sweat" that fell from Hannibal's eye at the end of "Hannibal" (cuffs scene) instead of a tear, and presenting ridiculous arguments arguing their doomed case.
01-03-08, 10:22 AM
#15
Moderator
Originally Posted by Legolas
If he were actually a stutterer, the Stutterer Support League and ACLU would've been all over the movie crying discrimination and offensiveness. 
01-03-08, 11:54 AM
#16
DVD Talk Hero
^^ Weren't they also the ones that wanted to "retire" Porky Pig?
01-04-08, 11:46 AM
#18
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Originally Posted by Groucho
He was originally scripted to stutter through the whole picture, but scrapped that idea when Michael Palin left the project and was replaced by Jeremy Irons.
01-04-08, 03:12 PM
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Originally Posted by Groucho
He was originally scripted to stutter through the whole picture, but scrapped that idea when Michael Palin left the project and was replaced by Jeremy Irons.
Originally Posted by Ronnie Dobbs
Michael Palin was supposed to be in Die Hard 3! Whoa.
01-04-08, 09:29 PM
#22
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by Parcher
Let me make it perfectly clear: He was toying with the police. That's why the stutter. To throw them off. that's why the Helsinki payphone, that's why playing with their telephones, that's why sending the cops around town: misdirection and distraction to divert their attention from what the real deal was: A big heist.
Do this little mental exercise: Remove both stutters from the film. How does doing that in any way affect the plot?
Why do you think he stuttered on "g-g-g-g-gullibility"? The very WAY he stuttered on that word should tell you he wasn't actually stuttering.
Also, are we supposed to believe that Gruber told his entire crew beforehand that he was going to fake a stutter for the police? Because either he did that inexplicable action, or a good portion of his listening audience during that speech are going to be like, "what's with the stutter?"
Seriously, get a brain. Your analysis is horrible.
01-04-08, 11:56 PM
#23
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It's been a while since I've seen the movie, but didn't the FBI say that his stuttering was medically related to his headaches.. which is what ultimately took him down?
01-05-08, 01:40 AM
#24
time to save this thread:
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01-05-08, 09:52 AM
#25
Originally Posted by Brack
time to save this thread:
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??? Wow I love the movies but that is possibly one of the worst songs I have ever heard...
Anyway on the stutter, I think he was faking it.
