Scent of a Woman - Another Chance to Choose
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| Scent of a Woman * * * |
Because Scent of a Woman is a drama film, rather than a thriller or a mystery, the protagonist tells us about his goal and the ultimate end of his plan clearly from the beginning: to end his own life. Similarly, Charlie's dilemma is clear from the outset; the audience fully expects his friend to turn to his father to escape the predicament, leaving Charlie to face the school administration entirely alone. Had the film been a thriller, the protagonist would have pursued his plan without revealing its conclusion until the right moment, and Charlie’s situation would have remained equally ambiguous until the climax.
Furthermore, Scent of a Woman features a very specific type of antagonist -one who actually helps the protagonist and prevents him from causing himself harm. Here, Charlie acts as the antagonist who stands in the way of Colonel Frank Slade achieving his goal of suicide. When the protagonist's goal is inherently destructive, the antagonist often takes on this protective role. The film adds an even more beautiful dimension to this dynamic: the antagonist becomes the catalyst for the protagonist’s transformation for the better. Slade is deeply moved by Charlie's integrity and decides to support him in his crisis, effectively stepping into the role of his father.
During his defense of Charlie, we see Frank pause for a thoughtful moment, then state with a meaningful tone that he had stood at a crossroads before. Back then, he failed to make the right choice, even though he knew perfectly well what it was. A few lines earlier, Slade mentioned that years ago, he could see -and indeed, he truly saw. He noted that integrity is a quality of leaders, as if telling himself that he was once in the position of a responsible leader and should have possessed the same integrity as Charlie.
This is precisely why the protagonist’s sense of smell was so remarkably acute; he could, so to speak, (see) without eyes. This symbolizes that the right choice was blindingly obvious to him, thanks to his heightened sensitivity -he could practically smell it- yet he chose otherwise, and life punished him for it. Although the screenplay of Scent of a Woman does not explicitly state what choice Frank made in his past, we intimately feel its weight. We perceive his blindness as a symbolic punishment for his wrong choice, or an indirect consequence of it; because he clearly saw the right path and refused to take it, he was stripped of his sight.
Consequently, throughout he screenplay of Scent of a Woman, Slade repeatedly tries to tempt Charlie into making the wrong choice. However, when he witnesses Charlie's steadfastness, adherence to principle, and inclination toward honor and integrity, he is deeply moved. He realizes that this is the second chance life is offering him to finally make the right choice.
This is the story of Scent of a Woman in its simplest terms. Although the film is long, spanning over two and a half hours, the message behind it is both simple and profoundly deep. Despite its length, the narrative is highly entertaining, making the time fly by effortlessly.
Finished.
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