Knifes Out Study Notes

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Knives Out is a two-hour movie about investigating the death of Harlan Thrombey, a mystery novel writer who was found dead in his office with his throat slashed by the housekeeper Fran. After his funeral, the family, along with Marta, his nurse, was questioned by investigators Lieutenant Elliot, Trooper Wagner, and Benoit Blanc, a famous private investigator. The investigation starts with Linda Drysdale, Harlen’s oldest daughter. She owns her own company with the help of her husband, Richard. Questioning her reveals that Harlan died in the evening after his 85th birthday party. She reveals that she heard Walt, her brother, arguing with Harlan at the party. Walt is then called into question after the revelation. Walt recalls the argument but …show more content…

She says no, then vomits in a decorative vase. Blanc then asks her to describe her recollection of the events after the party. She remembers the truth about injecting Harlan with the wrong medication. She remembers telling Harlan that he is going to die and that she needs to call 911, but Harlan stops her. To save Marta and her undocumented mother, he devises a plan and gives her specific instructions. He tells her to make it obvious when she is leaving and tells her to go off the road and return to the house by the side gate. She climbs the trellis through a window, but slips and breaks off a piece. She continues to Harlan’s room, dons his clothes, and goes downstairs so his family can see him alive. When she was leaving, Great Nana saw her. Marta froze in panic, but Great Nana said, “Ransom, are you back already?” After she recollects the events, she gives Blanc a watered-down version of the events without throwing up by following Harlan’s instructions. Then she heads to the bathroom and vomits. Later, during Harlan’s memorial, she had a panic attack due to her guilt. The next day, Blanc asks Marta to join him in his …show more content…

The family is upset at Ransom for missing out on the funeral, but not for the reading of the will. While they argue, Blanc leaves to continue his investigation, but the dogs bring him a piece of broken trellis. The will is read, and it is revealed that the entirety of Harlan’s estate goes to Marta. The family is in disbelief and confronts Marta. She decides to leave, but her car won’t start, so she leaves with Ransom. He takes her to a diner and gives her food. He then tells her that he needs the truth, and he knows that if she lies, she will vomit. She tells him everything, and he promises to help her if he gets his share of the inheritance. Ransom takes her home, but on the next day, tons of press are at her home. She decides to sneak through the back, only to be confronted by Walt. She retreats inside and finds blank mail with a message saying, “I know what you did” and a part of the toxicology report. She calls it Ransom. They go to the medical examiner’s office, where they encounter a fire. The investigators, including Blanc, were there,

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