ANALYSIS CONFLICTS IN FILM "KNIVES OUT" STORY

Name               : Yohana Setia Risli

NIM                : 321170014

Socio-Psycho

CONFLICTS IN "KNIVES OUT" STORY

KINDS OF CONFLICTS: man vs. self, man vs. society, man vs. man, man vs. nature/supernatural.

 

KNIVES OUT

The success of Harlan's career as a novelist succeeded in making his descendants have an established and secure life. However, behind the glamorous life that appears from the outside, this family also has its own drama. Behind the happiness of seeing his children and grandchildren able to live an all-round life, Harlan harbored a hope. Harlan hopes that all members of his family can live independently without relying on his father's wealth.

Knives Out is the story of a detective with xenophobic innuendo. Not just presenting puzzles, which makes the audience, wonder this film also presents a sentiment towards racial sentiment. The story begins when a household assistant named Fran, finds host Harlan Thrombey, the famous mystery novelist, has died with a knife cut on his neck in his office. The case, which was initially thought to be a suicide, caused a commotion, especially because it happened after the night before, Harlan had just celebrated his 85th birthday party. Although it is known that Harlan's death was caused by a suicide, the police and the detective smelled a structured plan and a high-level conspiracy that began Harlan's suicide.

Here is the conflict in the film Knives Out:

1.     Harlan Thrombey was found dead in his office after his 85th birthday party.

 

On his 85th birthday, Harlan invited all his family members to his house for a party. Families present at the party included Harlan's eldest daughter Linda with Richard's husband and Ransom's son, Harlan's youngest son, Walt with his wife and son, Jacob. Joni's son-in-law, the widow of Harlan's second child who had died, Neil also came. Joni came with his daughter, Megan.

 

The morning after the birthday party was held, a household assistant at Thrombey's residence found Harlan dead in his office. Thrombey has an incision in the neck. This incident would have been declared a suicide until finally a private detective joined in investigating the death of Harlan.

2.     The arrival of a popular detective, Benoit Blanc

 

Benoit Blanc said that he had been paid by someone to unravel the mystery of Harlan's death. The detective came together with two colleagues from the police. They held an interview with each member of the Thrombey family. The aim of the detective is to uncover the situation that occurred in the night before Harlan was found dead. From the results of the interrogation, Blanc discovered the fact that there were several members of the Thrombey family who lied. They lied to hide their dark secrets, which Harlan allegedly knew before his death.

 

Detectives find that there are not completed in the story told by each person in the Thrombey family. Every questioning by Benoit Blanc in the end made it increasingly clear where this tragedy would lead. But like a donut that has a hole in the middle of the batter, this case too. There are still many holes that must be closed immediately to solve various scattered clues.

Moreover, the arrival of Benoit Blanc also has a mystery that must be solved by himself namely about who actually invited him to uncover the mystery that is neatly wrapped in the vortex of this conspiracy.

 

 

3.     Overdose of morphine

 

 

Marta Cabrera, unintentionally gave her an overdose of morphine instead of ordinary medicine and could not find an antidote so Harlan only had a few minutes to live. Martha is hiding so as not to be interrogated by the detective. But his efforts were in vain, he was caught while eavesdropping on detective talks with the police. At that time Martha tried to hide the truth, because she did not want any misunderstanding. Martha was very scared, but she tried to relax and calm down when asked questions by the detective. Humanly, Martha could not forget the process of death from Harlan, because at that time he was giving medicine to him.

That night Martha tried to call the hospital, but Heerlen begged Martha not to call them. Martha was very afraid that Harlan’s condition was getting worse, but in the minutes before Harlan killed himself, he gave an order to Martha to pretend to be him. The purpose of Harlan’s plan is to save Martha's life, so that Martha does not become a suspect of Harlan’s murder. But let the incident become official as suicide.

Martha could not help it, she finally threw up. Marta cannot lie without vomiting first so she gives the correct but incomplete answer when Blanc asks her. Blanc asks Marta to help with his investigation. When they searched Harlan's property, Marta tried to hide evidence.

 

4.     Conflict of  Harlan Thrombey’s Family

 

 

After interrogating Martha, finally Harlan's will was read by Harlan's lawyer, Alan Stevens, and contained all his belongings for Marta, making Marta and all members of the Thrombey family surprised. They blame Alan and Marta they do not trust the whole inheritance given to Martha. All the family was angry and blamed Martha, they thought it was not true and the will was faked. Even though when they saw the evidence given about the will, they still did not receive it. Here conflicts occur between families, which make Martha go home together with Ransom.

 

5.     Ransom and Martha

 

Ransom helped Marta escape. Ransom persuaded Marta to confess to him and offered to help him in exchange for part of his inheritance. All other family members tried to persuade Marta to leave her inheritance, then Walt threatened to expose Marta's mother as an illegal immigrant.

Illegal immigrants are a group of people who enter or live in a country illegally. Illegal in question is not following immigration laws, for example entering the destination country without permission and not through the main entrance.

Here Ransom faces an inner conflict. Ransom was actually very upset because Martha had inherited Harlan's wealth, even though Martha was only a nurse and had no blood relations whatsoever. But Ransom played smoothly, he tried to persuade Martha to give the will and replace it in the name of Ransom.

 

6.     Martha confused

 

Marta received an anonymous extortion note with a partial copy of Harlan's toxicology report. Martha did not covet Harlan's treasure he even tried not to get involved. Martha agreed to Ransom's offer to examine several documents at the medical place where Martha worked. He and Ransom went to the medical examiner's office, but the copy was destroyed in a fire. Marta receives an anonymous e-mail with time and address to meet a blackmailer.

Unexpectedly Blanc and the police also investigated the destroyed medical examiner's office. They were in position before Martha and Ransom arrived. From afar Blanc saw Marta and Ransom in the car. Blanc and other police officers chased their fast cars. After the brief car chase, police arrested Ransom, and then Blanc explained to Marta that Great Nana saw Ransom come down from Harlan's room on the night of his death. Great Nana who never spoke to others, finally told all the events to Blanc.

 

7.     Martha meets Harlan’s servant

 

 

Finally Martha Marta and Blanc left for Harlan's house. But in the middle of the journey Martha asked to stop by somewhere to pick up the goods. Previously Martha got an e-mail that was not clear who sent it, but Martha nevertheless came to that place. He went to the e-mail address, when he got there he entered a dark, dirty, dusty and scary room. From a distance Martha saw a faint shadow, Martha hesitated to approach him, and he shouted "who is there?" but there is no answer. Martha approached him slowly. Unexpectedly, he found Fran anesthetized together with Marta's missing medical case. Marta then hesitates, realizing that Fran can link Marta with crime, but she does CPR on Fran and calls 911. Ambulance immediately arrives and takes Fran to the hospital. Marta confessed to Blanc, but Ransom had told him. At home, Marta finds a copy of the complete toxicology report hidden in Fran's cannabis storage. Marta will confess to the Thrombey family that he caused Harlan's death, but Blanc blocks Marta after reading the report.

 

8.     Inner conflict experienced by Fran

 

 

The inner conflict experienced by Fran is very alarming. Which Fran was very surprised when she saw Harlan, who was already dead that morning, Fran was about to deliver breakfast to Harlan, with a happy heart Fran knocked on Harlan's door, but there was no answer. As usual, Fran enters and looks for his master's whereabouts. She did not find Harlan in his room, and then she looked for Harlan in his office. When she opened the door, she was shocked and cried out in terror. She saw a knife stuck in Harlan's neck.

 

9.     Harlan Thrombey

 

 

Harlan is a very famous person. Not only that, he is also a very friendly and generous person. So it is not surprising that his death was horrendous for many parties. He is famous as an author of a famous and wealthy mystery book. Harlan loved his family very much. In fact he wants to educate his family to love each other. Harlan was very sad when he knew that his children and grandchildren only wanted his wealth. Maybe that is the reason why Harlan gave his inheritance to Martha.

As he gets older, there should be many children who care for him, care for him, accompany him in their old age. But unfortunately, all his children only came to him when he was happy. That's what made Harlan so lonely, and the only person who always accompanied him was Martha, the nurse. Harlan believes that Martha is a good person, someone who does not think about wealth, and fame. Harlan wants Martha to become a trusted person to inherit his wealth. For this reason, Harlan wrote a will on behalf of Martha.

 

10.  The Truth

 

 

Blanc revealed the pieces to Marta, Ransom and the police. After Ransom learned that Harlan gave everything to Marta at his birthday party, he exchanged the contents of Marta's medicine bottle and stole his antidote so he would kill Harlan with an overdose of morphine, making Marta ineligible to claim an inheritance because Marta was considered a murderer. However, Marta really gave the correct medicine without reading the label, recognizing it based on the weight and viscosity of the liquid so that Marta was not guilty of Harlan's death. After Harlan's death was reported as suicide, Ransom anonymously hired Blanc to find Marta's fault.

Fran then sees Ransom steal Marta's medical case to hide the fact that the contents of the small bottle have been replaced and send extortion e-mails to Ransom. Knowing that Marta had unknowingly given Harlan the right medicine, Ransom forwarded extortion e-mails to Marta. Ransom set fire to the medical examiner's office to destroy evidence of Marta's innocence. Eventually, Ransom drugged Fran with an overdose of morphine and sent an email to her location to Marta, planning to trap Marta for Fran's murder.

Marta deceives Ransom into confessing by lying that Fran is safe and he will drag Ransom. After Ransom confessed and vowed revenge, Marta immediately threw up in front of Ransom, revealing lies. Enraged, Ransom attacked Marta with a knife but she found it to be a stage knife that could be pulled. The police have recorded Ransom's confession, and then Ransom was arrested when Marta watched from Harlan's house which is now his home.