Power of the Dog Plot Synopsis
The Power of the Dog is a thought-provoking film that may not be for everyone. You should go into it with no distractions to get the most out of it. ..
The movie opens with the death of Bronco Henry, a big man who was loved by many. The funeral weighs heavily on the characters and their emotions are purple, bruised and ready to burst at any moment.
Phil Burbank is a powerful man with a deep anger and a passionate interest in the world around him. He invokes fear and wonder in those around him, and when his brother George brings home a new wife in Rose and her “half-wit” son Peter, Phil lashes out at the changes in his life.
What happened to Peter in the past? And is he a psychopath?
After getting bullied and humiliated by Phil across the movie’s run-time, Peter strikes an unlikely bond with the rancher. While together, Phil agrees to make a lasso from rawhide as a gift.
Just prior to this conversation, Peter stumbled upon a whole stash of nude magazines with Bronco Henry written on the front. We’ll circle back to that in a bit, but it’s important because Phil is at his most vulnerable when Peter sees him take a bath nearby to where these magazines are hidden.
As the pair talk together in the barn later in the movie, Peter clearly sees a lot of his father in Phil. The man was cruel and unlike Phil (who is clearly a chain-smoking addict) his father was an alcoholic. Peter was the one who found his father hanging from the rafters. He cut him down and had the awful ordeal of seeing his father dead. Peter is perceived to be a timid, shy boy from the beginning but after learning this, it’s clear that he’s anything but.
While out together in the fields, Phil and Peter watch as Peter snaps the neck of a rabbit without even flinching. The action is so nonchalant that Phil actually finds himself intimidated – and maybe a little impressed – by Peter’s actions.
Peter is a manipulative and deceptive person who is very good at playing the role of Phil. He uses his weaknesses around Bronco Henry to outsmart him.
What causes Rose to start drink?
Peter blames Phil for his mother’s health taking a dive, claiming that Phil is the reason his mother has started to drink. Much like Peter, Rose has taken a fair brunt of psychological abuse across the movie. When she’s playing the piano and practicing for the governor, Phil taunts her by playing the banjo in unison with her. He even completely upstages her too, playing expertly from the upstairs balcony and ending it with a pretty violent strum. ..
Rose is so nervous and torn that she can’t play. But that doesn’t stop Phil from showing up at the eleventh hour and pointing out that she’s been practicing for days. Embarrassed in front of these esteemed guests, Phil sarcastically retorts that it’s a “shame” there’s no dancing. This leads Rose down the slippery slope of addiction.
Were Bronco Henry and Phil in love?
The biggest point of contention across the movie is Phil’s affection for Bronco Henry. The words “a friend” are laid out above his saddle, which has a special place in the barn away from everyone else. We see Phil meticulously clean the saddle and doing so in a loving way. ..
Phil is also unwilling to wash-up too, which could suggest that he doesn’t want to “wash away” the touch of Bronco Henry. The nude magazines with Bronco’s name written on the front depict numerous male models inside. This, coupled with the cloth Phil holds dear, seems to hint at a secret relationship between the pair. ..
The cloth itself also has the initials “B.H.” and if that wasn’t enough, Phil clearly demonstrates his prowess with the cloth by brushing it gently across his body.
It’s fair to say that the pair were involved in a relationship, with the secret area a potential place for them both to be together. It’s also worth pointing out that while the cowhands call Peter a faggot, the camera swiftly cuts to Phil’s face. He refuses to engage in this same name-calling, another potential hint. ..
Was Phil’s death foreshadowed?
The shadow of a dog is seen in the distance during the midway point of the movie. This could be interpreted as a symbol for death, as black dogs are often associated with it in European folklore. Additionally, this could be interpreted as a reference to Bronco Henry’s death, as he was killed by a dog in the movie.
Rose listens as the housemaid discusses the nature of death. She speaks of a deceased that continued to grow hair even after her death, with golden locks “taking up all the room” save for some grey at the end. This makes the end scene, with Phil being shaved and free from his beard, that much more significant too. Both of these instances hint that Phil was always going to be killed.
How does Phil die? And does Peter kill Phil?
We follow the story of a man who contracted anthrax and died from it. There are clues throughout the film that point to the root cause of his death being anthrax. We learn more about this outbreak and what caused it in the end.
After Rose drunkenly gives away all of Phil’s rawhide, Peter senses an opportunity and strikes. He cuts away some of his own rawhide, being sure to wear gloves while doing so. This confirms that he knew the hides were infected with a disease. ..
When Phil learns of the rawhide being sold, Peter suggests he use his own tainted hides. After Phil cut his hands moving logs earlier on, Phil drops the infected rawhide into water; the camera shows his hands submerged in the water, complete with his open wound. This singular action starts the slippery slope toward Phil passing away.
Bronco Henry is the biggest flaw in Phil’s character because he loves Peter too much. He constantly says things like “it’s a hill” and “Peter reminds me of Henry.” This makes the bond between Phil and Bronco Henry weaker because Phil is always looking out for Peter instead of himself.
In the movie’s closing scenes, we see Peter pick up the finished braided rope with gloves on and push it gently under Phil’s bed. As he stands up, a thin smile crosses his lips. The revenge has been carried out with surgical precision. Peter killed Phil, and this seems to have been his plan all along.
The dog movie is a genre that has been around for a while, but it’s only recently become popular. The dog movie is a movie about a dog who is loved by the people in the film and who helps them out.
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