Poll
(Love and Semantics) In the movie Splash!, there are several relevant incidents. Near the beginning, Tom Hanks is having a fraught telephone conversation with his girlfriend Victoria. “What do you mean, do I love you?” he asks. He’s clearly been put on the spot. “Well, do you love me? Huh? Huh? Well, there you go then!” But this doesn’t work out well, and shortly afterwards we find she’s left him.
Later, after Hanks has met Daryl Hannah, she unexpectedly gives him an enormous fountain as a present. “Why did you do that?” he asks, bemused. “Because I love you,” she answers. Hanks is taken aback by this forthright declaration. “I love… this present!” he stammers, as usual avoiding the fatal words. Then he reconsiders. “I love you, Madison!” He’s surprised he wants to say it.
When Tom Hanks's character told Daryl Hannah that he loved her, he didn’t mean anything in particular.
Later, after Hanks has met Daryl Hannah, she unexpectedly gives him an enormous fountain as a present. “Why did you do that?” he asks, bemused. “Because I love you,” she answers. Hanks is taken aback by this forthright declaration. “I love… this present!” he stammers, as usual avoiding the fatal words. Then he reconsiders. “I love you, Madison!” He’s surprised he wants to say it.
When Tom Hanks's character told Daryl Hannah that he loved her, he didn’t mean anything in particular.
He did mean something.
He just said it because he was being polite, the way you might say “Fine, thanks” if someone said “Hello, how are you?”
He said it without thinking at all, the way you might say “Shit!” if you hit your thumb with a hammer.
Poll added by: Manny
