EVERY WHICH WAY: The Story 2. The Big Fight

[KC]

I thought it was kind of a hip script myself when I read it. Here is a guy pouring his heart out to an ape and losing the girl. I liked the correlation with some of my westerns, too. The guy purposely loses the big fight at the end because he doesn't want to go around being the fastest gun in the West.

(Eastwood in Fuensanta Plaza's Clint Eastwood/Malpaso, p. 93.)

Is this the impression you had as to why Philo Beddoe throws the fight? If not, why do you think Philo lets Tank Murdock beat him? Would you have preferred to see Philo win the fight?

[misty71]

I have to admit, I was SO mad the first time I saw the ending
 I though, did he really have to lose both the girl and the fight? Isnt the movie called Every Which way BUT loose?
 But I got used to it.I would have prefered it if hed won the fight you know.Because people made fun of him because of Clyde, and I wanted him to show the world how good he really was at fighting.
 
Actually, no, I havent got used to the ending...it annoys me.I wish hed still lose the girl, but won the fight.

[Matt]

Who am I to question Clint on why Philo Beddoe threw the fight?  Well, I'm going to anyway.  He didn't write the script.  

Moments before Philo met up with Tank Murdock, he lost one of the things that mattered most to him in the world... Lynn Halsey-Taylor.  Okay, he never really had her, but he didn't know that.  Chasing her from California to Denver... I have to believe that he imagined himself building a life with this woman.  I have to believe he thought she felt the same feelings for him that he did for her.  And not only did she tell him she didn't want to see him anymore, but she hit him, and she beat him, and she yelled at him that she hated him, and she called him stupid.  He lost her in a severe way.  He now knows what loss feels like more than he probably ever had before.

He walks away from that situation and right into the next where he's finally going to fight the legendary Tank Murdock... a man whose reputation was so great, that it spanned several states.  He expected a tough competitor, he expected a challenge.  Instead, he got an out-of-shape, older man still wearing his high-school sweater, as if he was clinging onto nothing but memories of his youth... as if his reputation and the past were all that mattered to him.  Philo knows immediately that he could take him, and he was ready to.  Until he heard the crowd say things like, "He's gonna beat Tank Murdock!" or "Tank's all washed up," and other derogatory remarks shouted at Tank.  Philo looks into Murdock's eyes and he sees the fear of what this loss will do to his life.  And as the crowd boos Murdock over and over, Philo changes his mind about wanting to win the fight and lets him beat him.  Philo laid there and heard the men cheering their legendary hero and knew that he had given that man back his dignity and his reputation... perhaps those same things that he felt he had just lost himself.  And perhaps by so doing, he regained his own lost dignity.

I can't think of a more apt ending to this film... it shows great character and great dignity for Philo to have done that, and is probably my single most favorite moment of this film.

[Lilly]

Interesting thoughts Matt... It's a while since I've watched this film, but I remember being surprised when Philo threw the fight.  I had fallen into the trap of expecting a happy Hollywood hero's ending, with Philo showing the world he was the best.  My initial reaction was that Philo let Tank win because he didn't want all the fuss and attention that would go with beating him, and with being the acknowledged best bare-knuckle fighter around.  Despite showing other fighters (and the Black Widows!) who's boss, Philo is essentially a quiet, humble guy.  He had just been hurt by the loss of Lynn, and probably just wanted to go home and lick his wounds in obscurity.  I hadn't before thought of it in terms of his compassion for Tank, but that's also I pleasant interpretation.  

[D'Ambrosia]

My initial reaction was that Philo let Tank win because he didn't want all the fuss and attention that would go with beating him, and with being the acknowledged best bare-knuckle fighter around.  Despite showing other fighters (and the Black Widows!) who's boss, Philo is essentially a quiet, humble guy.  He had just been hurt by the loss of Lynn, and probably just wanted to go home and lick his wounds in obscurity.  

That's my take on it to Lilly.  I don't think Philo all of a sudden feels compassion for Tank.  On the contrary, he could give two turds about him.  Just like the surrounding crowd.  As soon as Philo starts winning, the crowd is like "He's washed up, he's done..."  "This guy is the new Tank Murdock..."  Were going to make lot's of money on him..."  As soon as you don't win any more people don't want you, or they turn on you.  It's a false front of people who pretend to be your friend, but as soon as you don't give them what they want, they turn thier backs on you.  

He just got taken for a big ride by Lynn and doesn't want to deal with all of that crap of being the new champion and all...

I don't buy it that he feels sorry for Tank.  Just doesn't work for me...

[mgk]

It's funny how some of us see this scene so differently.  I always thought Philo threw the fight because he was very concerned about Tank Murdock.  He saw the fear in Murdock's face and we could see the concern in Philo's face. I just don't think Philo was worried too much about becoming the next "champion."

When you watch this film, it's fun to watch and we see some scrappy fights but throughout the film Philo shows us repeatedly what a basically nice person he is.  And, I think that's what we see at the end.  I would much rather think that Philo felt sorry for the waning Murdock and gave him the gift of lasting a little longer than to think that he was so concerned about himself that he didn't want to be the next champion.

[D'Ambrosia]

It just seems a little odd that the whole movie is building up to this giant fight at the end and when the climax finally unfolds were left there to believe that the whole reason he threw the fight is because he felt sorry for Tank?  Hmmmm?  I don’t know.  It's got to be deeper that just that...

Maybe it’s a combination of several things...

[Matt]

I don't think Philo cared about TANK as much as he just naturally cares about people in general.  As mgk wrote, it's shown over and over in the film.  And the man he had always wanted to fight... the legendary Tank Murdock turned out to be a 40+ year old man, clearly out of shape, who still wore his letter sweater from High School.  He was surrounded by his friends and fans who were suddenly booing him and talking about him being all washed up.  Like mgk, I just don't see Philo as the kind of man who was so concerned with himself that he was even thinking of himself and his future at that point, but I can definitely see him as someone who would throw a fight to preserve another man's reputation.  

I've watched the scene closely a few times, and I can see both sides, I suppose it could go either way.  But when I think of Philo's character and the kind of man he's shown us he is... this seems to be more in his nature.

I know it's just a story, but I've even wondered if Tank would have retired after that fight, knowing that he had been beat.  He had to have known Philo had thrown the fight, and probably wondered himself... why.

[KC]

One thing I like about Eastwood movies is that they so often leave you wondering, "And then what happened?" And you can continue the story any way you like ... the way that you think is most satisfying. Eastwood calls that "not tying things up with a Hollywood bow."

Matt, I'd say you're on to something about Tank. If he knows what's good for him, he'll retire and rest on his "laurels." He can always say that in his last fight he beat the great Philo Beddoe.

Oh, and I tend to support the theory that Philo threw the fight because of sympathy for what Tank was going through, rather than because of concerns for his future as the new bare-knuckles champ. Philo seems to me to be too much of a live-for-the-moment guy to make decisions based on such anxiety about the future.

[Matt]

mgk, I'd say you're on to something about Tank. If he knows what's good for him, he'll retire and rest on his "laurels." He can always say that in his last fight he beat the great Philo Beddoe.

Am I looking like mgk today?  

[KC]

  You both do begin with an "m," though, don't you?

I was going through these threads and noticed that mgk seemed to be posting her "final thoughts." Just read through this one a bit too hastily, though. I"ll correct it for posterity.

[Matt]

Philo seems to me to be too much of a live-for-the-moment guy to make decisions based on such anxiety about the future.

Another good point.  Definitely agree with that.

[mgk]

Thanks, everyone! This thread is now locked.  Please post any additional thoughts you have on this topic in the General Discussion forum.

[The Schofield Kid]

This topic has been temporarily unlocked.  Feel free to post any additional thoughts or discussion here.

[The Man With No Aim]

It has been some years since I saw this film. I remember that, at that time, I assessed Philo's behavior as being purely from compassion for Tank. My impression of Philo was that he was so self assured that he didnt give a (expletive deleted) about what his decision meant as to an affect on his own well being. He felt like he could take care of himself and he wanted to do right for his fellow human. So he helped Tank.

[Gant]

I always thought Philo threw the fight because he realised that he didn't want to become "the new Tank Murdock" as one of the crowd exclaims during the fight when Philo's easily getting the better of him...

[The Man With No Aim]

There are certainly a lot of strong clues to support the case that Philo disliked the idea of having the rest of his life follow the Tank course.

There have been so many times in my life when my decision has been made on the basis of not just one, but, a combination of motives that pushed me one way and not the other. It is possible that Clint was portraying Philo as being influenced by several motives simultaneously. If so, it would be still one more reason to admire the fabulous Clint acting ability. 

[Alan C]

Why did Philo lose the fight to Tank Murdock? That is the big question, right? I don't think any of the answers provided here in the forum are right although one posted goes close. My brother nailed the answer for me back in the 1980s when we hired the movie on VHS. My brother said afterwards " He (Philo) didn't want to get used. NAILED THE ANSWER! You see, Philo was used by Halsey-Taylor and Philo never expected it or saw it coming. He was head over heels for her and he actually thought she really liked him too. He was way off the mark. She used him as a matter of convenience. Then when Philo is about to dethrone Tank...what do we hear? Some punter saying "Boy, are we gonna make money on him (Philo). There it goes again! People ready to use him. You can see Philo's listening and his eyes looking back and considering that comment. So the next scene is Philo deliberately dropping his guard and WHAM! Tank lands a blow to change the outcome of the fight. Yep! No one gonna use Philo Beddoe now! Philo not gonna make the same mistake twice. What do you fans think my brother's answer?

[KC]

I think your brother is on to something. Good post!

And welcome to the Board, Alan C!

[Lin Sunderland]

Hi Alan C Welcome to the board.

Your brother has another take on the outcome of the Philo, Tank fight. Not one I have thought of before. Clint often gives us the option to choose an ending for ourselves. I feel that is how it is in real life. We can't read the thoughts of other people so could never know 100% why they behave in a particular way. There is every possibility Philo would have felt used therefore he threw the fight to prevent others controlling his life. A very interesting point.