Your take is your take, but you fundamentally mistook many things in the film. For one, Farleigh is not the same as Oliver, Farleigh is not some "family friend", he was indeed born into it - his mother is Sir James' sister, Felix's aunt. Farleigh is being financially cared for because Farleigh's mother blew through money, so Sir James' took control.
Oliver wasn't going down on a menstruating Venetia for his own sexual gratification. Elspeth told him how Venetia had an eating disorder. What better way to curry favor from Venetia than for Oliver to use their mutual attraction to show her that he's not put off by her and accepts her body completely, down to what her body does.
And while Oliver had a plan all along to get close to Felix, he did not plan on killing half the family and taking over Saltburn. Even Emerald Fennell said Oliver's dream would be to be married to Felix and living in Saltburn with him, but as that was impossible, so him proceeding to go through the family was the "best of a bad bunch of options". She called it a "love story that never happened". Oliver was in love with Felix but was worried he'd be discarded as easily as Pamela was, so he had to get Farleigh ousted and curry favor within the house.
His actions were cascading -every decision Oliver made that led to him getting Saltburn was because he was trying to stay in Felix and the Catton's orbit.
If I misunderstood or outright missed some things in the film about Farleigh then, OK, that would of course lessen what I have said in regard to him.
But I would seek further clarification on the rest of your comment. Outside of sexual gratification or some need of sating his own ego, I don't see why Oliver would seek out Venetia. He did not seem interested in an actual relationship, given how he lied about what happened to Felix. And I don't remember him using any favour that he may have gained with her to his advantage. The most vivid part of their interaction I remember is the image of him in the bathtub that I mentioned, and I still feel that is a rather superficial image. I am also unsure that showing Venetia that he accepts her and her body would even appease him in her mind all that much. Does her mother not call her a sex addict? I imagine someone like that would very much understand their body and more importantly their sex and how to use it, so someone else appealing to that probably isn't going to impress them, her, much.
If we are to say that Oliver did not plan on killing the family, then why did he kill Felix? If he did so because he had betrayed him and ruined the friendship, then why did he even lie in the first place? Why did he continue to kill the rest of the Cattons? Why does he dance at the end of the film?
The dance scene in particular is fundamentally against the argument that Oliver is not a malicious actor that wanted to murder the Cattons. He confidently struts into frame and through the corridors of the mansion before dancing to *Murder on the Dancefloor*. What message is that sending outside of this man has successfully infiltrated this home, murdered the inhabitants, and taken it for himself? He's quite literally gotten away with murder on the dancefloor.
I also do not think the film conveys that any of his actions are a cascading fumble of moves that fall like dominos, but rather a clearly planned out set of actions as to how he can achieve his goals. We see a montage of this, we see him place razor blades at Venetia's side whilst knowing she is suicidal, he drinks from the poisoned bottle he gives to Felix *specifically to make him think it is OK to drink*; these are NOT the actions of someone that isn't meticulously planning each action they are taking.
// I don't see why Oliver would seek out Venetia. He did not seem interested in an actual relationship, given how he lied about what happened to Felix. //
Felix was making eyes at him when he first arrived, as well as during one of the first montages. He’s not looking for a relationship, but he basked in someone being attracted to him. The same reason why he went up to his dorm room with the girl Felix ditched at Oxford.
//And I don't remember him using any favour that he may have gained with her to his advantage.//
It was to have her in his pocket, the same why he studied about the Palissy Plates so he could make Sir James like him by appearing knowledgeable about art. The same way he complimented Elsbeth. He needed to secure his place within their circle and appear interesting so he wouldn’t get cast out like Pamela.
//Does her mother not call her a sex addict? I imagine someone like that would very much understand their body and more importantly their sex and how to use it, so someone else appealing to that probably isn't going to impress them, her, much.//
Elspeth says the boys run a mile and that Venetia is sexually incontinent. The boys don’t stick around, they just use her, which is why Elspeth said maybe finding the right boy or girl would help, so Oliver being there – someone who wasn’t leaving any time soon – would be a boon for Venetia, so she can have someone of her own, but when he chose Felix over her, she created distance between them.
//then why did he kill Felix?//
Because Felix now knew the truth that Oliver was a fantasist and lied about everything. With that knowledge, Felix would surely tell his family and the students back at Oxford, so Oliver was losing Felix and his place in the socials strata he lucked into. And since he knew he was never going to get Felix to forgive him, he had to make that horrible choice to kill him so that his secret would be safe.
// If he did so because he had betrayed him and ruined the friendship, then why did he even lie in the first place? //
He made the first lie about his father because he knew Felix was slipping away from him (kicking him out his dorm room and not inviting him to the bar). He had to make up something to get his sympathy.
Oliver is a habitual liar and wasn’t satisfied with his lot in life. He even lied to his parents: telling them he was the top scholar at school, that he was on the debate team, that he had a job, that he was on the rowing teams and doing plays – he is someone who wanted to live a life less ordinary, which is why he glommed onto Felix in the first place. He saw his beauty, yes, but in the Quad he saw all these people surrounding Felix and knew he wanted to be around that.
//Why did he continue to kill the rest of the Cattons?//
Killed Venetia because she wasn’t fooled by him anymore and he knew it would be a matter of time that the whole house turned against him (Venetia telling him the name Sir James called him).
Elspeth, he just didn’t feel anything for her so instead of keeping up the lie, he dispatched of her. Sir James killed himself.
//Why does he dance at the end of the film?//
As Emerald Fennell says it’s a Pyrrhic victory. He got it, but at what cost. So yes, he’s dancing in the moment, but the reality is that everything that gave that house value was dead and gone. Even in the beginning of the film when there’s a montage, we see Felix sitting in the room that oversaw the maze and the pictures are off the walls and he only has Duncan beside him. All he’s left with is an empty house and stones.
Also, the original ending was that he was sat at the table with runny eggs; stuck with something he didn’t really want.
There is also fifteen years from his entering Oxford to when he reconnects with Elspeth; if his intent all along was to get Saltburn, Oliver was too enterprising to wait it out for fifteen years. When he read Sir James died, he decided to seek out Elspeth because he knew she had a soft spot for him. It was imperfect, but it was a way back in for him.
Well, while I disagree with your take on the film, thank you for engaging with me and discussing.
I’m sure one thing we can agree on is that the film looked wonderful, I absolutely loved the aspect ratio, colour grading, and general cinematography.
And while I ended up disappointed with Saltburn, I am still looking forward to Fennell’s next film: Wuthering Heights. Hopefully it does not suffer from the same pitfalls from my perspective, and I hope you enjoy it!
If you have not already, I recommend listening to one of the released tracks from the films soundtrack, by Charli XCX, called House (ft. John Cale).
Your take is your take, but you fundamentally mistook many things in the film. For one, Farleigh is not the same as Oliver, Farleigh is not some "family friend", he was indeed born into it - his mother is Sir James' sister, Felix's aunt. Farleigh is being financially cared for because Farleigh's mother blew through money, so Sir James' took control.
Oliver wasn't going down on a menstruating Venetia for his own sexual gratification. Elspeth told him how Venetia had an eating disorder. What better way to curry favor from Venetia than for Oliver to use their mutual attraction to show her that he's not put off by her and accepts her body completely, down to what her body does.
And while Oliver had a plan all along to get close to Felix, he did not plan on killing half the family and taking over Saltburn. Even Emerald Fennell said Oliver's dream would be to be married to Felix and living in Saltburn with him, but as that was impossible, so him proceeding to go through the family was the "best of a bad bunch of options". She called it a "love story that never happened". Oliver was in love with Felix but was worried he'd be discarded as easily as Pamela was, so he had to get Farleigh ousted and curry favor within the house.
His actions were cascading -every decision Oliver made that led to him getting Saltburn was because he was trying to stay in Felix and the Catton's orbit.
Thank you for reading and commenting!
If I misunderstood or outright missed some things in the film about Farleigh then, OK, that would of course lessen what I have said in regard to him.
But I would seek further clarification on the rest of your comment. Outside of sexual gratification or some need of sating his own ego, I don't see why Oliver would seek out Venetia. He did not seem interested in an actual relationship, given how he lied about what happened to Felix. And I don't remember him using any favour that he may have gained with her to his advantage. The most vivid part of their interaction I remember is the image of him in the bathtub that I mentioned, and I still feel that is a rather superficial image. I am also unsure that showing Venetia that he accepts her and her body would even appease him in her mind all that much. Does her mother not call her a sex addict? I imagine someone like that would very much understand their body and more importantly their sex and how to use it, so someone else appealing to that probably isn't going to impress them, her, much.
If we are to say that Oliver did not plan on killing the family, then why did he kill Felix? If he did so because he had betrayed him and ruined the friendship, then why did he even lie in the first place? Why did he continue to kill the rest of the Cattons? Why does he dance at the end of the film?
The dance scene in particular is fundamentally against the argument that Oliver is not a malicious actor that wanted to murder the Cattons. He confidently struts into frame and through the corridors of the mansion before dancing to *Murder on the Dancefloor*. What message is that sending outside of this man has successfully infiltrated this home, murdered the inhabitants, and taken it for himself? He's quite literally gotten away with murder on the dancefloor.
I also do not think the film conveys that any of his actions are a cascading fumble of moves that fall like dominos, but rather a clearly planned out set of actions as to how he can achieve his goals. We see a montage of this, we see him place razor blades at Venetia's side whilst knowing she is suicidal, he drinks from the poisoned bottle he gives to Felix *specifically to make him think it is OK to drink*; these are NOT the actions of someone that isn't meticulously planning each action they are taking.
// I don't see why Oliver would seek out Venetia. He did not seem interested in an actual relationship, given how he lied about what happened to Felix. //
Felix was making eyes at him when he first arrived, as well as during one of the first montages. He’s not looking for a relationship, but he basked in someone being attracted to him. The same reason why he went up to his dorm room with the girl Felix ditched at Oxford.
//And I don't remember him using any favour that he may have gained with her to his advantage.//
It was to have her in his pocket, the same why he studied about the Palissy Plates so he could make Sir James like him by appearing knowledgeable about art. The same way he complimented Elsbeth. He needed to secure his place within their circle and appear interesting so he wouldn’t get cast out like Pamela.
//Does her mother not call her a sex addict? I imagine someone like that would very much understand their body and more importantly their sex and how to use it, so someone else appealing to that probably isn't going to impress them, her, much.//
Elspeth says the boys run a mile and that Venetia is sexually incontinent. The boys don’t stick around, they just use her, which is why Elspeth said maybe finding the right boy or girl would help, so Oliver being there – someone who wasn’t leaving any time soon – would be a boon for Venetia, so she can have someone of her own, but when he chose Felix over her, she created distance between them.
//then why did he kill Felix?//
Because Felix now knew the truth that Oliver was a fantasist and lied about everything. With that knowledge, Felix would surely tell his family and the students back at Oxford, so Oliver was losing Felix and his place in the socials strata he lucked into. And since he knew he was never going to get Felix to forgive him, he had to make that horrible choice to kill him so that his secret would be safe.
// If he did so because he had betrayed him and ruined the friendship, then why did he even lie in the first place? //
He made the first lie about his father because he knew Felix was slipping away from him (kicking him out his dorm room and not inviting him to the bar). He had to make up something to get his sympathy.
Oliver is a habitual liar and wasn’t satisfied with his lot in life. He even lied to his parents: telling them he was the top scholar at school, that he was on the debate team, that he had a job, that he was on the rowing teams and doing plays – he is someone who wanted to live a life less ordinary, which is why he glommed onto Felix in the first place. He saw his beauty, yes, but in the Quad he saw all these people surrounding Felix and knew he wanted to be around that.
//Why did he continue to kill the rest of the Cattons?//
Killed Venetia because she wasn’t fooled by him anymore and he knew it would be a matter of time that the whole house turned against him (Venetia telling him the name Sir James called him).
Elspeth, he just didn’t feel anything for her so instead of keeping up the lie, he dispatched of her. Sir James killed himself.
//Why does he dance at the end of the film?//
As Emerald Fennell says it’s a Pyrrhic victory. He got it, but at what cost. So yes, he’s dancing in the moment, but the reality is that everything that gave that house value was dead and gone. Even in the beginning of the film when there’s a montage, we see Felix sitting in the room that oversaw the maze and the pictures are off the walls and he only has Duncan beside him. All he’s left with is an empty house and stones.
Also, the original ending was that he was sat at the table with runny eggs; stuck with something he didn’t really want.
There is also fifteen years from his entering Oxford to when he reconnects with Elspeth; if his intent all along was to get Saltburn, Oliver was too enterprising to wait it out for fifteen years. When he read Sir James died, he decided to seek out Elspeth because he knew she had a soft spot for him. It was imperfect, but it was a way back in for him.
Well, while I disagree with your take on the film, thank you for engaging with me and discussing.
I’m sure one thing we can agree on is that the film looked wonderful, I absolutely loved the aspect ratio, colour grading, and general cinematography.
And while I ended up disappointed with Saltburn, I am still looking forward to Fennell’s next film: Wuthering Heights. Hopefully it does not suffer from the same pitfalls from my perspective, and I hope you enjoy it!
If you have not already, I recommend listening to one of the released tracks from the films soundtrack, by Charli XCX, called House (ft. John Cale).