What He Truly Wanted | Saltburn Explained

[@alexengland-shinemercy]

I don't agree that Oliver essentially just wanted the generational wealth, the estate. I read it more as a portrayal of desire, how it's actually really messy and complex. I feel like Oliver wanted Felix, but not just as a friend, or a lover, Qiliver wanted all of that, *and* Felix's whole life. To have him *and* to be him. And the whole family. And he hated them all too, at the same time as he desired all of them and all of it.

[@flygrace]

That's exactly how I understood it. Obsession and desire, not avarice and envy. And the turning point comes when Felix discovers his deceit and rejects him. Then knowing that he will never have Felix, Oliver does the next best thing and (as Venetia put it) consumes him.

[@CloudyTVhenry]

I definitely can see your perspective here and largely agree that he wanted Felix in all the ways you describe. But the ending of him dancing so care free and happy in the castle having now gotten that wealth and status he so desired made me feel like his feelings towards Felix may not have been that genuine in the first place. But i do think that his obsession with Felix, his family and their possessions ultimately is his driving factor, but when it came down to it, if he couldn’t have Felix he was more than happy to just settle for the money.

[@surrealsista]

My gut in the first half of the movie kept saying he was a sociopath, then by the second half it was confirmed when he said he just was acting and doing what Felix wanted…that’s something a sociopath would do. Which means he didn’t care about any of them, he just pretended to to get what he wanted…the way he manipulated each of them was classic sociopath behavior. The only thing that makes me not 100% cry sociopath is that he cried when no one else was watching, over Felix. Who would that be a show for? The audience/viewers of the movie? Were we as viewers also being manipulated by a sociopath by being allowed to form our own conclusions about his intentions without being corrected until the very end?

[@alexengland-shinemercy]

@@CloudyTVhenry I feel like the grave scene showed he was pretty intensely obsessed with Felix, not just the estate.

[@sedi2066]

HE WANTED TO BE HIM.

[@NT-ys3oh]

I don’t think the “shocking” scenes were just thrown in. I think they all elucidate how obsessive Oliver is. He’s obsessed with Felix in every way including sexually, he’s obsessed with the family and will endear himself by any means (not letting 🩸get in the way), knows that Farleigh is a hitch in his plans and so seduces him (earning his place in Farleighs bed which gives him access to his phone) and finally doubles down on his obsession by trying to get some kind of intimacy with a deceased Felix in his own twisted way. Despite his insistence that he wasn’t in love with Felix it’s clear he has serial killer levels of obsession with him. Had he not been found out I think this movie would have gone very different. I doubt killing fleix was apart of the original plan BECAUSE of the grave scene. It’s not a show for anyone else like Venetia thinks his behavior during the rest of the funeral is. It changed everything including how his obsession manifested. He recontextualizes it as hatred for the Catton family and begins the long game of taking over the estate. The next best thing to Felix. Edit: spelling

[@noahboasmom]

Agree about taking over being the “next best thing to Felix.” Especially since when he’s dancing around at the end you see a small picture on one of the tables which looks like a picture of him and Felix taken that summer. I can see him doing all this to feel closer to Felix.

[@krazykaye8843]

Thanks for teaching me a new word, "elucidate"! 🤓🙏❤️

[@snowwe101]

Which scene are you referring to when you say “grace scene”?

[@ashhudak3131]

i think they meant "grave scene" ! @@snowwe101

[@maggyfrog]

i disagree with this theory. remember that he planned all along to snake his way through felix's life. he put that thumb tack in his bicycle so he could offer his. he studied felix, pretty much stalking him. he faked his family problems and his dad's death. he even faked knowing about this ceramicist just to have small talk with felix's dad. he sabotaged pamela's image in elspeth's mind, flirting with elspeth in the process. early on, he was already eyeing venetia and eventually got to seducing her, including farleigh. basically, he wanted to manipulate them as much as he could. but then felix found out about his family, so his entire plan got turned upside down. i don't find the ending particularly satisfying, but it's still a good movie. a much better movie than this is "the talented mr. ripley" which is an adaptation of a book of the same title. the psychopathic matt damon hit a home run in the movie. i highly recommend it if you like saltburn.

[@uchewb3]

the scenes of oliver literally drinking felix’s bathwater, which i think is the most obvious private display of worship the film shows us, and then oliver violating the grave says felix is the true object of his desire. if he really just wanted a castle, why even have the long graveyard scene? both scenes i mentioned no one is there to see him do that, there’s no one to manipulate. he wants felix when he’s alone. we don’t see him fantasizing about anyone else. we also see moments like when he looks up the dishes he later plots against farleigh with (lying that farleigh was going to sell them), he literally looks up saltburn history and all the art and artifacts they own are clearly spelled out online. why look this up at saltburn? if his original goal was saltburn, he would’ve already known that we also see him stalking felix and infiltrating his way into his friend group bc he wants to be close to felix. if he was obsessed w saltburn, he would’ve been manipulating farleigh from the start, who he literally meets before felix. he actually probably has more in common with farleigh w a love of literature and intellectual wit/banter but farleigh is not an object of his desire. he watches felix have sex without knowing him but why isn’t he stalking farleigh the same way? if the final montage of his plots had included farleigh beyond midday through the movie trying to frame him, it’d be more believable. plus we have concrete evidence in the film farleigh is into men whereas it’s nebulous w felix, so why not seduce farleigh from the very beginning to get that summer invitation? oliver’s monologue to espeth which ppl took at face-value actually betrays itself. i loved felix and then i also hated him… sure, but the movie shows us equal montages of romantic images of felix. oliver didn’t actually hate felix; he’s lying to espeth and himself. he literally lies all of the time. im supposed to believe he hated felix all along but there are like a million shots of jacob elordi lovingly making eye contact with the camera?

[@uramijajlovic5444]

I think more so that hatred part came after he got busted since the family thing. He hated what had happened and ruining his probably first plan. He is a psycho so his choice was to kill what he can't have alive, consume what is left of him. He loved him in a toxic way, someone who has that level of mental health issuses (started since his childhood, knowing he lied through his life to his own family) can't lovr in a normal way, so to say. But even so, there is a very thin line between love and hatred when it comes to people like that, both very strong feelings and both connected with one thing - DESIRE.

[@ВладимирДрумев]

good explanation

[@Buttercup67786]

​@@uramijajlovic5444Agreed👍

[@lilypistol]

i watched a review where the girl said that eating Venetia out as well as slurping up the bath water were symbols for how Oliver was going to consume them all

[@bacarandii]

Like everybody, Oliver falls in love with intangible qualities he feels are lacking in himself -- things he can't really ever possess: not just wealth (though that's a big element), but beauty, charisma, a sense of entitlement and privilege and security and being comfortable in his own skin... I think you get it in the end (no pun intended): Oliver's "Murder on the Dancefloor" dance (in a long, labyrinthine take, rhyming with the first time he enters Oxford, and the whirlwind "tour" of Saltburn Felix gives him) isn't just a celebration, it's his ritual declaration of ownership -- of Saltburn and everything Saltburn represents. So, the choreographed scene ends with the "family stones" (which he re-arranges) atop the mechanical puppet-show. It's the completion of what we saw when he first entered Saltburn, when Felix greeted him in his bare feet. Only someone who "owns" the place would feel comfortable enough to shed their clothing there!

[@internetspookies]

I think the period scene was really important. Not only does that have spiritual/witchcraft connotations (blood magic and sex magic) it’s also just to show how immediate and overwhelming his willingness is. He doesn’t let something like that stop him, not because he’s weird, or bc it’s shocking, but because it wouldn’t be efficient. V is also very very lonely and loves attention. The way he spoke to her, and his willingness, broke down her defenses and gave her attention in the exact way she wanted. It was a little cringeworthy as most sex scenes seem to be (to me at least) but that’s not inaccurate to real life sex at all. It’s a private moment, but something tells me Oliver knew it wasn’t all that private.

[@jocelynkatz9033]

He is also obsessed with the taboo things about these people and knowing them deeply, besides what they have on the surface level. The underlying qualities that make ppl human

[@uramijajlovic5444]

Exactly, and him wanting to manipulate them had to start from actually digging deep down into their psyche. ​@jocelynkatz9033

[@ji___ker]

I really think this film is more about a decomposing middle-class's fears and insecurities, which both lead to this obsession of becoming something else. The middle class knows its not part of the aristocrazy (as the Cattons) and its craving for being it, to fit into their society (as Oliver feels when he gets to Oxford). At the same time, there is this constant fear of losing the "small fortune" and the status because of the global process of pauperization caused by economic crysis, and becoming working class. So this context leads to defend everything that has to do with this aristocrat status, becoming obsessive and psychotic with it.

[@CloudyTVhenry]

This is great insight! I also think that Oliver’s fears of being stuck in the middle class and ‘boring’ leads to him pretending to be super poor and from a traumatic background as a way for him to gain sympathy from the upper class, as the upper class love to ‘help the poor’ as a way to make themselves feel better about their ridiculous wealth and lifestyle.

[@ji___ker]

yes i agree with this! its so interesting even though its not probably the director's intention since she is an aristocrat lol@@CloudyTVhenry

[@runman4604]

Personally I think it Oliver was obsessed with Felix. But like he said he hated him at times because of how he had sex with other people. To the point where Felix rejected Oliver in the garden scene. Oliver begged him to still be his friend and it was sincere but at that point he knew it was far too gone. So that’s when he started going after the family. It’s like Oliver was truly obsessed with Felix but he also had this goal of obtaining status/money from them, but when Felix rejected him his goal for status and money became his main initiative.

[@jboss8333]

Oliver already had the poison when he went to talk to Felix that night so he probably already wanted Felix dead. Or at least was maybe hopeful for a different outcome with that conversation and realized it was too late with Felix.

[@rickyhunt4075]

Why aren't people talking more about how the Family draws in Vulnerable people amd plays with them for awhile only to discard them? It is clear from how they treated pamela this is their favorite pastime. At the beginning of the film the Michael character tells Oliver that Felix will get bored of him, Venetia mentions she likes Oliver more than the last summer boy and she mentions that Felix doesn't like people playing with his toys. The family has been doing this for awhile and they let Oliver in thinking he would be the same but he turned the tables on them and proved to be using them instead.

[@LindaStoronsky-yk4df]

Great movie. Great cast. It deserved man Oscar nod.

[@jesusdelcanto9715]

Good insights. I think the first time Farleigh was kicked out of Saltburn was because Oliver had framed him with robbery. It's implied in their conversation at the beginning of the birthday party. For me, this story is a mix between Wuthering Heights and The Talented Mr Ripley.

[@CloudyTVhenry]

Agreed that Oliver definitely framed Farleigh. I guess getting him off was to make sure he slept through him going on his phone LOL

[@islamshazmah]

can u tell me a bit about wuthering heights,im planning on reading it soon

[@samsong24]

It's a given that he framed Farleigh...

[@lbougie]

Farleigh was framed twice by Oliver for the plate selling attempt and Felix’s murder. Imagine he was framed by Felix for sucking off the teachers because like Elspeth, Felix gossips and lies too. If the incident wasn’t even fully explained (probably a publicity stunt), then Felix would’ve detailed of what when wrong.

[@KreepyKaren]

They didn’t hammer it in because that’s not what it was about. It was not about sulfur from the start. If it was, he would’ve ended up telling Elsbeth, “I’ve heard about your family. I learned about Saltburn and that’s why when I knew I was going to go to school with Felix Orchestrated the whole meeting and it would’ve flashback to him opening up a book about Seburn or some crap like that. but it didn’t lead me to believe it was not about sober to begin with. It was about him meeting Felix the only reason he killed Felix was because he was protected and that’s it and he went on a spiral said. Careers didn’t start dying off until Felix.

[@ItsParachuteAdams]

When Richard E Grant was trying to revive Felix...feels. amazing acting

[@lbougie]

Secretly and hopefully, Felix, Pamela, Venetia should escape death, thanks to the doctors. That might be a hidden surprise from the deleted scene which is coming up soon.

[@DaveHammondDublin]

Good review - I don’t think the shock scenes were thrown in - the director even explained that the first 2 elements of the original start of creating slatburn were Oliver saying I wasn’t in love with him - and drinking the bath water - these juxpositions showed that Ollie was a liar - he wasn’t just in love he was completely obsessed with felix and wanted to be part of his world - this is important - because he didn’t set out to murder the family and inherit everything from the outset ( he didn’t even know Felix had Saltburn ) - no what happened is he became cornered - he had been rejected by Felix and would be leaving Saltburn for good the next day after the party - he knew the family wouldn’t bat an eyelid - he knew Felix would never want to see him again ( remember he exaplined that he fell out with previous best friends and Saltburn guests ) - so when cornered - he saves his only chance of staying in Saltrun world or wealth at all - he kills Felix - grave scenes showing he genuinely was obsessed and wouldn’t have done this if there was ANY way back - but there wasn’t - Felix decided he was a liar and had to go - once he started killing - he then moves to get his ‘rival’ Farleigh out of the picture and kills the other daughter who would have inherited everything - that’s when he takes the millions - sets himself up in nice set up with wealth - and THEN proceeeds (10 years later) to target the mother and go for the final kill - with everything else out of the way - the father - kids and Farleigh - he KNEW he was going to be able to play on the mother - also remember - he specifically had to kill Felix before he ever shared that Oliver was Lying all along - the rest of Saltburn don’t ever get to discover this -as he killed Felix when he did. Great movie.

[@robfuzz]

Oliver consumes. The scene with the sister, the attempt to become one with Felix's grave, Felix's bathwater...He's insatiable. I bet a Saltburn 2 would show Oliver bored and alone, but he started off bored and alone so I imagine he never got what he needed from his parents (although they don't come off as unloving.) Was Oliver born evil?

[@lbougie]

I don’t know, but we have to wait for the digital copies to be released soon. Those might have Oliver’s origins.

[@denisezambezi3124]

I think the Farleigh scene could have been Oliver exerting his dominance over the situation. First by being on top and secondly showing that there are no lengths he will go to in order to win the game. I think it was to threaten and show Farleigh that he can make him his...b****

[@jocelynkatz9033]

He will not go to *

[@denisezambezi3124]

@jocelynkatz9033 sometimes we type fast and move on with our lives. Long as the point clearly came across

[@lbougie]

@@denisezambezi3124 You said that Oliver can make Farleigh his boy because of the gay chemistry they had.

[@lbougie]

⁠​⁠@@jocelynkatz9033 You’re saying that either Farleigh or Oliver will not go to… Nevermind

[@justinejustice_league1857]

The Buck (Oliver) King of the forest, lord of the woods, benevolent and majestic spirit, the deer is a powerful and graceful animal with a sensitive heart The Wings (Felix) The angel is symbolic of protection, purity, courage, love harmony, and protection. I felt like Oliver had middle class beginnings, Felix even talks about how nice his home was. However the middle class life wasn't good enough for Oliver, and because of his intelligence, he always thought he deserved more. I dont understand how people think all this strategic planning was done just to "be Felix". Oliver knew he was never going to be Felix however that didnt stop him from coveting what he had. Oliver is the frozen snake, even though the wealthy are always framed as the immoral ones. If you really look at Felix's family and remove the wealth, they aren't any different than many families and didnt deserve to be hunted. I believe Oliver took Venicha out after she caught on to him. He thought he had her completely bewitched.

[@jvalentino6466]

Is it just me or i dont think oliver is inlove with felix or sexually attracted. I think he’s so obsessed he wants TO BE felix. he’s obsessed with everything he is and he has

[@williamrussell174]

Felix finds out what Oliver's really got. A Father who is indeed alive , a middle class lifestyle and siblings to boot. Felix comes to the quick conclusion that Oliver is a habitual lier. These lies enabled him to be guest at Felix's castle.

[@zachpayton1079]

I think we as people crave order. Everything needs a reason and explanation. I think this movie takes a creative turn from the archetypes we are accustomed to. The main character isnt the hero, hes the villain. The family arent good, innocent victims. Theyre just normal terrible people (albiet, filthy rich). Oliver isnt a cold calculated super genius, hes a coniving oppurtunist who also has insecurities, weaknesses, and a broken and depraved psychology. Everything about Saltburn is wrong, which is what makes it so good. Nobody thinks the movie is "okay". It either stuns and amazes you or confounds and repels you. Another example of how complex we are as individuals.

[@antoniobonito787]

I just watched this today… and i don't know, for some reason this reminds me of the series Behind Her Eyes.. maybe because of the obsession thingy

[@furbl4345]

The movie was very entertaining but it has tons of plot holes. The main character's motive reviewed at the end just didn't justify some of the actions he took earlier in the film.

[@Leomerya12]

The movie really set up Felix to be the villain; too good to be true. An angel. And he dies an angel, doesn't he? But I started to notice Oliver might have been the villain when Farleigh was accused for stealing. I KNEW he was set up, and I think that ruined the reveal toward the end.

[@loladiaz3534]

the police didn’t investigate at all?

[@isla8599]

Oliver - "If I cant have you" (his deceipt is revealed when Felix takes him to hometown, bond w Felix is irreparably broken) "then no one will" (Felix has to go, Oliver then sets his sights on posessing Saltburn, so he can take Felix's place, have as close to absolute posession as possible)

[@Prior2Popular]

I mean, the period thing isn’t that gross but ok lol 😂

[@virginblythe]

I thought that was the sexiest scene 😅

[@BlueloveParrot]

This was the most gross part.. The bathtub flash or grave scenes were ok and justified

[@stooplights2192]

Noway you’re defending that

[@mmg8830]

​@BlueloveParrot need to listen the justification for those😂

[@BlueloveParrot]

@@mmg8830 both shows lust and power over felix

[@Monochrome_11]

He did all of that but he couldn't eat runny eggs?

[@ChiliCrisp88]

I read someone else’s comment on another video saying that this was to show that Oliver wanted to fit in more with the family and create a distinction of himself from the staff, which are more or less his “kind” in terms of class and being outsiders. Because rich ppl stereotypes are that they’re so particular and fussy

[@jasminet3722]

The grave scene lives free in my head

[@bananafruit6060]

I feel like he started out obsessed with Felix but then after Felix’s death and the graveyard scene that chapter closed and he moved on to power over the family (the wealth) in general

[@effers6854]

This was good dude. You did good. I like what you had to say.

[@CloudyTVhenry]

I appreciate that

[@bcnmanhattan5022]

Sorry but I couldn't disagree more about your take of this movie. Those WTF scenes IMO are essential to the twisted, weird plot and subsequent actions. Anyway

[@eugenechauke3849]

What are other movies like Saltburn?

[@ChiliCrisp88]

I think Filth is similar. James McAvoy is an incredible actor, just like Barry. However, I even think Filth is way less messed up lol. The most messed up thing about it for me was his character doing borderline sexual things with another character, which was played by his irl sister😭😭😭

[@eugenechauke3849]

@@ChiliCrisp88 What year was it released? Will check it out

[@ChiliCrisp88]

@@eugenechauke3849 2013. I think it’s on Hulu rn!

[@kristenangelos2509]

My summer of love

[@theblackpearl3880]

🎶 WAY PAST A FREAK, I'M MORE LIKE DISGUSTING 🎶 🎶U STILL EAT IT WHILE I'M BLEEDIN THAT'S MY VAMPIRE🎶 I never thought I'd see cupcakke lyrics portrayed on the big screen

[@UnifiedBussy]

The dad nicknamed him Spider-Man too I….

[@lbougie]

My dear god I hate Cupcakke, most of her music is hyper sexually explicit. Though I still hate Oliver because of all the troubles he made to them. They are both demonic and need to be cleansed. But yes, most of the scenes were predicted because of Cupcakke!

[@wardified8566]

The intimidation/handy was Shane Gillis manifesting his dream 😮

[@labelme7642]

So get this. His blonde curly haired classmate, isn't even real. Oliver made him up. Oliver might even have multiple personalities

[@ChiliCrisp88]

Naurrr don’t “A Beautiful Mind” this😭😭

[@labelme7642]

... That dude was the voice in his head telling him he wasn't good enough. They both weren't invited to the freshers party, but only Oliver sat in the commons room while a party he was excluded from rages in the background. Then at the bar he asks Oliver to get him another beer, but Oliver gets only one refill. That guy was one of the personalities living inside Oliver, and throughout the film we see the different personalities, like when he seduces Jacob Elordies sister and cousin. This sweet guy becomes a predator in the dark. And Jacob sensed it in the end. My ever end was when he goes back to the party after killing Jacob Elordie. Have we even considered if he had any part in the suicide of the moms red head friend? Maybe he said something to her. We need a Saltburn 2 that shows the stories of the other characters. I tell you, somehow Oliver played a part in the dads death too. I just know it

[@krisgrym]

Great channel, Oliver was simply a psychopath

[@CloudyTVhenry]

Thanks!!

[@krisgrym]

@@CloudyTVhenry I've subscribed ☺️🙌🏻

[@es-pv7ns]

Does anyone else agree that this movie was just about aesthetic pictures but besides that the plot was rather poor?

[@__ZANE__]

for another take on this sort of plot, check out an old movie called "Purple Noon"

[@EyeHeartTrash]

Loving ur channel, keep up the great work!!!

[@CloudyTVhenry]

Thank you!! Will try my best

[@freddyjafar1490]

i found this movie dull and not worth the fuss. Wanna see something banging? Check out the Talented Mr. Ripley. That's cinema

[@VirgosGroove3]

The scene at the grave was weird , this was a strange movie 😫

[@derekh4511]

Tbhe moments you had issuews with? Very much motivated. Still, thanks for your video! Lots of great insight.

[@anantprakash8663]

youve watched a movie like people who watch stars and have no knowledge of constellations

[@Lauren-rb1jr]

Perhaps Oliver was written for the female gaze and that’s why lots of blokes don’t resonate with the shocking scenes. 😊

[@CloudyTVhenry]

I’ll just have to trust you on that!

[@Lauren-rb1jr]

@@CloudyTVhenry I for one, loved the vampire supper and naked frolic 😂

[@jocelynkatz9033]

How would it resonate more with females

[@068067]

Middle class. Please Oliver’s house is at least 2 mil.

[@Dopesickgypsy]

To be honest I could have done without Oliver. And just had a movie about Felix and the rest of the family.

[@grasshopperay]

This video feels extremely simplistic and without any substantive analysis about the meaning of the scenes or the characters. Very flimsy work here… 👎👎

[@CloudyTVhenry]

Sorry you feel that way! Will try harder in future videos

[@sloanes_edits]

I mean he described a 2 hour film in ten minutes I think he did a pretty good job lol

[@hal90001]

But you did end up talking about this movie on KZbin.... So, the shock factor worked. Lol

[@CloudyTVhenry]

Cant deny that!