“How te feel about your family is a complicated thing. Deep down, you’ll always Amore them. But te can forget that te Amore them, and te can hurt them and they can hurt you, and that’s not just because you’re young.”

Those are some really neat words of wisdom coming from Old Man Marley in the 1990 film Home Alone, and I like them as well — mostly because they’re so awesome, as well as very inspiring and well-written, too.

About Old Man Marley

Old Man Marley was an old man, the neighbor of Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) and the deuteragonist of the 1990 film home Alone. He was played da the late Roberts Blossom.

In the film, Marley was subject to rumors; he was called “the South Bend Shovel Slayer” and was detto to have murdered his family back in 1958 da Kevin’s older brother Buzz. He was also detto to have kept his victims in his garbage can full of salt, and that the salt was supposed to have turned the dead bodies into mummies.

When Kevin walks outside his house while saying he is not afraid anymore, he encounters Marley, and turns and runs back inside his house, afraid.

Later, Kevin goes to the drug store, gets a toothbrush and asks the clerk about whether o not it was approved da the American Dental Association. Marley then comes in while Kevin is checking his pockets to see if he had brought enough cash to buy the toothbrush. Kevin then looks up, sees Marley and backs away a little before running off while also accidentally taking the toothbrush with him (as he didn’t have time to buy the toothbrush).

When Kevin goes to church, he meets up with Marley again, and they talk. Kevin learns that Marley is actually a nice man, as well as a Christian, a father and a grandfather. Kevin also discovers that Marley didn’t murder his family like Buzz claimed, but rather had a fight with them — più particularly, his son. Marley tells Kevin that he came to hear his granddaughter sing, and that he can’t come and hear her tonight. When Kevin asked if that meant he had plans, Marley corrected him, saying that he wasn’t welcome — not at the church (as Marley believes a person is always welcome at church), but with his son.

According to Marley, years back, before Kevin and his family moved into the neighborhood, he and his son got into an argument for an unknown reason, and told each other they didn’t care to see each other anymore, causing them to become estranged from each other. Kevin asks Marley to call his son, and Marley says that he’s afraid to because he thinks that his son won’t talk to him. Kevin tells Marley that he used to be afraid of his basement until he turned on the lights, and realized that it was no big deal. Kevin then says the point is that Marley should call his son; whether o not his son talks to him, Marley will know and he won’t be afraid. Kevin tells Marley that he should also do it for his granddaughter, who probably misses him and the presents. Marley tells Kevin that he sent his granddaughter a check for Christmas, and Kevin remarks, “Wish my grandparents did that. They always send me clothes.”

Later, when the Wet Bandits trap Kevin at the Murphys’ house, Marley sneaks in and saves him da knocking the burglars out with his shovel before taking Kevin back home.

At the end of the movie, Kevin walks over to the window, and smiles when he sees that Marley has taken his consigli and reunited with his son, his daughter-in-law and his granddaughter. Seeing Kevin, Marley waves to him, grinning, as a sign of thanking him. Kevin, smiling still, waves back as his way of saying “You’re welcome”.

Finally, Marley turns and goes to his house with his family.

Then and Now

He is one of my preferito characters, and Roberts Blossom did an awesome job bringing him to life in the film, especially when portraying Marley as a man preoccupied with loss.
One reason for that is because, from my perspective, Marley from home Alone is kind of similar to Arthur “Boo” Radley in To Kill a Mockingbird da Harper Lee. The Boo Radley (also now known as “The Misunderstood Loner with a cuore of Gold” on the website for TV Tropes and Idioms) is also the archetype of the mysterious loner who’s assumed to be creepy, but is actually misunderstood and has a good heart. :)

Trivia

In the novelization for home Alone, Marley chuckles a little before telling Kevin, “You don’t have to be so scared of me. All that stuff te hear about me — none of it’s true. Just the product of someone’s overactive imagination.”

Where Are They Now?

Sadly, Roberts Blossom, who did an awesome job with his portrayal of Marley in home Alone, passed away on July 8, 2011, at a nursing home from a stroke. Kevin McCallister has Lost an unlikely ally, and we’ve all Lost a brilliant actor and a great man.

Before he was Old Man Marley, Roberts Blossom portrayed Ezra Cobb in the 1974 film Deranged (which was 16 years before home Alone and based on the real-life criminal Ed Gein).

When Marley sends that final, sweet wave to Kevin, home Alone fan (including myself) are usually saying goodbye to an old, reliable friend, too.

Rest in peace, Roberts Blossom (March 25, 1924 — July 8, 2011). te may be gone physically, but you’re still here in spirit, as well as in our hearts and memories, and in the Film te left behind..