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Pete and Hollis: a thought
Wow, it's been forever since I posted on here!
Sorry that my post is an episode behind, and thus is about something likely already discussed, but I just had a thought about Pete's conversation with Hollis in the elevator. Yes, it's plain to see that Hollis was understandably uncomfortable with the topic at hand, but do you think it could also be that Hollis isn't comfortable with Pete himself? I ask because in the last season, Hollis initiates a casual conversation with Don and Peggy regarding the death of Marilyn Monroe (and reveals that, yes, he likely does follow baseball as Pete guesses in their own conversation, or at least feels for Joe DiMaggio) In retrospect, it seems like the first conversation would be highly unlikely -- a black "servant" offering his unsolicited opinion and pity for a white sex symbol to two white "superiors", one of which is a white female -- UNLESS they were all pretty cool with each other and had established that kind of rapport. Perhaps in all their years of working in the same building, Pete has never really talked to Hollis until that point.
Hi Spek1!
I don't blame Hollis for feeling uncomfortable with Pete's "in your face attitude and actions".
He kept pushing him for an answer, and then stops the elevator! What a dork!! Just because he was doing his TV research.
Then he tries to be his friend just to get an answer. Pete calls him Hollis, and Hollis calls him Mr. Campbell. In other words, Hollis let him know that he was aware of their social status, and that shut Pete up.
Le Monde Byrd's reaction to Pete stopping the elevator was brilliant acting. The flash of teror across his eyes said so much more than any words. Pete's obliviousness to Hollis' fear and his naive belief that the American Dream is open to all shows the completely different worlds these two come from.
Polar Bear
Your post said it much better! Thank you!