Also, the part in the article about calling women "crazy" being sexist is dumb. Alex from Fatal Attraction was most certainly mentally imbalanced, and in real life there are women who behave like they are "crazy" (maybe not going as far as boiling rabbits, but still).

It's been ages since I've seen the movie, so I forget how Michael Douglas's character is portrayed. But I can certainly see a narcissistic man going for a woman that feeds their ego even if that woman is less attractive than their wife. For some, marriage can become boring and predictable. As we age, some women become less interested in sex while the man's libido remains strong. For a man who craves attention, an intensely flirtatious woman, offering the promise of forbidden and casual sex, might be the ego boost they desire.

Again, it's been forever but wasn't that the subtext of the movie? Weren't Douglas's character and his wife having martial issues when Glenn Close's Alex came on strong?

I don't remember them having issues. The wife went away to look at a new house (I think). Alex came along and he just took the opportunity not thinking of the consequences.

@theburbs said:

I've always wondered why they casted Glenn Close for this role, so I don't think his comment was sexist. I love this movie, but I've never been clear on where the "attraction" came into play. She isn't that attractive in this movie. It's especially odd when they cast a very beautiful actor as his wife.

Dan Gallagher is the type of man who, with a beautiful wife at home, will now and then have a "snack" if given the opportunity. This time it gave him a serious "heartburn".

The article doesn't really directly accuse Michael Douglas but it is interesting in that is it not pretty much a sexist itself in calling that out as a male issue?

i.e. if the sexes were reversed (as they will be in the inevitable remake 😉) is the suggestion here that women (the wife in this case) would be unable to judge the relative attractiveness of men so it wouldn't be discussed in the production process?

Or maybe they're saying that, yes, funnily enough women can judge attractiveness equally as well as their male counterparts, it's just that it wouldn't even be a discussion as all women have some kind of latent trait which means attractiveness has no bearing on whether they'd have an affair 🤔

Just finished rewatching the movie (I didn't remember a lot of it). As it turns out their marriage wasn't one with problems. But from what I gathered, he was just a family man...likely bored with his family guy life. I kinda got the hint he wasn't all that thrilled about being a father...he seemed disconnected from his daughter and her needs/wants. when he wanted to make love to his wife after walking the dog early in the film, the daughter had crept into bed...so he's was a slightly sexually frustrated man.

As for cheating on his super hot wife with Glenn Close...I can introduce you to at least 2 or 3 people who have cheated on their spouses with INFERIOR product....its not about the "looks"...its about the "ego", the conquest. Married men or women sometimes fall for the sweet lovey lines hook, line & sinker, JUST to have their ego stroked. Its a sad truth.