“The Departed” A story of love and betrayal woven through a pseudo-father-son relationship *Note! Contains spoilers

Pseudo-father-son relationship

For Scorsese, who was born and raised in a Catholic family and aspired to become a priest as a child, the betrayal of the Son, in which Judas betrayed Christ, must have been an extremely important theological issue. This is exactly the theme of " The Last Temptation of Christ " (1988), which depicts Christ being crucified on the hill of Golgotha. " Silence" (2016) also depicts the anguish of missionaries (=sons) who wonder whether they can believe in the teachings of Christ (=father) to the end in Japan, where Christianity is banned.

Billy and Inspector Queenan (Martin Sheen), who gives him dangerous missions, also form a pseudo-father-son relationship. Billy begs to stop undercover investigations as soon as possible, but Queenan, who is risking his life to arrest Frank, will never allow it. Just like a strict father who puts his son to the test. However, Billy will never betray his father, and Queenan will also risk his life to protect his son's safety. By depicting a pseudo-father-son relationship that does not result in "betrayal by the child," the bloody father-son relationship between Costello and Colin is highlighted.

The Departed(c)Photofest / Getty Images

Scorsese's ally Robert De Niro was originally considered for the role of Inspector Queenan. However, he refused the role due to a conflict with the shooting schedule of Scorsese's directorial work " The Good Shepherd " (2006). What's interesting is that De Niro also appears in " The Good Shepherd " as General Sullivan, who recruits the main character Edward, played by Matt Damon, into the intelligence agency. In this film, Robert De Niro and Matt Damon form a pseudo-father-son relationship.

Although De Niro and DiCaprio were unable to co-star in a film, they had already played stepfather and stepson in "A The Departed's Life " (1993), 23 years before "The Departed." The two had already established a father-son relationship. And in Scorsese's latest film, "Killers of the Flower Moon " (23), the two co-starred for the first time in a long time. Robert De Niro plays William Hale, a well-known influential man in Oklahoma, and Leonardo DiCaprio plays Ernest, a young man who comes to the area relying on his uncle. The motif of pseudo-father-son love, which is reminiscent of "The Departed," is repeated here as well.

This is merely my speculation, but if Robert De Niro instead of Martin Sheen had played the role of Inspector Queenan, perhaps "The Departed" would have placed more emphasis on the story between the two pseudo-father-son pairs.

Demonic Father