Question about Susan Calvin in _I, Robot_ (Spoilers)

[Crossposted to rec.arts.movies.current-films, alt.books.isaac-asimov,
and rec.arts.sf.written.]

As I've written elsewhere
(<URL:http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=slrnchrj35.2pp.ylee%40pobox.com>),
I was quite gratified by how well, and accurately, the new film _I,
Robot_ evoked the spirit and themes of the original Asimov Robot
stories.

I do have a question about Susan Calvin (Bridget Moynahan) as depicted
in the movie:

[Spoiler symbol]
 

Is Calvin meant to be a robot herself?

Evidence for:
* Calvin is unfamiliar with the story of Hansel and Gretel, and . . .
* . . . when asked by a surprised Spooner where she grew up, quickly
changes the subject.
* She accurately shoots a robot that is attacking Spooner with her
eyes closed.
* She had a close, but undefined relationship with Dr. Alfred
Lanning. It could be read as romantic, but based on the photo of the
two together I saw it as parental. But of course, she is not
Lanning's daughter; otherwise we'd be told so. Could Lanning have
created her?
* Sonny is evidence Lanning could build a robot with free will and
emotions, not necessarily bound by the Three Laws of Robotics, and
capable of evolving.
* Like Calvin, Sonny is ignorant of some basic social concepts.

Evidence against:
* No evidence in film of any of the technologies needed to build
humaniform robots that could pass close inspection, including the
ability to cry.

Further contributions to the above list are welcome.

I must also point out that the Susan Calvin of the Asimov stories is
most certainly not a robot (but, just like the film version, is cold
and apparently prefers robots to humans). However, in "Evidence,"
written in 1946 and one of _I, Robot_'s stories, she meets Stephen
Byerley, a district attorney and mayoral candidate, whose political
opponents claim is secretly a robot. (I will say no more to avoid
spoiling the story for those non-SF fans who haven't had the pleasure
of reading it.)

--
Read my Deep Thoughts @ <URL:http://www.ylee.org/blog/> PERTH ----> *
Cpu(s): 4.4% us, 2.3% sy, 92.8% ni, 0.1% id, 0.0% wa, 0.3% hi, 0.0% si
Mem: 516960k total, 512780k used, 4180k free, 10976k buffers
Swap: 2101032k total, 200556k used, 1900476k free, 147060k cached<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->

You're overthinking this.

Hollywood filmmakers rarely put little secret things in their films
just to puzzle the fanboys. If Susan had been a robot, at some point,
she would have been revealed as a robot.

(And sorry, Ridley, but Deckard ain't a replicant, either)

John Harkness


On 16 Aug 2004 20:29:14 GMT, Yeechang Lee <ylee.TakeThisOut@pobox.com> wrote:

 >[Crossposted to rec.arts.movies.current-films, alt.books.isaac-asimov,
 >and rec.arts.sf.written.]
 >
 >As I've written elsewhere
 >(<URL:http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=slrnchrj35.2pp.ylee%40pobox.com>),
 >I was quite gratified by how well, and accurately, the new film _I,
 >Robot_ evoked the spirit and themes of the original Asimov Robot
 >stories.
 >
 >I do have a question about Susan Calvin (Bridget Moynahan) as depicted
 >in the movie:
 >
 >[Spoiler symbol]
  >
 >
 >Is Calvin meant to be a robot herself?
 >
 >Evidence for:
 >* Calvin is unfamiliar with the story of Hansel and Gretel, and . . .
 >* . . . when asked by a surprised Spooner where she grew up, quickly
 > changes the subject.
 >* She accurately shoots a robot that is attacking Spooner with her
 > eyes closed.
 >* She had a close, but undefined relationship with Dr. Alfred
 > Lanning. It could be read as romantic, but based on the photo of the
 > two together I saw it as parental. But of course, she is not
 > Lanning's daughter; otherwise we'd be told so. Could Lanning have
 > created her?
 >* Sonny is evidence Lanning could build a robot with free will and
 > emotions, not necessarily bound by the Three Laws of Robotics, and
 > capable of evolving.
 >* Like Calvin, Sonny is ignorant of some basic social concepts.
 >
 >Evidence against:
 >* No evidence in film of any of the technologies needed to build
 > humaniform robots that could pass close inspection, including the
 > ability to cry.
 >
 >Further contributions to the above list are welcome.
 >
 >I must also point out that the Susan Calvin of the Asimov stories is
 >most certainly not a robot (but, just like the film version, is cold
 >and apparently prefers robots to humans). However, in "Evidence,"
 >written in 1946 and one of _I, Robot_'s stories, she meets Stephen
 >Byerley, a district attorney and mayoral candidate, whose political
 >opponents claim is secretly a robot. (I will say no more to avoid
 >spoiling the story for those non-SF fans who haven't had the pleasure
 >of reading it.)<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->