20 Things You Somehow Missed In Shutter Island
19. The Edgy Guards
The disposition of Shutter Island's guards throughout the movie also tips viewers off that something isn't quite right.
When Teddy gets into a vehicle with McPherson and another guard, he notices all the guards in the surrounding area studying him intently and mentions to McPherson how on-edge they seem. McPherson then aptly replies, "Right now, Marshall, we all are."
On an initial viewing we understandably assume McPherson to be referring to the fact that a patient, Rachel Solando (Patricia Clarkson), has gone missing, when in reality the guards are actually intensely anxious at taking part in a role-play intended to cure Teddy (real name Andrew) of his delusions.
After all, letting an inmate wander around the island with minimal supervision as part of a radical, elaborate curative exercise is surely far from a usual day at work, and one that presents major risks. Basically, their concern is very legitimate.