MovieChat Forums > The Palm Beach Story (1943) Discussion > The train scene dialogue

The train scene dialogue

posted 14 years ago by Friesen_471
7 replies | jump to latest

When Joel McCrea is chasing after Claudette and the policeman at the train station stops him, there is a bit of dialogue that is as follows: Joel McCrea says, "That's my wife, you dumb cluck!". To which the policeman replies, "Oh, so I'm a dumb cluck eh?". I rewound that part and the only thing I could make out was them saying "dumb f_ck". I only found out it was cluck from the quotes section afterwards. Of course I know they would never get away with saying the F-word, but I wonder if that was Preston's way of pushing it a little. I just wondered if anyone else heard it that way as well.

PHIL: "Ned, I would love to stay here and talk with you... but I'm not going to."

[–] nscom-1 14 years ago

"Dumb cluck" was a common saying in the olden days when I was young. No vulgarity was ever intended. Hens are notoriously stupid.

[–] gds555 10 years ago

"Dumb cluck" was a common saying in the olden days when I was young. No vulgarity was ever intended. Hens are notoriously stupid.

I think it'd be more accurate to say "For many users of the expression, no vulgarity was intended". I think vulgarity definitely was intended by whoever originally coined the expression: it's meant to call to mind "dumb f_ck" without actually saying it. It's what linguists call a "taboo deformation": that is to say, a deformation of a word or phrase that's a taboo. Other well-known taboo deformations in English are "shoot" for "sh_t", "darn" for "damn", "heck" for "hell", "cripes" for "Christ", and so on and so on.

[–] timlin-4 9 years ago

don't know if that is what is going on in this case since I think the vulgar expression is a more modern invention, though I could be wrong

[–] gds555 9 years ago

The Oxford English Dictionary's online edition (as consulted today, November 9, 2015) has examples of "f_ck" in the meaning of "[a] worthless or despicable person[;] [f]req[uently] with modifying word" from as far back as 1927. (Of course examples of that meaning of the word from any earlier would be very hard to find, perhaps even nonexistent.) As for "dumb cluck", the OED has examples of that expression going back to 1929, as well as an example of the word "cluck" meaning "dull or unintelligent person" from 1928, and an example of "cluck" meaning "counterfeit coin" from 1904.

I get the feeling that the formation of the expression "dumb cluck" derived from three things: (1) the rhyme with "dumb f_ck"; (2) the general association of clucking with hens and their reputation for low intelligence; and (3) the specific preexisting use of "cluck" to mean "counterfeit coin" or "dull or unintelligent person".

[–] bote 14 years ago

The cop continues, "I like peace, but I'm not morbid about it" which seemed an odd thing to say. Perhaps I don't understand what "not morbid about it" means in this context.

Every time I watch this movie I love it even more. So many layers.

[–] Lady-Dedlock 12 years ago

I think it was an oblique reference to death: "no quiet like the grave."

I love this movie and Preston Sturges's movies in general--another favorite is "Unfaithfully Yours". Rex Harrison proves himself to be a master of physical comedy, and the dialogue throughout the film is sharp and witty.

[–] Cate17 14 years ago

Glad to hear I'm not the only one who heard it. ;D
Thought it was just my dirty 21st century mind, but I too rewound and was shocked to hear "it" again.

Thanks for clearing that up for me. *laughs*

"Ah,sweet storyteller. What will it take to slay the dragon..."-Steven James