MovieChat Forums > A Canterbury Tale (1949) Discussion > Stuttering implies Village Idiot

Stuttering implies Village Idiot

posted 13 years ago by willieboyd2
7 replies | jump to latest

About one hour into the film, Bob, the American soldier, Alison, the land girl,
and some British soldiers are walking around the town at night.

The meet a man and Bob asks the man some questions about the town.
The man stutters but answers the questions.
Bob then asks him "Are you by any chance the village idiot?".
There is nothing else to indicate that the man was an "idiot".

I wonder if there was an attitude or belief in England at the time that
stuttering or a speech impediment was a sign of mental retardation?

If so, this belief may have prompted one prominent Englishman to get help.

[–] Steve Crook 13 years ago

It wasn't that he stuttered. It was the clothes he wore, the way he answered their questions (same phrase used for every answer), his voice, lots of small pointers. It was confirmed when, after they left, he was still standing there in the moonlight and we hear the Cuckoo song

That is a point in the film that leaves most people feeling uneasy nowadays. Even those who otherwise love the film

Steve

[–] BoultersCanary 12 years ago

On the other hand he could have been a sarcastic local 'having a go' at the patronising townies.

The church may shout but Darwin roars

[–] david-879 12 years ago

On the other hand he could have been a sarcastic local 'having a go' at the patronising townies.

More particularly patronising Americans, who were not very popular outside the major cities. Also, by this time King George VI's stutter was becoming common knowledge, and might have been a touchy subject in those more regulated (by the British censor) times.

[–] Steve Crook 12 years ago

More particularly patronising Americans, who were not very popular outside the major cities

They hadn't been seen much outside major cities. The unpopularity came later. In 1943, when this film was set, there weren't many Americans in the UK.

Bob is the first American to be seen in Kent

Steve

[–] deeveed 12 years ago

You know Bob was just bringing up the stereotypical aspect of what he probably had in his head and that came from some of his schooling. And in that case the scene now evokes perhaps a pejorative view of the individual, i.e. being a so-called "idiot". But, in fact, I think the "village idiot" back when was looked upon more as being aware of certain information and passing it around within a social context. Kind of in a unique way perhaps.

[–] Steve Crook 12 years ago

But it's Peter, the Londoner, who asks "Are you by any chance the village idiot?"

The village idiot was an early example of "Care in the community". Many villages had one (or more), even the villages that make up the big cities like London.

Steve

[–] jriley555 8 years ago

.............that's right!