What is 'that word'? - The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947) Discussion

[–] joystar5879 11 years ago

I think it might have been the "F-bomb". It was definitely around during the Victorian Era. "Unvarnished" chaps like Captain Gregg would certainly be looking for "a bit" when they hit land again.

"I do hope he won't upset Henry.."

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[–] turtletommy 11 years ago

I'm thinking something like the word "bloody" which was a pretty rough word to a well-bred Englishman or woman. There's a tendency now in modern culture full of dirty word usage to think many of the same words were used as commonly then as now but in that era "hell" and "g*d-damn" were considered by many to be very offensive.

As an example for anyone familiar with the HBO series "Deadwood" about the 19th Century old west the dialogue is FULL of cuss words (it took place in a very rough mining town)- to the extent that you wondered if people actually used those words and as frequently back in that era as much as many of the characters did in the series! In fact I read that the producers and writers felt that they had to embellish the amount and type of vulgar language to meet current audiences expectations. Not that F-bombs etc weren't used in the eras depicted in The Ghost and Mrs. Muir or the TV series but that language was considered extremely vulgar and "less-offensive" words like damn, hell or "bloody" would raise eyebrows much more then than now.

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[–] b-sphar-1 10 years ago

She typed four letters on the typewriter. Definitely not "bloody".

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[–] MystMoonstruck 10 years ago

I agree about the "f word". After all, it's a vulgarism that dates back even to Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales". I do wonder if it got through the editing stage!

(W)hat are we without our dreams?
Making sure our fantasies
Do not overpower our realities. ~ RC

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[–] vranger 10 years ago

I would think it was more on the order of "damn" than the f-word. While a sea captain certainly has rough edges, the Captain definitely had gentlemanly tendencies towards Mrs. Muir, and I cannot imagine that he would subject her to the roughest sort of language.

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[–] SpideyFan914 10 years ago

I want it to be the f-bomb. But look also at the pattern she uses on the typewriter - the last two letters seem to be closer together than the first two, which leans in favor of "damn" or "hell." I think the f-bomb or hell work better with the conversation, "what word would you use to describe that?"

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[–] ethereal_tb 10 years ago

Agree on both accounts. Definitely looks like "f" is the first letter she types and the of the letters are in the middle of the keyboard as well. There's no reaching over for either an "a" or an "l".

"The music is all that matters, nothing but the music!" The Red Shoes

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[–] hka-3 10 years ago

But look also at the pattern she uses on the typewriter - the last two letters seem to be closer together than the first two, which leans in favor of "damn" or "hell."

True, the last two letters were closer together than the first two. The way she typed the last two it looked like two different letters and she appeared to be pressing keys towards the top (but not the very top).

I'm suspecting she typed the "S" word. It looked like the last two letters could've been "IT." I just read a post on another site (the-movie-portal.com) which may point to it being the "S" word:

"It is a four letter word that seems to start in the ASDF area" - there's the letter "S"
"shifts to YUIOP-HJKL for the next two," - there's the letters "H" and "I"
"and finishes in the left side of the keyboard, QWERT-ASDFG." - there's the letter "T"

Mag, Darling, you're being a bore.

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[–] bora-bora54 10 years ago

Yes, not only did she type 4 letters, but the Captain used the word "prudish" when scolding her about not wanting to type it .. i'm of the opinion that it's that word that rhymes with luck and starts with an f..
~every saint has a past .. every sinner has a future~

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[–] Sewaat 10 years ago

I thought it might have been the f-bomb because when she typed it she pressed down on exactly four keys. So I knew it had to be a four letter word. And she does it in a really exaggerated way so that the audience (or at least the more "seasoned" adults) would understand what it was. It's probably the f-word. That's just my guess.

All things once are things forever, soul once living lives forever.

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[–] smdpi-mail-com 10 years ago

I thought it might have been some variation for a word for a prostitute, because he talks about going upstairs, which is where the ladies often had their quarters.

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[–] kcummings13 10 years ago

It's been a while since I've read the book, but I believe the "word" they were arguing over was "brothel" The "f-word" would never have been allowed to be in a book at the time the Captain's book was published.

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[–] hka-3 10 years ago

It was four letters in the screenplay. As stated in a previous post, the areas of the keys typed coincide with the "S" word.

It's ridiculous that one or two people a long time ago decided that certain words are forbidden for society to use, especially when you consider that it's perfectly acceptable to say other words or phrases which mean the same things.

Mag, Darling, you're being a bore.

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[–] kcummings13 10 years ago

I understand, but the word in question was different in the book; the screenplay made a number of changes from the book.

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[–] Soujurn 9 years ago

The captain was talking about having sex, not a bowel movement. It is supposed to be "f * * k". Perhaps Gene just didn't want to type it?

"Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government."
-Dennis

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[–] wlp325 9 years ago

Just watched the scene in question on TCM. Mrs. Muir punched very slowly four and only four keys. Whatever the word it contained precisely four letters.

Rest in peace, Roger Ebert. You were the best.

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