MovieChat Forums > Sorry, Wrong Number (1948) Discussion > Leona's dad's views about college

Leona's dad's views about college

posted 13 years ago by MsELLERYqueen2
13 replies | jump to latest

During the scene where Leona meets her dream man, she explains her father's theory about college: "If a man doesn't have a talent for making money, then college won't knock it into him. If he has a talent, then why waste time in college?" Kind of ironic, since her dad needed a college-educated person (a chemist in this case) to come up with the formulas for the medications (or whatever) he was selling. He would have required the assistance of lawyers and accountants, too.

Jim Hutton: talented gorgeous hot hunk; adorable as ElleryQueen; SEXIEST ACTOR EVER

[–] Fleur_de_lis 12 years ago

Is that accurate? I watched this last night and I believe that she said that her father did not have any advanced education as well.

[–] MsELLERYqueen2 12 years ago

That's what I mean. She said that her dad didn't get past the eighth grade, and then she said that he didn't exactly have a great view of college. My point is that he relied heavily on college-educated people in order to run his business. For one thing, he needed a chemist to work out the formulas for the medications...

~~
Jim Hutton: talented gorgeous hot hunk; adorable as ElleryQueen; SEXIEST ACTOR EVER

[–] Fleur_de_lis 12 years ago

Sure, but maybe he had the ability to manage people, and delegate well. I don't think that's something that can be taught so easily.

Plenty of people have successful careers because they have personal talent and can manage themselves, but are disasters when dealing with subordinates and day-to-day business matters. It doesn't mean that they fail, but they have a tough go of it.

Very few, if any, people are good at every aspect of their business. When they make money they are perceived that way (or think of themselves that way) but it's more likely because they managed to bring together a group of people with compatible skills. Just my opinion.

So, maybe, he was in was in his position because he had a skill not taught in college, but his success reinforced his need to believe that college not necessary, even if there was no relationship between the two.

[–] MsELLERYqueen2 12 years ago

I agree that not all work skills are taught in college. Very few people have the organizational skills required to manage a large company. Of those that do, not all of them even want to do this sort of work. (Personally, I've never been a fan of organizing events myself. That's why I never bothered to become a businesswoman.)

That still doesn't change the fact that he needed someone with a knowledge of chemistry in his company. Without his scientist, his company would have gone under.

~~
Jim Hutton: talented gorgeous hot hunk; adorable as ElleryQueen; SEXIEST ACTOR EVER

[–] vilafire 10 years ago

Yeah. I think the person above was missing your point. Replace "making money" with "inventing drugs." Who needs college now, bigshot?

[–] MsELLERYqueen2 10 years ago

Without the help of a college-educated person, he wouldn't have made that money. The money didn't come out of thin air.

~~
💕 JimHutton (1934-79) and ElleryQueen 👍

[–] gribfritz2 12 years ago

Did Leona's dad need college to make money? No. Granted, he uses people who used college, but that's a bit indirect. Look at the chemist directly. He went to college and doesn't make nearly as much money at his job as Leona's dad does by using him.

[–] MsELLERYqueen2 12 years ago

Without college educated people, he wouldn't have had a business. He needed them. Those people should have realized that he was just using them and not paying them enough. Eventually, the chemist did realize it and tried to cheat his employer.

The bottom line is....Leona's dad wouldn't have been able to run this company without hiring college educated people.

~~
Jim Hutton: talented gorgeous hot hunk; adorable as ElleryQueen; SEXIEST ACTOR EVER

[–] gribfritz2 12 years ago

Just because he used/needed them, why does that conflict with his quote about college? The bottom line is, we're talking about his view of college, not the theory that his views are false because he desperately needs people who have been to college. Example. I run a liquor store. I think people who use alcohol are idiots and only teetotalers like myself are worthwhile. Now I need people who use alcohol to stay in business, but I have a perfect right to view them as foolish. Especially since I use them and their weakness to make my living.

[–] MsELLERYqueen2 12 years ago

Thanks for the example, but I should point out in your case that not all people who drink do so irresponsibly. Some people will just have the occasional glass of wine with a meal and that's it. I'm not a drinker myself (never could stand the taste of alcohol), but I don't see anything wrong with responsible drinking. I only see a problem if someone drinks heavily and drives afterwards. Oh, and I don't want them puking on my shoes, either.

Leona's dad didn't need a college education for what he did, but he needed a chemist to develop the stuff he was selling. No chemist, no product. He probably needed accountants and lawyers as well.

By the way, I find it interesting that he pushed his daughter into attending college, even though he hadn't gone himself.

~~
Jim Hutton: talented gorgeous hot hunk; adorable as ElleryQueen; SEXIEST ACTOR EVER

[–] bron-tay 12 years ago

I think the point is that the Big Boss, the type of man Leona's father wants to be, simply hires the educated while getting right to the business of making money himself. The chemists, lawyers, and accountants have to work for someone else for a living, can't be their own bosses.

~~~~~~~
Please put some dashes above your sig line so I won't think it's part of your dumb post.

[–] MsELLERYqueen2 12 years ago

Chemists, lawyers, and accountants can certainly be their own bosses. Some of them just choose not to be their own bosses. There's more money in it, but it's a huge responsibility. In the end, the more a person makes, the more they have to pay the government (or so it works here in Canada). There's almost no point in making too much, because I wouldn't get to keep most of it. Personally, I prefer to make a bit less, but to have a decent quality of life (ie, being able to spend Christmas with family, etc.).

~~
Jim Hutton: talented gorgeous hot hunk; adorable as ElleryQueen; SEXIEST ACTOR EVER

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]