I have this movie on video and seen it a good 8-10 times, but it wasn't until they played it on TCM (better quality)that I realized Nick Banko calls Toro's manager a 'spic' when he first meets up with Eddie at the gym.......I was pretty shocked that passed censorship in 1956.
shareI thought it was a cool moment. You knew Nick was a complete ******* when you first saw him, so him calling the Hispanic manager a racial slur when he left the room was nowhere out of place for him. It wouldn't surprise me if he were to make a comment or two about George when he's not around either.
shareThat IS how a lot of people talked then and now
I'd rather go hunting with Dick Cheney, than driving with Ted Kennedy
It was not uncommon for films back in the 50's to use racial epithets. I find they were usually reserved in high quality dramatic films. You might want to check out The Blackboard Jungle (1955) to see what I'm talking about.
shareI didn't notice it the first time. BUt it's good the op pointed this out. In our politically correct times, ethnic slurs might be a big no-no on screen, but Nick's choice of word befits his character. But still, there's something funny about him calling Agrandi a spi©. Think about his family name, Benko. That's not exactly WASP. He is probably of Hungarian, maybe even Jewish ancestry.
share> there's something funny about him calling Agrandi a spi*
> Think about his family name, Benko. That's not exactly WASP.
> He is probably of Hungarian, maybe even Jewish ancestry
Racists are invariably below the top of the society's "pecking order" (often near the bottom), and thus always try to find SOME ethnic or culture group to look down at. To do otherwise would (in their minds), mean THEY were at the bottom of the society's barrel.
I'll always remember, after mentioning the town in which I reside (which has the ethnic and racial diversity I love to live in), a Greek guy responding: "That town is no good anymore. All the Greeks have moved out -- it's all Koreans now." Since I was doing business with the guy, it was all I could do to not burst out in hysterical laughter at how stupid his statement was. Did he never consider what people were saying when the Greeks were moving into there in the first place, and the "real Americans" were moving out?
.
Screwtape: "Murder is no better than cards if cards can do the trick."
by PR-7:
Racists are invariably below the top of the society's "pecking order" (often near the bottom), and thus always try to find SOME ethnic or culture group to look down at. To do otherwise would (in their minds), mean THEY were at the bottom of the society's barrel.
- - - - - - - - - -
I disagree. Racists tend not to use racial slurs (it being beneath them). Their racism is in their condescending manner to those "beneath" them. I work with a company that is predominantly "redneck". They even refer to themselves as such. And while they will regularly resort to bigoted remarks, these same guys will often go fishing with a black man (or "other") and even have one over for a cookout. Take a look at Webster's Dictionary - look at the meanings for racism & bigotry.
The white collar, college trained professionals I have worked with daily for the past couple of years are much more racist than the blue collar red-necks I was with for twenty years. Never noticed before. It took being around on a daily basis to see it. For racists, it is deeply ingrained over generations.
All the talk about "racism" on IMDB is annoying enough but I would hardly think that Nick was Jewish or Hungarian. My guess would have been Italian. Besides the fact that Nick is a common Italian name I cannot say I've ever heard of Hungarian thugs in America and Jewish thugs were few in perspective.
shareI was a bit shocked (and also laughed a bit) when Benko is telling Toro how everyone "helped" him and he said "look at George,he worked like a slave for you!" ;-)
shareYeah, I caught that too! Very telling!
shareI didn't notice it…I wonder why, after all I have seen the movie several times. However, I always had to gulp when Chief Firebird says "Money never stays long with me." The line sounded mildly racist to me. And his fans reminded me of kids dressed up as cowboys and Indians. Does anyone know if Native Americans still wore feathers at that time?
You may cross-examine.
The "spíc" and "worked like a slave" lines were not surprising whatsoever. I mean, besides the fact that it wasn't out of character for a prick like Nick... we're talking about the 1950s, man! Anyway, it's funny how they were cleverly used by that mofo.
Hey there, Johnny Boy, I hope you fry!
Why would they censure anything? People really talked that way. Rod Steiger's character is not some saint.