This movie SEEMS very rude and offensive for it's date,
the funny thing is it DOESN't feel rude.
You almost just want these two people to get closer with each other. Because the chemistry is wonderful and (wow, can i say that, they are hot ?!)
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He probably kissed her on the lips--and other places--before 2008.
shareYou haven't seen many late 60s flicks have you.. Offensive? If anything, it was a bit tame.
Excellent performance by Clint and Shirley tho, I love this film.
"You were assimilated, resistance was futile!"
What specifically seems offensive for a 1970 film? The portrayal of the Mexicans? The portrayal of the fake nun?
share*Spoilers* (even though the movie has been out for 40 years...)
Not sure, but I think the OP was referring to how it was a more conservative time back then amongst Catholics (and other people of faith, not just Catholics). I think that back then, they were more strict about any sort of desecration of Catholic images and symbols. So yeah, the representation of "Sister" Sara the "nun," who in actuality was a whore, might have majorly offended church sensibilities during that time period.
I suspect that even nowadays, even though society in general has relaxed its standards about, well, just about everything, many Catholics would be offended by a movie plot which revolves around not only a fake nun, but a "nun" who in actuality is a whore.
So I think the issue is one of how conservative things were amongst Catholics back then. But like I said, I think that conservatism still exists today, maybe just not as visible.
"A little old lady got mutilated late last night… Werewolves of London again."
Thank you for your perspective. I suspect you're right about the Catholic Church taking offense to this film, just as it would any fictionalization of revered figures in the church (nuns) as well as its icons (crucifixes, holy garb). I was actually thinking the OP was referring more to the portrayal of the Mexicans here as being easily tricked, or even the French, but on the other hand, many of them seem to speak English quite well. ;-)
I remember in the '70s looking forward to the Catholic Church's weekly assessment of new film in the local church bulletin. They'd have classifications like A-I, A-II, A-III based on how "morally objectionable" they were, and if a film like "The Exorcist" were rated, it would earn a C for "condemned."
Regarding Catholic sensibilities, though, wasn't Mary Magdalene originally a prostitute, at least at some point in church lore? So with that perspective, wouldn't Sister Sara be positively immaculate?
And in conclusion: Warren Zevon was a brilliant singer-songwriter, and this world is emptier without him. "The phone don't ring, and the sun refused to shine ..."
I remember in the '70s looking forward to the Catholic Church's weekly assessment of new film in the local church bulletin. They'd have classifications like A-I, A-II, A-III based on how "morally objectionable" they were, and if a film like "The Exorcist" were rated, it would earn a C for "condemned."
It was called the Catholic Legion of Decency and later just the Legion of Decency. I guess we can draw our own conclusions as to why "Catholic" was dropped. I can't tell what they rated "Two Mules for Sister Sara," but they did exert strong influence among churchgoers and community members about what films they should see.
I always wondered who exactly was in this legion, and whether they were actually viewing the entire films or just drawing conclusions based on what was widely reported as the content of the films. They seemed to operate sometimes in agreement with the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA, which assigns G, PG and R ratings), but often out of sync. Of course, as a Catholic organization, it had no government influence – in theory at least.
As with everything involving the Catholic Church, there seemed to be a big hierarchy here. It was just a given that certain films were off-limits, and you weren't to question why. I remember the local priest railing about "The Exorcist" and forbidding the congregation from seeing it when it played locally (though he called it "Exodus," an ironic slip of the tongue). But I'm not sure where "Two Mules for Sister Sara" fell on this scale; I suspect the reservations of the league were relatively mild compared with "The Exorcist." I also wonder how Elvis' "Change of Habit" fared; that film involves the rape of a nun (played by Mary Tyler-Moore), but it was rated G by the MPAA.
When I was in high school, some of the more entertaining lectures involved rock music. I remember the teacher railing about KISS (which he said stood for Kings in Satan's Service), about Rush's "satanic" star logo, and about Anton LaVey appearing in the artwork of the Eagles' "Hotel California" album. None of this is true, but it inspired in me a lifelong fascination with rock music and the alleged "dark side." Good times.
Thanks for that info. I did some sleuthing and found a Wikipedia entry for *"Films Condemned by the Legion of Decency:"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_condemned_by_the_Legion_of_ Decency
"Two Mules for Sister Sara" was not on the list, but interestingly enough, several other Clint Eastwood films did make it on that list, including "A Fistful of Dollars," "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly," "High Plains Drifter," and "The Outlaw Josey Wales."
*It's a great list, btw - many of my favorite movies are found therein. lol
"A little old lady got mutilated late last night... Werewolves of London again."
Cool list! I think I'll have my own "indecent" film festival in the league's honor.
The entry says it's incomplete, but that list just seems very random. "Grease"? "Torn Curtain"? "The Last Picture Show"? It has "Rosemary's Baby" and "The Omen," but not "The Exorcist"? Obviously this is just a sampler.