MovieChat Forums > Blazing Saddles (1974) Discussion > worst line: 'I like rape'

worst line: 'I like rape'

posted 17 years ago by davidmmiller
205 replies | jump to latest

I'm talking about the scene where all the outlaw baddies (and bikers and klansmen) are lining up to get a job on Hedley's gang, and one of them is asked by him to explain why he wrote "rape" twice on his resume, and the outlaw smiles and says "I like rape."

Of all the edits BS has undergone over the years, this line is the one I first noticed to go. In 1986 I watched this for my millionth time on video with my white flatmates in New Zealand (I'm a Yank), and the whole movie was met with a studied silence. When the "I like rape" line was delivered, my female flatmate turned to me and said "That's a joke?"

And as much as I hate to see movies get sliced to ribbons, that line always did make me wince. Call it politcal correctness or whatever, but I don't miss it. Fortunately the rest of the movie is hilarious. Side note: I ushered during this movie in the early '80s. We were showing Woody Allen's "Stardust Memories," and apparently it wasn't a big enough draw, so they added "Blazing Saddles" and made it a double feature--kinda like pairing wine with grits!

[–] Nick_in_Virginia 16 years ago

The whole film is intended to be offensive, like any Mel Brooks film. Look at The Producers, written about 20 years after WWII and the Holocaust. "Springtime for Hitler" anyone? But Brooks could laugh at that, and many people could laugh at that, because they survived.

A few years ago, one of my co-workers (a black man) turned on the TV and caught the end of the film with his 13-year old son. The son heard the line "we'll take the *beep* and the chinks, but we don't want the irish" and was shocked about the word *beep* Didn't think anything about "chinks", and neither of them picked up on the crack about the Irish because Rod - in his mid 40s - didn't realize how the Irish were discriminated against (as I've heard many times, "but you're all white").

Anyhow, enough with the serious stuff. Watched this with a girlfriend and her 65 year-old mother from Vietnam (who doesn't speak English) a long time ago. When the campfire scene got going, it was the first time I ever heard the mother laugh out loud. I guess those beans are the universal language.

And besides, there's a line where the townspeople say the bad guys "raped the cattle". Maybe THAT's what he meant when he said he "liked rape". What makes the women think they were the ones being made fun of?

[–] nry5000 16 years ago

One of the characteristics of this movie is to find the line, and intetionally cross it. Some people may have laughed their asses off at some points, which could be considered offensive to others, and then feel like Mel Brooks went to far. Personally, I wasn't at all offended, and I don't think the writers were really concerned. They wanted to be on the edge with this one. On another personal note, I find Tila Tequila more offensive then this movie, and that goes for MTV and all their BS too... A great story I heard about this movie when it first came out was when my best friends father went to see it with his friend. Father loved it, and so did friend, they laughed their asses off with every single joke... especially about black people. But when the line "But we don't want the Irish" was spoken, Friend had enough and walked right out of the theater. Take that for what you will, I thought it was an amuzing story. Peace!

[–] mmmckid 16 years ago

Its not rape if you yell "Surprise" right before.

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[–] Bobby_vs_Satan 9 years ago

I thought the line was awesome because it did make me a little uncomfortable. I appreciate any movie that pushes it but doesn't full on destroy any sense of decency. We're all so damn sensitive but as I've gotten older and ironically more desensitized I appreciate any form of art that makes me feel something whether it's a slight discomfort, joy or sadness. The line was funny, one of many amazing lines and moments in this movie. Imagine screening this on a College campus. They would lose their damn minds with the PC bubble they've created for themselves.

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[–] glockchem 16 years ago

Yeah, rape was not taken seriously back in the old days. That's why it used to be a capital offense (not just for black men either) If you didn't get the chair or the gas chamber, you spent a long time in prison. Now it's maybe 7-15 years if that much.
Besides, the movie is funny because it is outrageous. The Klan isn't funny and does not have smiley faces on the backs of the sheets. An old lady getting punched repeatedly wouldn't be funny either. Then again, probably most victims of crucifixion didn't sing and whistle either. There were kids in my school who were shot for 'chewing gum on line' though . . .

[–] willydoe71 16 years ago

i think the line is hilarious. stop getting your panties in a twist over simple words uttered in a movie. a comedy at that. a mel brooks comedy even!

[–] agentmaxsmart 16 years ago

I guess they don't like the line, "No, we rape the s*** out of them at the number 6 dance later on." either. HAHA! People these days are ruining everything. Movies & TV shows mostly stink now a days because everyone is so sensitive. Everyone is so closed minded. They worry about racism, sexism, religion & other nonsense. And all this does is cause problems.
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[–] kyleb18940 16 years ago

I like rape!

.......it's funny bitch. Tell your "flat mate" to walk her dumb "arse" down the "apples and pears" and in front of a goddamn "lorry" and do us all a "favour"

[–] MyWifeMorganFairchild 16 years ago

To quote Achmed the dead terrorist, "Being politically correct is a pain in the ass." People are too soft now, getting upset over the stupidest s---. Especially a line from a Mel Brooks comedy from 30 years ago.. Out of everything that was offensive, the constant use of n-----, the old woman saying "Up yours N-----", the no Irish comment, "We'll rape the s--- out of 'em." and the one thing you (OP) is going to let bother you is the comment "I like rape." Seriously, pull the stick out of your ass. As some posters pointed out, its Mel Brooks, he did and will continue to push the envelope when it comes to anything deemed 'offensive'

On another interesting note, even though Mel Brooks was asked to remove several 'offensive' parts of the movie but never did, he did actually cut out one line from the movie. It lists this in the Blazing Saddles trivia page. After Lily has dimmed the lights to get intimate with Bart and she says her line about how black people are 'gifted' down there, after you hear her exclaim "Its Twue. Its Twue," Bart was meant to reply quitely, "Uh, that's my ARM you're sucking." I think that line should have been left it. It would make the moment even more laugh-out-loud hilarious.

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[–] WileyDairyGnome 11 years ago

Movies & TV shows mostly stink now a days because everyone is so sensitive. Everyone is so closed minded. They worry about racism, sexism, religion & other nonsense. And all this does is cause problems.

Yes...how dare people think. We should all just be racist and sexist and brain dead sheep whoo hoo!!! Because that hasn't ever caused any problems ever in the history of the world. There have been PLENTY of problems before everyone became super "pc" so clearly, that isn't the issue. I love this movie. It's satirical and hilarious, but there is a difference between satire and just saying offensive things for the sake of being offensive. Blazing Saddles is an example of the former, however, I still completely understand why someone might cringe at that line. I don't think anyone in the comments said that they were angry about the line itself...but that they understand why it was edited out. Also, it is definitely true that rape has not always been taken seriously. It's still isn't in some cases...plenty of people still have the "blame the victim" mentality.

Anyway...I just hate this "anti pc" bull**** when being politically correct is essentially just being empathetic. I have a pretty disturbing sense of humor. If someone gets pissed at me for telling a crude joke, instead of getting pissed at them or telling them to lighten up...I understand. Obviously not everyone on the planet has the same sense of humor as me. I don't get defensive and whine about how lame that person is. I don't think the issue is that people are "too pc"...I think the issue is that people who complain about how awful it is that people are trying to be compassionate (or "pc)...are clearly incapable of growing the *beep* up and seeing the bigger picture.

Rant over.

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[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] VIsraWratS 16 years ago

"I like rape" is a funny line.

[–] movieghoul 16 years ago

I remember another controversy where people were saying that the name Mongo was short for mongoloid and this was disrespectful to retarded people.

Mel Brooks answered by saying that he named the character Mongo just as a setup for the line "Mongo! Santamaria!" which someone shouts when Mongo rides into town, this being the name of one of Mel's favorite jazz musicians. The reference to mongoloid hadn't even occurred to him.

[–] wel_da_war 14 years ago

I remember another controversy where people were saying that the name Mongo was short for mongoloid and this was disrespectful to retarded people.

How is it offensive to retarded people? Wouldn't it be more offensive to Asians and the descendants of the Khans?

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[–] kinetihax 16 years ago

That was one of the funniest lines in the movie.

[–] matagt1983 16 years ago

Just like blacks are not offended by the word *beep* in this movie, rape victims are not offended by that line. In a way its a form of therapy to make light of the situation. Please pick up a psychology book.

[–] Startanew 16 years ago

I don't mind that line. Rape's not funny, but he's a BAD GUY.

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[–] croftmania 16 years ago

Well, this movie is very much about being politically incorrect. If you can joke about hanging people, call people *beep* *beep* and bulldykes and show thugs beating a granny on screen, then you can also joke about rape. This joke was not very tasteful in my opinion, but that's not a good reason to censor it, since it's in sync with the rest of the movie's humor.

[–] croftmania 16 years ago

Lol @ imdb's censorship

[–] jkerr8 16 years ago

A little too sensitive.

[–] TheonPJ 16 years ago

There's no such thing as an inappropriate joke. That's why it's a joke.

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