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!

[–] richardscd 16 years ago

I can understand why it offends you, but the line is about context. These are evil people, and so one of them enjoying rape is both making fun of general hornyness but, more importantly, using a exaggerated statement to highlight the cartoon-evilness of these people. Again, this movie does what it can to go after any sensibility. Is the line offensive? Yes, that's why it is funny.

Further, this is a movie that thrives on being provocative, shocking, and as un-PC as it can be, all of which is meant to point out our own flaws, prejudices, and inconsistencies. Mel Brooks has often stated that he tries to help people see how silly or wrong they are through humor. Rape is, 99.9999% of the time, not funny and completely inappropriate. It's also a horrible crime. By having a character so ridiculously and blatantly evil talk about it, the movie highlights that, just as it highlights through the use of the N-word how racism is foolish. Like I said, I can understand being offended by it, but more than anything else it's trying to point out that rape is bad.

~Chris R~
"I...I don't believe it!"
"That is why you fail."

[–] magurgle007 16 years ago

Southpark said it best

"Either all of it is ok, or none of it is."

[–] MickBarr-1 16 years ago

Why stop at that line? I take it "Up yours, N****r!" didn't bother you?

I mean, seriously, if you take it in the context of the entire movie, why would the "rape" line be any more objectionable than the dozens of other politically incorrect lines?

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] driacovone 15 years ago

We could always work up a number 6 on 'em.

[–] RParmly-3 15 years ago

The most intelligent line in this was the guy pointing out that the anti-PC movement had become as overblown and tiresome as the PC movement itself.

People who think "PC is stifling everything" and "people are too soft nowadays" have obviously never heard of Borat, South Park, Team America World Police, or, for that matter, Mel Brooks reruns (he's still popular as hell in our generation). Not only is PC not stifling everything, but shows like this have actually become even more offensive and are still wildly popular. (Did you tough-skinned manly Americans from the Andy Griffith generation have anything even remotely comparable to South Park growing up?)

Denny Crane.

[–] Promontorium 15 years ago

So none of you idiots found it offensive that everyone called the black man a "Ni" They called the Chinese people "Chinks". The treatment of Mongo didn't seem cruel to you? Nope, you weren't offended until someone said the word rape.

God you people are stupid, and pathetic.

The WHOLE POINT of the parody is that he was exaggerating the problems with the glorification of the old west.

Old west movies never address the racism. They never address the genocide. They never address how serious criminals become comical in nature.

OF COURSE RAPE WAS SERIOUS, THAT'S WHY IT'S MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE FILM.

Do you have any idea how many men have been lynched in America for rape? How many black men have been lynched in America for lies about rape?

You are apparently too young. Too naieve. Too far up your own asses to understand the social commentary.

[–] mazaldivar 15 years ago

"Old west movies never address the racism. They never address the genocide".

Eh, what?

Perhaps before the 50's stuff like that could only (maybe) be hinted at in American westerns (or in American movies in general) but that isn't the case for every western in existance.

[–] MitchConnor24 15 years ago

I actually burst out laughing at the 'I like rape' line and I was watching it with my parents. My Mum is quite prudish, surprised she didn't have a go at me. Obviously rape isn't funny, but in a way that's what makes it funny. It's so taboo that to just come out with that line is funny. It's such a non-PC movie, I can't understand why, if you do like the movie, that you take offence to that line.

[–] mazaldivar 15 years ago

Sorry, I think the line is hilarious.

[–] blessman-1 15 years ago

holy $hit! If you take every joke ever told and dissect it, you will have wasted a lot of time and proven that you have no sense of humor. People take stuff way too personally, they think that somehow they are being personally attacked... The world is filled with horrible things but you have to make a choice, either laugh at the insanity or go insane trying to care about it.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] 15 years ago

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