MovieChat Forums > Marathon Man (1976) Discussion > This film is insulting

This film is insulting

posted 16 years ago by Skylab23
162 replies | jump to latest

As someone who is from Uruguay I must say this film is completely disrespectful. I was watching this film and enjoying it up until the part where they show Szell's hideout in Uruguay. I was like: 'WHAT?', because apparently we have jungles here and I didn't even notice. I know most of you people don't even know where Uruguay is and don't care about this, but I ask you: if they depicted your country in a film in a completely wrong way, wouldn't you be pissed off?. Filmmakers should do a little research if they are going to put something in a film they know nothing about.
Luckily this mistake is shown in the goofs section for this movie:
"Errors in geography: Dr. Szell is supposed to be living in Uruguay before going to New York. We see shots of what is supposed to be Uruguay which show people traveling in canoes through the jungle, but in Uruguay there is no jungle."

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EDIT (7 years later): Hey guys, good news: I'm over it now.
Calling the film insulting was too much, I admit; I do remember being pretty irritated when I wrote the message above. Of course, that it inaccurately depicts Uruguay's geography is undeniable.
I would delete this post, but hey, many of your responses are pretty funny!

It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage.
Indiana Jones, "Raiders of the Lost Ark"

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] mel-o-drama 16 years ago

If the movie had been made any time after the mid 90's I might understand you being frustrated or mildly annoyed, but it was the 70's and I think that being offended or claiming that the entire movie is "insulting" for such a minor point is a bit over the top.
If I got offended everytime Australia is "depicted in a completely wrong way" (both geographically and the characterisations) in movies I'd never get anything done.

Thanks Horrorshowmovie ~ the LOTR comment gave me a good laugh. :D

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There are two types of movies on cable; the good ones, and the ones that are on when you're home!
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[–] ragemanchoo 16 years ago

Sky, dude, get over it. Lots of Nazis hid out in South America after the war. Your country wasn't the only one. Get over it.

[–] worldm765 16 years ago

GET OVER IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[–] feuerstein 16 years ago

Take it easy dude. errors like this happen in movies all the time. MM is one of my favorites and I associated Uruguay with South America and the jungle. Szzell was hiding in the jungle. So there is no jungle in your country? Oops. Still a great movie, no bad feelings.

[–] rabksaj 16 years ago

thats because the govt and locals cut the precious trees down and destroyed the the once heavenly habitat. theres nothing wrong travelling in canoes thats sounds fun.

[–] JurorNr13 15 years ago

I couldn't give a rat's ass if filmmakers showed Disneyland and called it by the name of the country I live in. As long as it's not completely insulting, who cares what kind of flora you can or cannot see when you look out of your backyard-window.
The jungles in this movie's Uruguay piss you off? Why? Have the filmmakers somehow offended your national pride by adding some green? Oh gaaaaaaaawwwwd, that's so disrespectful how could they!
You're breaking my heart.
Sure, filmmakers ought to do some research prior to filming, but maybe you ought to find something better to do with your time, like getting therapy.

[–] Havgar 15 years ago

I honestly don't think your post is justified. I could see some minor annoyance because of this mistake, the kind where you'd maybe turn to whoever you were watching the movie with it and point it out.

But to go and create an entire thread, deem the entire film "insulting" and act as though it's disrespectful and insulting is way too much.

Besides, you need to keep in mind, lots of political and war criminals of the past century were rumored to be hiding in various countries in South America, so the directors just played on that.

No big deal, get over it.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] vote_palantine 15 years ago

So I guess I should be insulted as a Dane, when the Hamlet portrays Denmark as having mountains, when in fact we have none. But guess what.. I don't give a rats arse. Why? because it is completely irrelevant to the movie.

[–] photolastuff 15 years ago

America is misrepresented all the time...especially by ourselves.
We are so often depicted as selfish, spoiled, and unintelligent. Granted we have many like that (and I mean a lot) but that's not all of America.
Uruguay isn't all jungles, if at all, just like New York isn't all rapists, Italian mafiosos, Jews, and African gangsters.
Just a small analogy, but I'm just saying it shouldn't be so outrageous. or maybe I just feel this way because I'm used to my country being misrepresented.
hmm...
Anyway, this is merely my opinion.
So I understand if you immediately dismiss it as false.
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sleepy dinosaur

[–] gregrchstr 15 years ago

I think the original poster could lighten up a little.

[–] nicermog 15 years ago

I think the goof harmless enough to be seen as a funny error rather than an insult. I think it that scenes which reinforce exaggerated negative stereotypes about different countries/cultures etc are far more insulting.
I mean would it be worse to have a film set in say current Germany and all the people there are Nazi sympathizers, or to have a scene where they show sand dunes in Berlin?

[–] steeler33 15 years ago

As a marathon runner, the main character did not run any marathons in the movie. Even the title had marathon in it. I want my money back.