MovieChat Forums > The Limey (1999) Discussion > Made for Americans

Made for Americans

posted 17 years ago by AngryAfghan
13 replies | jump to latest

I'm sure there are many americans who did not enjoy this film but being British I couldn't overlook the inaccuracies in Stamp's "cockney" speach, the accent was nowhere near cockney and his mannerisms are nothing like those of a typical Cockney gangster. However what really annoyed me was the americanisation of Stamp's speach, right at the very beginning of the film when he knocks on Eduardo's door he says "you wrote me about my daughter", he then repeats this construction later on so its no mistake. NO British person would say this, it would always be "wrote TO me" the preposition is never omitted in British English and I find it impossible to believe that the character would adjust his grammar without changing his vocabulary to be understood, as he makes embarrassingly bad usage of rhyming slang throughout the film.

However even if I could overlook all of the above I still couldn't enjoy the film, the premise was unoriginal and overall the film was utterly ridiculous.

[–] Abe_Raman 16 years ago

You're spot on. Brit actors, when playing Brit characters (and often when they aren't) should as a matter of course check through their scripts and make sure they read their lines as we would (ie correctly). The "you got that?" "I do" construction often yields horrors too - I remember a particularly bad example from Clive Owen in Shoot 'Em Up.

Terence Stamp's accent is ATROCIOUS in this film, and it should have killed off his career. He's massively over-rated and lucky - the sort of actor Stephen Fry was talking about when he said English accents dupe yanks into thinking all English people can act.

[–] Cobra12 16 years ago

maybe its dumbed down for the the American viewers?

[–] dreviluk 11 years ago

Thats exactly how I saw it, its been dumbed down for American viewers and also the cockney was slightly more over the top as Americans have a thing for the English accent

You tell im I'm coming

[–] Abe_Raman 16 years ago

It ain't a minor error of speech love, it's the accent that the main character uses for the duration of the film. You're a yank, so you won't be familiar with the accent of the capital city of the nation that spawned you - but don't go calling me an idiot, there's a good girl.

[–] caseyrook 12 years ago

"The Nation that spawned you?"

Um check your knowledge of American History, we may have declared our independence from you on July Fourth 1776 but Britain only makes up some of the cultural ancestry of the states.

Now sorry if i sound offensive but sometimes certain British people act like "All" of America shares a British family history when in fact we don't.

I'm not saying you all act like that. And i know that some Americans act like Britain is a helpless little island and i apologize to you on behalf of those idiots. I like Dr. Who, and your version of Law and Order, and i appreciate the fact that you gave us Hugh Laurie, Ricky Gervais and Craig Ferguson (but not Russel Brand please take him back) just please dont act like we were spawned entirely from you.

Also on a side note, i think King Ralph is more offensive to the United Kingdom than this movie title and i share the same.hometown as John Goodman.

Signatures Bore Me Today

[–] ttaskmaster 12 years ago

Given that Ricky Gervais actually comes from the very town I live in, I'd have said giving you him was more like punishment for the US selling your crappy TV shows (Blossom, Who's The Boss, etc) to our naive and idiotic television execs, or something!

Russell Brand... We were kinda hoping you'd have a use for him. Toilet brush, perhaps?

King Ralph... yeah, we probably owe you a bloody nose for that one, heh heh!!
Oh wait, we sent Simon Cowell out your way, didn't we... Have we sent you Gordon Ramsay too, yet?

But anyway, all this is off-topic - Kneel before Zod!!

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[–] caseyrook 12 years ago

Ahh Gordy. Yes you've sent us that gem of a man. He hosts shows called Kitchen Nightmares where he goes town to town trying to repair and make small time restaurants better and more efficient usually repairing the family.and friends relationships in the process.

Also there's Hell's Kitchen which is a competition show and he cusses people out a lot.

[–] ttaskmaster 12 years ago

he goes town to town trying to repair and make small time restaurants better and more efficient usually repairing the family and friends relationships in the process.

Lol, WHAT???!!!

I... have no words...

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[–] caseyrook 12 years ago

Well its more like he calls people out when they are running the business sloppily or lazily or treats their employees or family's like crap.

[–] MidniteRambler 16 years ago

Terence Stamp is a cockney. Born in Stepney, me ol' china. Can't get much more cockney 'an 'at. And his accent was fine. Mustard.

"Oranges and lemons" say the bells of St Clements
"You owe me five farthings" say the bells of St Martins
"When will you pay me?" say the bells of Old Bailey
"When I grow rich" say the bells of Shoreditch
"When will that be?" say the bells of Stepney
"I do not know" says the great bell of Bow.

Try again.

I'm just about a moonlight mile
On down the road.

[–] ttaskmaster 13 years ago

You phoned me. You wrote me.
Gramatically acceptable, although not commonly used these days. It is actually a more old-fashioned way of speaking... like saying something sits atop the table, or sit here awhile (not "for a while").

His accent seemed more mockney, really, or just general London. Certainly it seemed very forced, but it was not all out Cockney Geezah.

Then again, as we all know from watching Mary Poppins, REAL Cockneys sound Australian!! :D

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[–] caseyrook 12 years ago

All this cockney talk is making me think of Newkirk from Hogan's Heroes...

[–] 11 years ago

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