what was the point of that scene? longbaugh obviously knows his way around firearms and firing/movement, but why would he just randomly pop off a shot after joe sarno calls out to him in the mexican parking lot?
shareI believe Sarno says this because Longbaugh just fired a single warning shot. Sarno is telling him that the first shot is backfire, ie. excusable and not worth reacting to. But if another shot was fired from Longbaugh, Sarno would have to react by firing his own gun, hence three is gunplay.
That's what I got from it, anyway. I love the line. I love the movie.
awesome Theendisnear, thank you - though i do feel a bit foolish for not coming up with the answer myself! I've always loved that line too, despite not having any idea what it meant.
share[deleted]
Well 1st, Longbaugh sort of fires it as a warning shot, perhaps to show he's not afraid to fire his gun, and perhaps just to see how the other person will react.
The statement about "One is backfire, three is gunplay" I've always been 99% sure is actually referring to innocent civilians in the vicinity (at the diner and suchlike). One gunshot can be written off as a car backfiring especially where there's a lot of older cars around. But if Longbaugh fires again, Sarno will fire back (which is why he says three is gunplay, not two) and at that point people know there's a gunfight going on and will call the police. And neither of them wants that. Pretty sure that's what he means, but of course, it's only my opinion.
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"Go away or I'll call the brute squad!"
Yes, I agree maximumcool. That was the impression I had immediately the first time I saw the movie. Nothing else makes any sense at all.
shareNo problem, guys. Maximumcool, your theory works too. Either way, it's a good line, and I think we all get the gist of it.
"Why? What's the significance? I DON'T KNOW!" - PW Herman
That's what the line meant, but the shot was not a warning to Sarno in any way.
He was letting Parker know there was trouble out there.
"What the f-ck is the internet?" -Jay, Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back