Just like Forrest Tucker's character in Abominable Snowman(1957). Don't have a real problem with that, but interesting. No greedy Brit showmen? Also, a line about the Egyptians uttered by the American circus barker/showman: "They're always upset about something." A big no-no in the 21st Century.
shareConsidering that Michael Carreras was writer, producer, and director, I think it's safe to say the portrayal was an expression of his personal views. The line about the American breaking the "British laws of libel" made it clear in no uncertain terms that the greedy showman and the unselfish archeologist were to be viewed as representatives of their respective countries.
And yes, I find that view to be somewhat irksome. It isn't even so much about the blame which they cast in America's direction, but rather the faultlessness with which he portrayed the representative of his own country.
"If you had listened to me - the pure and virtuous knighted British national - instead of that greedy / exploitative American, none of this would have happened."
Both countries have a history of exploitation and all countries have their share of greedy individuals. To say that one seeks progress and the other seeks personal fortune is untrue. It's just childishness. And before anyone wants to call me out on it, yes, American cinema has its share of negative portrayals of people from the UK. I wasn't faulting one country or the other, only a handful of individuals with pejorative views.
Agreed. Often bad characters in American movies have British accents, even in comedies. A recent example is the 2011 comedy "The Other Guys".
share