I personally thought there was no need for them to have Steve Martin's character cuss up and down to the rental agency clerk, if it wasn't for that scene this movie would've gotten a PG/PG-13 rating and I think this movie was more meant to be a PG/PG-13 rating film than an R rating film.
I do love this movie but I didn't think the F-bomb scene was necessary
I think it was one of the most authentic scenes for Steve Martin's character. He was clearly having his patience tried the entire movie, and when he encounters a person in the service industry whose company really messed up Neal's rental reservation and left him stranded, he takes all of his frustrations out on her. As someone who works in the service/hospitality industry, I encounter that quite often. In face, Neal's tantrum would be a delight to deal with compared to some other people who try to bully their way into whatever they want.
And yes, the movie was a R rated movie but that's not a big deal. All it meant was that John Hughes made sure his target audience was the adults he wrote about for once, as opposed to soul searching teenagers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItMJtA8vfpw
It's one of the best scenes in the entire movie. He had a ton of built up hostility that he was holding in. Eventually he couldn't hold it in any longer. I also like the clerks calm demeanor during the situation, and the calm way she says "You're ****ed".
shareWhile watching this film on the Sundance channel, I was surprised to see all the F bombs in this scene were edited out.. Wasnt expecting that on Sundance..
shareGood answer.
shareI love the F-bomb scene but I think it could have been toned down a bit. I don't typically watch R movies but I make an exception for this one, and I have to admit, I laugh hysterically at that scene every time! My husband and I are having a dilemma this year deciding if we should allow our teenage sons to watch it with us. Normally we have a no R-rated movie policy in our house, but there is honestly nothing in this movie that I would have a problem with my kids seeing. They hear the F-bomb plenty of times in school, so it's really not that big of a deal. The problem is, if we make an exception for this movie, they may expect us to make exceptions for other movies. I'm thinking of lying and saying that it's PG-13!
shareI hate to break this to you, but if your teenage boys aren't watching R-rated movies at your house, they're watching them at someone else's house.
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I'm your Huckleberry.
Dude they are teens. Jesus, go buy em a porno mag and let them watch R rated movies.
Hate to break it to ya Saint Mary but when I was 13 all the boys were dropping F bombs at school and we were certainly found ways (before the Internet was really popular) to see nude girls.
"I don't typically watch R movies but I make an exceptionn for this one..." Says the idiot who has a picture of a brutal murder scene. Hypocrite much?
shareUh yeah a teenager can definitely handle PTAA. Heck a 9 year old kid can handle it as long as you skip over the Car Rental Scene.
shareI f#$%ing loved it!
Yes you are the only one because it is the second funniest scene in the movie after the "going the wrong way" scene.
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I did sixty in five minutes once...
I thought the second funniest scene of the movie was the "two pillows" scene
shareNever, ever, presume to speak for anyone else. Got it!?
Country + RAP = CRAP
Country + ROCK = CROCK
Well considering I am right and it is one of the best scenes in the movie, I'll keep on talking.
I'll add that in an interview (you can find it on the DVD features) Steve Martin said it is one of his two favorite scenes in the movie, too.
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I did sixty in five minutes once...
I agree with you cs. I believe the first time I saw this film it was the R-rated version. I thought, like you said, "Was it necessary to use it over and over like that?" In no way did it make me not think this one of the funniest movies ever, but I wasn't fond of the repeated cussing in that scene.
I will say that him cussing would seem like a culmination of all the frustrations he had experienced recently. I do believe it would have been funnier if he had yelled at her and maybe dropped one or two of the F-bombs.
Last night I saw this again, on a recording I made off USA some years ago. (I know what channel it was because they have that annoying logo on the screen most of the show.) The vulgar language is gone. Neal is quite irritated but doesn't use the R-language. Edie McClurg says "You're screwed." It works for me.
Actually, the worst part of that incident was Del tossing away/tearing up his rental agreement. Even though furious at being dropped where there was no car and having a long walk back, he had to know he needed the papers to get his rental car.
I usually like to watch this movie with my family on Thanksgiving, and that scene definitely makes things awkward, particularly with young nieces and nephews in the room.
shareI know plenty of people that don't like it, so that's ok. I think it's necessary, and so far I haven't seen a movie that compares to it.
I have a one year old - ill probably skip over that scene until he's older. Other than that, the movie might as well be rated G!
Yes, you are because this scene would be completely relatable for any normal person thrown into the circumstances he was. He blows up and it's one of the funniest meltdowns on screen to this day.
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