I'm not aware of what what race relations were like 1989 but the reaction all the character's had to the little boy was like a mix of shock , horror and disgust. I just watched the film today for the first time and maybe I'm misreading the scene, but it just appeared to me that this was really a controversy to have a child with a black woman. Can anyone enlighten me?
shareYeah, that's a part of it. Mixed race kids didn't have the best of times in that era but it wasn't too uncommon. Then add the terrifying prospects of having someone like Larry as a father and ultimately the realization that Cool was going to be the next bit of "baggage" that Larry discards.
And I think Larry's method of dealing with his family is the bulk of the problem. Larry is a repeat offender with his family's trust and generosity. He stops by when he needs something, takes it without any kind of gratitude and takes off again to follow his harebrained scams. Normally it's probably just a chunk of money but I think from the moment his family seen that he was a single father they knew that his goal was to dump Cool off on the family and go back to his normal method of operations. Larry's father is the only one who didn't really seem to either know it or accept it for what it was. We see his disappointment with Larry but his acceptance of Cool when Larry goes to leave.
I think his main motive was to squeeze money out of his family to pay off his gambling debts. Cool may have been an added bonus for him to garner more sympathy, especially when it became a possibility that he would be killed.
The whole family may not have known exactly what it was that he wanted or what was actually going on, but they knew he needed or wanted something. The father deep down knew it too, but was either in denial about it, or liked the idea that his son wanted to strike it rich and not be a 9-5 guy. It wasn't until he caught Larry trying to sell his car that he realized his son would betray even him.
You do bring up an interesting point about using Cool as an accessory of sympathy. When you think of it it makes you wonder if the story Larry drummed up about getting stuck with Cool was even the truth. A bit out there but we an see Larry is willing to do some pretty terrible things to avoid the responsibilities of adulthood.
But ultimately, yeah, Dad (Robards) finally comes around to understanding that Larry is a lost cause. He basically bought Cool for a couple thousand dollars to get the kid out of what would have otherwise been a miserable future. For as much as an ass as Dad comes off as, it really was a great mercy he'd shown to Cool. To take on bringing up a young kid at his age is a serious undertaking.
I didn't see anyone looking disgusted. They were shocked that a little boy opened the door and called Larry "Dad." Why are people so sensitive and read so much into a MOVIE!
shareIt's weird.... maybe because I am not racist in the slightest, *I* never had a problem with his son being black... but I think in the movie, having the son AT ALL, was the biggest deal. And the NAME of "cool" being quite odd and out there too.... sparked an awkward reaction
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