MovieChat Forums > The Pacific (2010) Discussion > Profanity Level

Profanity Level

posted 8 years ago by jdunnTX
6 replies | jump to latest

From another website discussing Band Of Brothers

"A few words re: the language in episode 2. One friend of mine who was a paratrooper in Battery 'B' of the 377th PFA Bn. actually cancelled his HBO service after viewing the first two episodes because he couldn't stand the amount of swearing. I frankly hadn't paid much attention, probably being calloused from 25 years of police work in Detroit. After hearing these reactions, I went back and re watched Episode 2, paying more attention to the language, and there ARE a considerable number of J.C.'s and 'F' bombs in there.

In Dick Winters' first written account of the action, he has Popeye Wynn saying I'm sorry I goofed-off". Screenwriter John Orloff contacted Popeye and was able to elicit the info from him that he had actually used much stronger language. Thus was the dialogue changed to :"I'm sorry I *beep* Regardless of the actual profanity level of the day, most WW2 vets I know will argue like all getout that there was LESS cursing in the 40's than is common today. At first I was skeptical, but after 30 years of hearing this from so many individuals, I tend to believe them. The film would have been just as good with less profanity. My friend historian Bill Warnock wrote me the following observation on this:

"The 'F' word was used by GIs of the WW2 era, but I think the BoB writers overdid it. They portray a degree of profanity typical of Vietnam and today, not WW2. This was (also) the case in 'Saving Private Ryan'. Several vets commented to me about this."

[–] budmanus 8 years ago

I read in one book about The Pacific that John's family never really accepted her. After his death that they didn't have anything to do with her. Not sure how true any of that was. Me personally, if you were married to my brother and filled his last few months on earth with joy and happiness then why would I not accept you. Just doesn't match up to what they portrayed in the episode before he left for Okinawa.

[–] budmanus 8 years ago

Sorry I hit new topic button it still showed up under your post

[–] RollandsOwn 8 years ago

actually cancelled his HBO service after viewing the first two episodes because he couldn't stand the amount of swearing.

LOL, what a ridiculous overreaction. There's always the option to, you know, stop watching it.

[–] liscarkat (18589) 6 years ago

Even in the 1950s and 1960s, which I remember, there was far less profanity than there is now, even among tough guys when no women were around.

[–] Martoto (5049) 4 years ago

When some people get to a certain age they like to imagine how everything was different/better, even if there is evidence to the contrary.

E.g. whenever someone posts an old black and white photo of a city street from more than 50 or 60 years ago, some people will always comment "streets were so much cleaner then" even though the photo depicts dilapidated buildings crumbling and the street actually covered in horse's shit, plus the whole place and the people are covered in grime and coal dust from the surrounding industry and heating of people's homes.

[–] moviechatterer (15787) 4 years ago

i must be getting old but when i fantasise about travelling back in time now i just think:
Dogshit on the streets
Personal hygine levels probly much less
Pubs full of smoke
things being more expensive
cars having to use carburettors . urgh .
houses colder
more racism
more sexism
less health and safety
nobody recycling anything
primitive computers , no internet
crt tvs