Celluloid Debut of 'The Finger'?

[Senator Jack]

Last night's Fox Before the Code feature was Spencer Tracy in 'Quick Millions'. I think everyone in the theater was a bit stunned when a peevish character flips the bird at the radio (the mayor was giving a speech). The film was produced in 1931. Yeah, I know the envelope was being pushed back then, and hence the Hays commission, (in 'Bottoms Up', Pat Patterson appears in a very sheer dress) but never had I seen such an early display of the middle digit.

Regards,

Senator Jack

 

[The Wolf]

reminds me of an old Warner Bros. cartoon

There is a cartoon of Babbitt and Catstello (cat versions of Abbott and Costello) that has a lean cat pushing a chubby cat to grab a little yellow bird. It is the original Tweety bird. At one point Babbitt tells Catstello "Give me the bird". Catstello looks at the camera and says "If it wasn't for the Hayes Comission I'd give him the bird."lol
Good old fashioned rude humo(u)r.

Sincerely,
The Wolf

 

[jamespowers]

There is a cartoon of Babbitt and Catstello (cat versions of Abbott and Costello) that has a lean cat pushing a chubby cat to grab a little yellow bird. It is the original Tweety bird. At one point Babbitt tells Catstello "Give me the bird". Catstello looks at the camera and says "If it wasn't for the Hayes Comission I'd give him the bird."lol
Good old fashioned rude humo(u)r.

Sincerely,
The Wolf

I remember that one. lol It was a really funny moment and most of the children watching the show would never understand.

Regards,

J

 

[Feraud]

I am enjoying this thread!

 

[hbenthow]

Also, in "Nothing Sacred", when Frank Fay tells the "Dutch girl" to "Show them the finger babe", she "gives 'em the finger". The reason this got past the censors was because her finger was bandaged, so they didn't realize what she was doing. On top of all this, the reason her finger was bandaged is that she "stuck it in a dike" (bit of a double meaning there).

 

[bil_maxx]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xmAC9Qu908

Have a look at that. Incredible and not at all subtle. Hilarious though.

 

[LizzieMaine]

You'd be surprised how That Gesture went right by a good portion of the American public. There's an old children's counting song called "Where Is Thumbkin," in which each finger of the hand has a name -- thumbkin, pointer, Tall Man, Ring Man, and pinky -- and when you sing the verse about "Where Is Tall Man?" you're supposed to hold up your middle finger. We learned this tune in Sunday School and sang it, complete with gestures, without a trace of irony.

In one of the earliest episodes of "Misterogers' Neighborhood," Mr Rogers sings this song, complete with gestures, and during the Tall Man verse, he holds up both his middle fingers and waves them at the camera. At the time it was completely innocent, but it's only a matter of time before somebody puts it up on Yoo Toob under "OMG MR ROGRS FLIPS U OFF!"

As for The Bird, during the Era, that primarily referred to the Bronx Cheer. Giving someone the bird mean to blow them the razzberry, which wasn't an acceptable noise to make in public, unless you happened to be Spike Jones.

 

[Deco-Doll-1928]

In Harold Lloyd's movie Speedy (1928), he flips himself off. It's during the fun house mirror scene at Coney Island.