Curse like an actor!?

[Tomasso]

Swearing, from what i gather from older chaps i know, was just as prevalent in *real* life back then as it is now.

While old-timers did engage in "locker room" talk, they would make an effort to restrict their use of profanity, as well as subject matters of a prurient nature, when in the company of ladies. And, ladies weren't in the habit dropping F-bombs every other sentence.

Talk to some 80 year olds.

 

[carebear]

While old-timers did engage in "locker room" talk, they would make an effort to restrict their use of profanity, as well as subject matters of a prurient nature, when in the company of ladies. And, ladies weren't in the habit dropping F-bombs every other sentence.

Talk to some 80 year olds.

So in this, like in sex and so many other things, the content was (more or less) the same then as now.

What changed (I blame the damn dirty hippies) was the belief that public discretion about such things was no longer necessary.

Way to go hippies.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

And amongst the nicer of us, things have NOT changed. Language use alters given the situation. With some people i try not to swear, with others it doesn't matter. In a mixed group (those who don't care, and those who do care, about swearing), one tries not to swear. The feelings of others is the major thing to be considered. In our current climate, where people live in that wonderful oblivion where only they matter, these things fall by the wayside.

bk

 

[Lincsong]

So in this, like in sex and so many other things, the content was (more or less) the same then as now.

What changed (I blame the damn dirty hippies) was the belief that public discretion about such things was no longer necessary.

Way to go hippies.

Exactly! People were more discrete in public. A foul mouthed lass of 18 wouldn't last long in the public venues. There was a reason for "mens only clubs" where men could cuss and drink without offending women. I have 6 aunts and 8 great aunts plus my Mother and Grandmother and they would never swear in public unless it was in some type of argumentative situation. lol But to casually let foul words flow out was not done nor tolerated.

 

[Atomic Glee]

James Lileks once, on his Diner podcast, played a clip from an old episode of the radio show "Suspense" that featured Peter Lorre. In the episode, the lady that Peter Lorre is with is supposed to say to him the line:

"What a funny old duck you are."

The actress flubs her line, and instead says:

"What a cunning old (insert something that isn't, but rhymes with, "duck") you are."

Not a blooper reel - that's how the episode went out over the air. Lileks says he's listened to the rest of the episode, and you don't hear evidence of anybody stifling laughter or anything, so either everybody was able to keep their heads about them, or nobody really noticed.

 

[Feraud]

What changed (I blame the damn dirty hippies) was the belief that public discretion about such things was no longer necessary.

Way to go hippies.

Those poor damn dirty hippies, they get blamed for everything! lol

The hippies are long gone so why has public indiscretion continued? They may have initiated airing one's dirty laundry (literally?) in public but who exactly has continued and taken it to the next level?

I prefer to reserve my salty language for those friends that are comfortable with it. Foul language should be discouraged in public places.

 

[carebear]

Those poor damn dirty hippies, they get blamed for everything! lol

The hippies are long gone so why has public indiscretion continued? They may have initiated airing one's dirty laundry (literally?) in public but who exactly has continued and taken it to the next level?

I prefer to reserve my salty language for those friends that are comfortable with it. Foul language should be discouraged in public places.

Well, it doesn't take but a generation and its media gaining the mainstream and control of academia showing almost anything as acceptable and the next generation will grow up knowing nothing else.

Couple that with a lack of requirements to read classic literature, a decrease in reading anything written prior to now, a decrease in early rote learning of vocabulary and you steal a nation's ability to express their thoughts in anything higher than the slang and vulgarity du jour.

Add to that the triumph of nihilistic relativists who have abandoned any sort of objective, traditional societal norms and standards and view correcting other's public behavior as "stifling their creativity" or "hurting their self-esteem" and there's a hard climb to get back to a situation where individual freedom is balanced by voluntary public decency.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

And amongst the nicer of us, things have NOT changed. Language use alters given the situation. With some people i try not to swear, with others it doesn't matter. In a mixed group (those who don't care, and those who do care, about swearing), one tries not to swear. The feelings of others is the major thing to be considered. In our current climate, where people live in that wonderful oblivion where only they matter, these things fall by the wayside.

bk

Yes. True.
Seems as though some people don't follow these common sense guidelines. I doubt it was the same 50 years ago or more. I don't recall hearing anyone use much profanity even when I was a youngster. Profanity seems to have come into common use around the early 70's.

 

[jake_fink]

Another "bad language" thread only this time it's in The Moving Picture forum because *shock* *horror* movie stars swore in the good old days.


Puh-leeze.

 

[Tomasso]

Hey buddy, save it for the locker room!

Yes. True.
Seems as though some people don't follow these common sense guidelines. I doubt it was the same 50 years ago or more. I don't recall hearing anyone use much profanity even when I was a youngster. Profanity seems to have come into common use around the early 70's.

I remember my first visit, as a child of the 60's, to a men's locker room. I was astounded by the vulgar language exhibited by pillars of the community. My father lockered next to our city's preeminent news anchor and it was quite a shock to hear the things that came out of his mouth. It was a different world with its own vernacular.

But, it never left the locker room.

Now, the world is a locker room.

 

[John in Covina]

Dana Carvey as Jimmie Stwart visiting (Phil Hartman) Dutch Reagan in the White House was really funny!

DD-Dutch you've changed!

 

[Feraud]

Well, it doesn't take but a generation and its media gaining the mainstream and control of academia showing almost anything as acceptable and the next generation will grow up knowing nothing else.

Couple that with a lack of requirements to read classic literature, a decrease in reading anything written prior to now, a decrease in early rote learning of vocabulary and you steal a nation's ability to express their thoughts in anything higher than the slang and vulgarity du jour.

Add to that the triumph of nihilistic relativists who have abandoned any sort of objective, traditional societal norms and standards and view correcting other's public behavior as "stifling their creativity" or "hurting their self-esteem" and there's a hard climb to get back to a situation where individual freedom is balanced by voluntary public decency.

I see how those things are interpreted as being the downfall of all we hold dear but I question blaming the hippies for all of it! That is like saying any other counter culture like punk, ska, or hip-hop brought down "the greatest generation"!

If youngsters preaching peace, love, and drugs did all that I really question how strong the foundation of society stood back then to begin with.

I do not want to get too off topic so I will ask everyone. Who is your favorite cussing actor? I think DeNiro curses up the best storm.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Everyone, I think there have been some excellent points made on this thread and I think there is academic value in seeing that James Stewart blooper real, but a thread discussing foul language in film is not really the direction we should be taking this forum. We all know what it is and where it is, I suggest we seek it out on our own.