As a cinephile who has spent countless hours poring over films spanning decades, I find myself constantly baffled by the inconsistencies of the Motion Picture Association (MPA) ratings system. It’s as if they were graded on a curve that only makes sense to them.
In terms of R-rated films, parents might find themselves open to letting their kids watch a few titles such as “My Cousin Vinny” and “Planes, Trains and Automobiles.” The reason these movies aren’t rated PG-13 is due to the occasional use of the F-word. In fact, in “Planes, Trains and Automobiles,” most of the F-words are used in a single, incredibly funny scene.
If you watch John Hughes’ movies today, many of them are surprisingly offensive compared to his most famous work. For example, in “Sixteen Candles,” which is rated PG, there’s underage drinking, discussions about sex and birth control, implied sexual assault, and a character named Long Duk Dong who serves as a racist stereotype and the target of all the jokes.
Speaking as a fan, in the movie “Planes, Trains and Automobiles,” my character, Steve Martin’s, delivers a frustrated monologue. But let me assure you, the rest of the film is filled with the characteristic warmth that John Hughes is known for. Despite the turbulence created by our odd-couple dynamic, the overall tone remains sweet and endearing throughout.
What Is Planes, Trains and Automobiles About? And What’s the Scene in Question?
In an unattached context, the story unfolds around Martin’s marketing executive, Neal, and Del, a traveling salesman portrayed by John Candy. After their flight gets redirected, they decide to travel to Chicago together. Neal is a family-oriented man who has been working too much and wants to make it home for Thanksgiving dinner. Del, on the other hand, maintains a sense of mystery throughout most of the movie, but as Neal uncovers his secrets, he realizes that perhaps it’s time to set aside his frustrations with this seemingly eccentric individual and thaw his frequently frosty heart.
[Related: Steve Martin Declined Offer to Play Tim Walz on SNL Season 50]
The movie starts off showing Neal getting mugged of his taxi ride by a shrewd city entrepreneur (portrayed by Kevin Bacon, who later collaborated with Hughes for their next project, “She’s Having a Baby”). However, this is only the beginning of his misfortunes. He endures a flight delay, loses another cab ride to Del (an unintentional occurrence this time), has to share a seat with that same man on the flight, experiences a detour to Kansas due to the diverted plane, and is compelled to spend an uncomfortable night in a seedy motel with Del.
The controversial scene you’re referring to occurs following Neal’s stay at the motel, a malfunctioning train journey, and a cramped bus ride. Upon reaching St. Louis Airport, Neal reaches his breaking point when he can’t find the car he rented. Approaching the overly cheerful car rental employee, who appears more engrossed in her family phone call than her work duties, he lashes out, starting by telling her to erase that smile from her face.
What follows is a slew of 18 F-bombs and the name of most popular late ’80s car manufacturers. Then she asks him for his rental agreement, which he’s thrown away, in quite understandable frustration. To that fact she replies that he’s, well, “screwed.” So, make it 19 F-bombs.
Today’s moral norms consider 19 uses of a certain profane word as relatively mild compared to cultural insensitivity or references to sexual assault. To clarify, that word is mostly used for emphasis in everyday speech, whereas the other two are deeply concerning issues that unfortunately still exist in our society. However, the Motion Picture Association (MPA) maintains its standards, and ratings seldom change. Given this context, it’s more probable for “Sixteen Candles” to receive an R rating now compared to “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” getting a PG-13 rating that better reflects its broader appeal.
The general rule of thumb is that more than one F-bomb in a movie warrants an R-rating. Yet, if a young person hears a word once, what makes that different from hearing it 19 times? The only real difference is that, in the case of Planes, Trains and Automobiles, at least, 19 times in a minute-and-a-half works as perhaps the film’s best joke. And it’s something that’s lost if one were to watch the film for the first time in an edited version.
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2024-11-17 22:10