Was Cushman's dad racist? Or just greedy?
-
kiriyama_8 — 16 years ago(April 29, 2009 08:53 AM)
The reason Jerry gives him a "funny" look wasn't because of the "racist" comment It was because he was thinking "damn, if I had been here instead of trying to help that nobody (Tidwell), I would have kept Cush".
Why would Jerry even CARE if Cushamn's dad made a racist comment? At that moment, racism was the least of his concerns. -
zanmorrow — 16 years ago(April 29, 2009 08:59 AM)
Maybe Jerry is the kind of guy who doesn't rank racism higher or lower depending on what else is happening in his life. Maybe it just seriously puts
him off. That's what makes Jerry such an engaging character - he's out for himself but has a moral core that he can't override no matter how much he'd like to.
O that blue, blue shirt of yours -
timmavor — 17 years ago(January 04, 2009 09:45 PM)
There was obviously a hint of racism in that line. It was obvious that Mr. Cushman was pissed that Jerry was not treating his son as the #1 client he wanted him to. And probably in his anger he simply referred to Tidwell as "the black fella" as a way of downplaying his importance.
Before people get on my back about this, people use terms like these to denounce someone else's importance otherwise you'd refer to them by their names, or by another characteristic that isn't so obviously meant as a way of showing that they're different from you.
So referring to someone as "black" is not racist alone. But IN MY OPINION, coupling that with a tone and the story behind it (the one that Mr. Cushman was obviously trying to downplay Tidwell's importance) has a slight hint of racism behind it. -
avalanche222 — 16 years ago(April 07, 2009 08:12 PM)
WRONG, Mr. Cush was taken back by Jerry bringing up his "oak" PROMISE, and then instead of taking responsibility, he instead rejected his guilt and it as an "accusation" by having the audacity to show that he was simply insulted his son Jerry's "star" player, ("basically") his only player took a "back seat" to a black man no less.. for only a few minutes in a lobby no less. His true colors came out, so to speak. Replay the scene again and watch his reaction.
That was the real intention of the scene, and no matter how you spin it or want it to be that is the truth. You're only deluding yourself if you think it wasn't. And by far, most people would see that and agree; they just aren't the ones acting like children in denial about it in this thread.
the irony is this is probably one of the MAIN reasons this is rated at a goddamn pitiful 7.2 rather than an 8.2 (which is what it clearly is more like); the portrayal of hicks, which is what they were. And of course they wanted to be in nowhere denver, instead of California. -
MuchToBeGratefulFor — 16 years ago(October 24, 2009 09:37 AM)
I agree that's the intention of the scene.
Jerry: "tell me you didn't sign. Because I was really moved by your "my word is strong as oak' thing."
Mr Cush: "we signed an hour ago. While you were in the lobby with the black fella."
He didn't say "sorry Jerry, I know I promised, but Sugar said Denver only deals with him." Or "I wanted to talk it over with you, but you were not available." No, he is defiant and said we signed while you were in the lobby with the black fella. The fact that the dad is defiant and uses the word 'black' instead of Rod's name or simply "the other fella" indicates that the 'black' aspect is relevant to him.
You must be the change you seek in the world. Gandhi -
floydsr — 15 years ago(February 27, 2011 11:42 PM)
For a Colorado Avalanche fan, you seem to resent Denver alot. Didnt you know they played in Denver? It says Colorado on their jerseys and that's the biggest city in that state, dude. That's where they play their home games. DUH!
-
koffeenkreame41-1 — 14 years ago(March 21, 2012 05:02 AM)
WRONG, Mr. Cush was taken back by Jerry bringing up his "oak" PROMISE, and then instead of taking responsibility, he instead rejected his guilt and it as an "accusation" by having the audacity to show that he was simply insulted his son Jerry's "star" player, ("basically") his only player took a "back seat" to a black man no less.. for only a few minutes in a lobby no less. His true colors came out, so to speak. Replay the scene again and watch his reaction.
That was the real intention of the scene, and no matter how you spin it or want it to be that is the truth. You're only deluding yourself if you think it wasn't. And by far, most people would see that and agree; they just aren't the ones acting like children in denial about it in this thread.
the irony is this is probably one of the MAIN reasons this is rated at a goddamn pitiful 7.2 rather than an 8.2 (which is what it clearly is more like); the portrayal of hicks, which is what they were. And of course they wanted to be in nowhere denver, instead of California.
^^Agreed! It was the way he said it. Cushman's dad was racist, his true colors shined when Jerry brought up the 'oak' quote.
"I am the ultimate badass, you do not wanna*beep*wit' me!" Hudson in Aliens. -
thegodfatherIV — 17 years ago(September 10, 2008 11:16 PM)
^ ya he was just greedy he obviously wanted his son to go #1 in the draft, and to Denver
and of course, with Bob Sugar yacking off that Denver only deals with him, could have added to his decision
"Make like a tree and get out of here!" -
avalanche222 — 16 years ago(April 07, 2009 08:14 PM)
idiots.
see "both" here
http://www.imdb.com/board/10116695/board/thread/96516448?d=135048922&p=2#135048922 -
avalanche222 — 16 years ago(April 07, 2009 09:32 PM)
ya!
idiots.
What else was bob sugar yacking off about to them do you think? "Look at jerry hanging around there with that black fellar instead of you"
see both here
http://www.imdb.com/board/10116695/board/thread/96516448?d=135048922&p=2#135048922
http://www.imdb.com/board/10116695/board/thread/96516448?d=126840182&p=2#126840182 -
EyeDunno — 17 years ago(September 14, 2008 05:53 PM)
Such an ambiguous and wide-open scenario since the filmmakers didn't explain exactly why which is just the reason I like open-ended reasons. So my take is, it depends on the viewer. A hundred people have a hundred different possible responses as to what went on inside Cush's mind, depending on the obvious (what he said), to his body language and the reaction to his comments. My own take? That's my own personal thing, which doesn't have to be shared, unless someone truly is clueless or confused.
-
kylopod — 17 years ago(November 27, 2008 04:47 AM)
I've noticed that Hollywood films will often stick a racist line into the mouth of an unsympathetic character just to make that character seem even more despicable. The main point of this sequence is that Cushman's dad is an opportunist, not that he is a racist. But the line adds a new dimension to the situation. If he hadn't said it, some in the audience might have concluded that he's an okay guy despite his disloyalty to Jerry. But since the film is a feel-good movie about the importance of loyalty, the filmmakers didn't want to distract us with complexities, such as the idea that a disloyal person might otherwise be a good person. So they had Cushman's dad make this out-of-left-field slur against a character we already like, and thus he comes off as not just dishonorable, but unlikable as well.
-
ghetarr2001 — 17 years ago(January 01, 2009 06:17 AM)
True enough. It was also a matter of "what have you done for me lately", in my opinion. Clearly, Jerry thought he had Cush "in the bag" as they say, and hence spent the time he would have otherwise been recruiting a top draft pick with Rod. Having seen that, the father, who is being hounded by Sugar all the while, gives in, basically because Sugar has been there in the most crucial moments, the days leading up to the draft, to position himself firmly within the circle of trust. Either way, any father willing to just switch a commitment as important as that, the way he did, was truly despicable. But these things happen all the time, Crowe was just writing from real life experiences through his research.