I was channel surfing over the Memorial Day weekend and came across a movie called The Dam Busters, a 1955 British war film set during the Second World War.
Turns out the lead character’s black Labrador was named Nigger. That got my attention.
The Dam Busters is based on the true story of the Royal Air Force’s 617 Squadron and the development of the bouncing bomb. The Squadron used the bombs, which bounced across the water to avoid torpedo nets, in Operation Chastise during the attack on the Ruhr dams in Germany.
The movie stars Michael Redgrave as Barnes Wallis, designer of the bomb, and Richard Todd as Wing Commander Guy Gibson.
I didn’t watch the whole movie, by 12 midnight I was fading fast. But I did do a Google search afterwards and found out that, indeed, Gibson’s dog was named Nigger and he was the unit’s mascot. He was hit by an automobile and died shortly before the mission, an incident that is depicted in the film.
A remake of the film is reportedly in production. It is being produced by Peter Jackson, directed by first time director Christian Rivers and scripted by Stephen Fry.
Jackson hasn’t made a decision on what to call the dog. He’s in a no-win situation. If he doesn’t use the name Nigger then he risks not being historically accurate; if he does, he runs the risk of offending countless numbers of people.
Sir David Frost, the executive producer, has reportedly said that Gibson also called his dog Nigsy, so he prefers using that name.
Turns out the lead character’s black Labrador was named Nigger. That got my attention.
The Dam Busters is based on the true story of the Royal Air Force’s 617 Squadron and the development of the bouncing bomb. The Squadron used the bombs, which bounced across the water to avoid torpedo nets, in Operation Chastise during the attack on the Ruhr dams in Germany.
The movie stars Michael Redgrave as Barnes Wallis, designer of the bomb, and Richard Todd as Wing Commander Guy Gibson.
I didn’t watch the whole movie, by 12 midnight I was fading fast. But I did do a Google search afterwards and found out that, indeed, Gibson’s dog was named Nigger and he was the unit’s mascot. He was hit by an automobile and died shortly before the mission, an incident that is depicted in the film.
A remake of the film is reportedly in production. It is being produced by Peter Jackson, directed by first time director Christian Rivers and scripted by Stephen Fry.
Jackson hasn’t made a decision on what to call the dog. He’s in a no-win situation. If he doesn’t use the name Nigger then he risks not being historically accurate; if he does, he runs the risk of offending countless numbers of people.
Sir David Frost, the executive producer, has reportedly said that Gibson also called his dog Nigsy, so he prefers using that name.
I’m of the opinion that they should keep the name for historical accuracy. That was the name of the dog and it does say something about the mores and thinking of the time. Incidentally, I have seen some blog comments that ask, “Why do a remake at all?” There are too many remakes and less original content these days, they argue. I would say hear, hear, but that’s for another blog.
I don’t know what Gibson was thinking or if in his book on the mission he explains how he came about naming his dog. But I do think that the reason behind the name is not as simple as the dog was black. Some blog comments I have seen say that nigger means black and, at that time in England, the reference is to the dog’s color. Therefore the name is not racist, they claim.
Mmmm. “Negro” from the Spanish and Portuguese means black. However, nigger as a derogatory word to describe black people dates back to at least the 1800s. So, I’m quite sure people in 1940s England -- whose empire was once so vast that the sun never set on it – were familiar with the pejorative connotation of the word.
The trick for the producers and writer of the remake is how to keep the name but convey to a contemporary audience that the mores of the time were insensitive to the feelings and humanity of brown and black people.
That’s why they’re getting paid the big bucks.
I don’t know what Gibson was thinking or if in his book on the mission he explains how he came about naming his dog. But I do think that the reason behind the name is not as simple as the dog was black. Some blog comments I have seen say that nigger means black and, at that time in England, the reference is to the dog’s color. Therefore the name is not racist, they claim.
Mmmm. “Negro” from the Spanish and Portuguese means black. However, nigger as a derogatory word to describe black people dates back to at least the 1800s. So, I’m quite sure people in 1940s England -- whose empire was once so vast that the sun never set on it – were familiar with the pejorative connotation of the word.
The trick for the producers and writer of the remake is how to keep the name but convey to a contemporary audience that the mores of the time were insensitive to the feelings and humanity of brown and black people.
That’s why they’re getting paid the big bucks.
Posts
If they remake the movie they should call the dog Nigger because that was his name BUT why remake this?
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't just because of the dog's color, there were clearly insensitive racist sentiments at that time. Perhaps they should keep the name and people should be repulsed and reminded of how the world was not so long ago. This occured in the same era as the holucost. People were disturbed by a lot of the content of Shindler's List, but the movie educated a whole generation of people about the atrocities of Nazi Germany. Perhaps calling the dog by his historically accurate name will offend, but also educate. People should be embarassed about the behaviors of their forefathers and strive not repeat the same mistakes. On the otherhand, I have heard the N word in the lyrics of a lot of today's rap songs. I understand the context is different, but it still gives me a very uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach.
ReplyDeleteI feel that the word "nigger" should stay because not using it is another way of sugarcoating the complex and racial issues of that time. I have no qualms with a remake if Jackson and Rivers do something different than the earlier film that is insightful and meaningful enough to make people reflect on that era and ponder why of all names "Nigger" was even given to the dog. A rehash of the previous film, however, would be a waste of time, expense and energy, not because I feel the first film wasn't worthwhile (I haven't seen it, yet, but probably will after reading this blog) but because I say that about any remake that does nothing original or different than an earlier film.
ReplyDelete@anonymous and MaxineM
ReplyDeletePeter Jackson did the remake of King Kong, which was entertaining. From what I've read, he has wanted to remake the film since the mid-1990s but Mel Gibson had the rights. Once Mel G relinquished the rights Jackson jumped on it. One would think that he would bring something new to the story, maybe there's been some additional information and research on the making of the bouncing bomb and the raid on the dams that would add new insight.
@Pittsburgguy
I too do not like the use of the N-word (although used in a different context) in rap songs or in daily usage anywhere for that matter. Talking about making one's stomach turn...it usually happpens for me when some one pulls up in a car near or next to me while I'm waiting for the traffic light to change and they're blasting the N-word, expletive-laden rap music for the whole world to hear.
The dog's name was evidently a joke. It would be like a black man calling his white dog 'honky', except that would be considered amusing by everybody.
ReplyDeleteThe name of the Black dog in the film was Nigger and its fact and when Nigger was killed by a automobile everyone was very sad over it as they loved that dog and it was their mascot.If a Black group of soldiers in a platoon had a white dog named Cracker and they loved it and it was their mascot I would not be offended.I think we put too much meaning on these words like Nigger,Cracker,Spic,Wop,Border Jumper,Wet Back,Beaners,Spear Chucker,Jungle Bunny,Full Nigga House,Dirty Mexicans,Beach Nigger,Coon,Bamboo Coon,Banana,Bean Burrito,Berry Picker,Big nose,Black Barbie,Black Dagos,Beanie,Blow,Blue-gummer,Blockhead,Blaxican,Boat people,Bogan,Boffer/Boofer,Book-Book,Boogie,Bootlip,Border Nigger,Buckwheat,Buddhahead,Bruised Banana,Bushnigger,Bun,Buppie,Butter,Cab-Nigger,Camel Jockey,Camel Cowboy,Jewboy,Cargo,Cashew,Cat-lick,Caveman,Chino,Chite,Chinese Wetback,Chink,Choo-Choo,Christ-killers,Chili-sh*tter,Chigger,Cornbread,Cotton-picker,Cow-kisser,Cricket,Crime,Cubs,Dan,Dog-muncher,Dinks,Dees-right,Demi-nigger,Erkel,Eggplant,Eraser-head,Flat back,Flip,Fog Nigger,Fob,Geechee,Gar,Gook,Gimpy,Gorilla head,Gro,Groid,Gringo,Higger,Hillbilly,Hebe,Hebro,half-dick,Hotnot,House Nigger,Honky,Hymie,Injun,Island Nigger,J.J.,Jigger,Jigaboo,KFC,Latrino,Kike,Kingfish,Koku-jinLawn Jockey,Mayate,Mandingo,Lincoln's Mistake,Mook,Monkey,Monkeyboy,Moolie,Mud duck,Mutt,Nacho,Naga-North American ground ape affectionately used by the LAPD during the Watts Riots in Los Angeles,Nig-nog,Ni-Ni,Nickel nose,Nappy Head,Nog,Nurple,Oreo,Orlando,Pepperbelly,Pineapple Nigger,Peckerwood,Pickaninny,Ping-pang,Raghead,Pushbutton,Porch-monkey,Redskin,Reggie,Rug-pilot,Rug-rider,Sambo,Salmon Nigger,Saltwater Nigger,Sand-Moolie,Sand Nigger,Shine/Shiner,Shadow-Smurf,Silverback,Smigger,Shylock,Slant,Skillet,Silvery,Spade,Spanglish,Snopes,Snigger,Spook,Spoon,Stovelid,Stovepipe,Strange fruit,Toby,Timber-Nigger,Towel-head,Wahoo,Wagon burner,Tree-swinger,Trash,Wasp,Velcro-head,Whale-turd,Wigger,Webe,White-trash,Welfare Monkeys,Yo Yo,Yard Ape,Yen,Wool head,Zipperhead,Yom,Wood,Zeeb,Zambo.
ReplyDelete