# Absolute WTF, 'what were they thinking' plots and subplots in old movies and TV shows **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** theater-stage-dance\ **Created:** [December 27, 2023, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absolute-wtf-what-were-they-thinking-plots-and-subplots-in-old-movies-and-tv-shows/995229 "2023-12-27T13:58:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2024, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absolute-wtf-what-were-they-thinking-plots-and-subplots-in-old-movies-and-tv-shows/995229/241 "2024-01-12T21:53:27Z")
> [@fedman1](#): > > but the whole plot had "white privilege’ undertones, i.e. qualified white guys kept out of elite colleges because of Affirmative Action. IIRC, the protagonist wasn’t facing being kept out of college because of minority quotas: he’d been expecting to start college in the fall when out of the blue his father decided to not pay for his son’s college tuition. The only scholarship or assistance the son could find on short notice was for racial minorities, and at that he thought that he was taking advantage of a scholarship that would otherwise go unused. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2024, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absolute-wtf-what-were-they-thinking-plots-and-subplots-in-old-movies-and-tv-shows/995229/242 "2024-01-12T22:45:00Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > Speaking as someone who opened an entire thread about who was the -real- killer in the music video / song “Hazard” - Yes. And Yes. And Yes. 🤣 I just looked up that thread-- I’m sorry I missed it the ifrst time around, because I _ **love** _ overanalyzing song lyrics to the point of absurdity. I actually never heard that song before in my life though. Will have to check out the song and the video, and maybe I’ll bring that zombie thread back to life if I think I have anything worth adding. > [@XOldiesJock](#): > > I’ve always been of the opinion that the two people in the Pina Colada song deserved each other, as the two most shallow people on the face of the Earth. Runners-up for that title, the totally awful “Jack and Diane.” One thing you can say for Jack and Diane that you can’t say for the Piña Colada song couple, RE: the line “If you like making love at midnight / In the dunes on the cape”. J&D would never be surprised at where and when the other would like to make love. Mostly because J&D seemed fine with doin’ it just about anywhere, anytime. Behind the shady tree? Sure! Back seat of Jackys’ car? No problem! Which would seem like a tricky proposition, because in the video it looked like Jack was driving a red Corvette, which would not have a back seat. And how is a teenager growing up in the heartland driving a Corvette, anyway? Daddy own the local Chevy dealership? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2024, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absolute-wtf-what-were-they-thinking-plots-and-subplots-in-old-movies-and-tv-shows/995229/243 "2024-01-12T23:36:01Z")
> [@Zyada](#): > > This woman has an SO whose only problem is that he’s boring. So she goes off to NYC to meet a stranger? It’s almost the “Piña Colada” song of movies It’s not just that he was boring. He had allergies. Do you expect a woman to marry a man like that? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2024, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absolute-wtf-what-were-they-thinking-plots-and-subplots-in-old-movies-and-tv-shows/995229/244 "2024-01-12T23:45:32Z")
> [@solost](#): > > J&D would never be surprised at where and when the other would like to make love. Jack and Diane never made love. They only fucked. > [@tomndebb](#): > > _Paint Your Wagon_, the Broadway musical, was a decent (if silly, of course) work by Lerner and Lowe. > Whoever turned it into a movie threw out the original story line, tortured the script, filmed non-singers, and splashed the in movie theatres. It was never a “classic,” although a decent filming of the stage play could have become one. No polyandry, no “singing” by Eastwood or Marvin. But it had the definitive performance of “They Call the Wind Mariah.” Harve Presnell makes it all worth it. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2024, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absolute-wtf-what-were-they-thinking-plots-and-subplots-in-old-movies-and-tv-shows/995229/245 "2024-01-12T23:59:20Z")
> [@solost](#): > > One thing you can say for Jack and Diane… … is that they eat chili dogs together. That beats my marriage. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2024, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absolute-wtf-what-were-they-thinking-plots-and-subplots-in-old-movies-and-tv-shows/995229/246 "2024-01-13T00:17:10Z")
Jack and Diane need intervention! They’re sixteen and the thrill of living is gone. Either they’re contemplating suicide or shooting up their high school. If I were the local police I’d expect to find Jacky’s car (no model is mentioned in the lyrics) wrapped around a tree. We think teens are depressed today… ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2024, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absolute-wtf-what-were-they-thinking-plots-and-subplots-in-old-movies-and-tv-shows/995229/247 "2024-01-13T00:32:59Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Jack and Diane need intervention! They’re already doing the best they can. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2024, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absolute-wtf-what-were-they-thinking-plots-and-subplots-in-old-movies-and-tv-shows/995229/248 "2024-01-13T00:38:00Z")
They’re already murderers. They keep the corpses in the walk in freezer of the Tastee Freeze. Jack and Diane process some of the bodies into hot dogs. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2024, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absolute-wtf-what-were-they-thinking-plots-and-subplots-in-old-movies-and-tv-shows/995229/249 "2024-01-13T00:39:36Z")
If only Billy Joe and Bobby Sue had thought of that ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2024, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absolute-wtf-what-were-they-thinking-plots-and-subplots-in-old-movies-and-tv-shows/995229/250 "2024-01-13T00:43:47Z")
What, instead of throwing the stuff off the Tallahatchie Bridge? ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2024, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absolute-wtf-what-were-they-thinking-plots-and-subplots-in-old-movies-and-tv-shows/995229/251 "2024-01-13T00:46:54Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Jack and Diane need intervention! They’re sixteen and the thrill of living is gone. They sound like perfectly ordinary 90s teenagers to me. Maybe just a decade before their time. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2024, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absolute-wtf-what-were-they-thinking-plots-and-subplots-in-old-movies-and-tv-shows/995229/252 "2024-01-13T01:05:37Z")
> [@digs](#): > > > [@solost](#): > > > > One thing you can say for Jack and Diane… > > … is that they eat chili dogs together. > > That beats my marriage. They are sucking on chili dogs. That’s immoral at least. ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2024, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absolute-wtf-what-were-they-thinking-plots-and-subplots-in-old-movies-and-tv-shows/995229/253 "2024-01-13T01:19:13Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > _What, instead of throwing the stuff off the Tallahatchie Bridge?_ Billy Joe and Bobby Sue were the “heroes” of Steve Miller’s “Take the Money and Run.” They robbed castles and killed people. They never threw anything off any bridge. Billy Joe and (presumably - though never mentioned by name) Bobby (the narrator) were the star-crossed lovers of “Ode to Billy Joe.” They did throw something off the Tallahatchie Bridge. Later, Billy Joe threw himself off the Tallahatchie Bridge. Bobby went back to share croppin’. Pop music has so much originality. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2024, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absolute-wtf-what-were-they-thinking-plots-and-subplots-in-old-movies-and-tv-shows/995229/254 "2024-01-13T01:34:01Z")
Oh yeah. That’s the night that the lights went out in Georgia. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2024, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absolute-wtf-what-were-they-thinking-plots-and-subplots-in-old-movies-and-tv-shows/995229/255 "2024-01-13T01:49:45Z")
> [@XOldiesJock](#): > > Later, Billy Joe threw himself off the Tallahatchie Bridge Another depressed teenager. The Mississippi Department of Human Services needs to increase its funding. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2024, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absolute-wtf-what-were-they-thinking-plots-and-subplots-in-old-movies-and-tv-shows/995229/256 "2024-01-13T03:27:28Z")
Typically, I don’t pay much attention to lyrics, focusing instead on the musical elements of pop songs, like melody, harmony, and rhythm. However, this topic prompted me to examine the lyrics of the “Pina Colada Song” ( **Escape** ) in order to more closely understand its narrative. Upon reflection, I’m inclined to believe that the protagonist was aware that his significant other (SO) had written the personal ad even before he responded with his own. It’s also possible that the SO crafted the ad with the intention of capturing the protagonist’s attention, leading him to respond. In other words, they were both seeking to reconnect with each other. This interpretation casts the song in a more positive light, conveying a message about doing the right thing. It suggests a scenario where a couple, feeling the weariness of a long-standing relationship, makes an effort to reignite their passion, rather than portraying a tale of mutual infidelity. My reasoning is twofold: firstly, the protagonist shows no surprise upon encountering his SO at the bar; secondly, the song’s melody is cheerful and major, not somber or set in a minor key. Thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2024, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absolute-wtf-what-were-they-thinking-plots-and-subplots-in-old-movies-and-tv-shows/995229/257 "2024-01-13T03:33:41Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > Thoughts? I quite agree, and a fine analysis. It may not have been 100% conscious on either part, but they knew. “Oh, it’s you…” ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2024, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absolute-wtf-what-were-they-thinking-plots-and-subplots-in-old-movies-and-tv-shows/995229/258 "2024-01-13T03:55:11Z")
I know, right!?! I mean, don’t get me wrong, I enjoy depressing music (I’m a fan of Chopin nocturnes, post-Beatles John Lennon, and Beethoven in general), but upbeat tunes also have their place, and upbeat tunes should have happy messages. I believe Piña Colada is a happy tune with a happy message. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2024, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absolute-wtf-what-were-they-thinking-plots-and-subplots-in-old-movies-and-tv-shows/995229/259 "2024-01-13T04:02:43Z")
Excellent, now @Tibby and @solost can spend time analyzing Hazard (you’ll need to watch the video, not just listen to the song) and we can get new POV on that one as well! ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2024, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absolute-wtf-what-were-they-thinking-plots-and-subplots-in-old-movies-and-tv-shows/995229/260 "2024-01-13T05:22:20Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > Upon reflection, I’m inclined to believe that the protagonist was aware that his significant other (SO) had written the personal ad even before he responded with his own. That’s an odd conclusion to make given that the first thing he says in the second verse, after reading the original personal ad, is “I didn’t think about my lady / I know that sounds kinda mean”. It could mean either he didn’t consider their relationship after reading it, or that it didn’t sound like her; but either way wouldn’t lead to a conclusion that he thought it was her (or that she tried to use it as a way to get through to him). In terms of the song’s tone, I’d think of it more as a _happy accident_ than an deliberate attempt to breathe life back into a “same old dull routine” relationship. In other words, they blundered into something that made them better for each other - and kept from recriminations about cheating on one another, because of course they were both planning to do so. As long as they could get past that, it ended up being a plus. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absolute-wtf-what-were-they-thinking-plots-and-subplots-in-old-movies-and-tv-shows/995229.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/absolute-wtf-what-were-they-thinking-plots-and-subplots-in-old-movies-and-tv-shows/995229.md?page=14)