# "Back to the Future" question... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 20, 2003, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-question/162864 "2003-03-20T18:41:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2003, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-question/162864/1 "2003-03-20T18:41:42Z")
I was watching this movie (again) earlier this week. It’s one of my favorite movies of all time, but I had a thought at the end of it that I’d never thought about before: In the new 1985, where George and Lorainne are happy, etc, did Lorainne ever have to explain to George why their son looks just like this guy that they knew in high school? And why he’s even _named_ after him? ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2003, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-question/162864/2 "2003-03-20T18:49:04Z")
I don’t think that she’d have to. He wasn’t born until 13 years after they met (approximately), and he certainly didn’t look like a seventeen year old when he was. By the time that he looked like he did when he was seventeen, Lorainne and George would’ve regarded his looks as those of their son, not those of “that guy we knew for a week back in high school.” ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2003, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-question/162864/3 "2003-03-20T18:49:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Superdude \* > And why he’s even _named_ after him? Well, that part is easily explained. One or the other of them, Lorraine I think, remarks that “Marty” is a nice name back in 1955. As to the looks, you’re talking about a kid they knew for a week 30 years ago. Chances are, they don’t have all that clear a recollection of _what_ “Calvin” looked like. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2003, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-question/162864/4 "2003-03-20T18:57:03Z")
But don’t you think the dad knows. Look at the cover of his new book. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2003, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-question/162864/5 "2003-03-20T19:13:33Z")
What about the book? It has Marty in the radiation suit because when you see a figgin’ alien visit you in the night, you kinda remember what that looks like. Some random guy for a week? Not so much. And yes, Marty was essentilly names Marty because Marty went back to meet his parents…after they already named him Marty before meeting Martry…damn, paradoxes are confusing! ---
**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-question/162864/6 "2003-03-21T06:29:35Z")
Wait…I thought in 1955 he was named Calvin Klein. ---
**Author:** ![Sock\_Munkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Sock\_Munkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sock_Munkey)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-question/162864/7 "2003-03-21T07:12:31Z")
He corrected Lorraine when she called him Calvin. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-question/162864/8 "2003-03-21T08:23:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bouv \* > It has Marty in the radiation suit because when you see a figgin’ alien visit you in the night, you kinda remember what that looks like. \*\* Hey, I can still draw mine from memory! ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-question/162864/9 "2003-03-21T09:18:29Z")
Hey, _none_ of those McFly kids look like each other or their parents. Something funny was going on there. . . _Lorraine_. P.S. Oscar’s Best Picture of 1955 was _Marty_. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-question/162864/10 "2003-03-21T13:17:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sock Munkey \* > \*\*He corrected Lorraine when she called him Calvin. \*\* No, he didn’t. She called him Calvin the whole time. When he was leaving the dance, and told “Calvin” that George McFly was taking her home, he said something about “if you ever have a kid named ‘Marty’ who sets the living room rug on fire, go easy on him.” She then comments that “Marty” is a nice name. I was always surprised that when he got back to the future, the older son wasn’t now named Marty. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-question/162864/11 "2003-03-21T13:19:56Z")
Shoulda previewed. I meant when he was leaving the dance to go meet Doc with the car, and Lorraine told “Calvin” that George was taking her home… ---
**Author:** ![Kendo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Kendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kendo)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-question/162864/12 "2003-03-21T14:00:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BiblioCat \* > \*\*No, he didn’t. She called him Calvin the whole time. > When he was leaving the dance, and told “Calvin” that George McFly was taking her home, he said something about “if you ever have a kid named ‘Marty’ who sets the living room rug on fire, go easy on him.” > She then comments that “Marty” is a nice name. \*\* People who correct should be sure of their ground :p…but hell, I can only paraphrase myself. When Marty first wakes up after he’s been hit by his Grandad’s car in 1955, the following occurs (after she keeps calling him Calvin Klein): Lorraine: “Oh, I guess most people call you Cal.” Marty: “Actually, people call me Marty” Lorraine: “Nice to meet you, Calv…Marty.” Cool beans. Such a good film. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-question/162864/13 "2003-03-21T14:40:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bouv \* > \*\*What about the book? It has Marty in the radiation suit because when you see a figgin’ alien visit you in the night, you kinda remember what that looks like. Some random guy for a week? Not so much. And yes, Marty was essentilly names Marty because Marty went back to meet his parents…after they already named him Marty before meeting Martry…damn, paradoxes are confusing! \*\* Yes but the ‘some random guy’ did far more to help Geroge woo her than the ‘alien’ did. ---
**Author:** ![No\_Me\_Ayudes\_Compadre](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/no_me_ayudes_compadre/32/5224_2.png) [@No\_Me\_Ayudes\_Compadre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/No_Me_Ayudes_Compadre)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-question/162864/14 "2003-03-21T17:56:46Z")
I had a similar doubt in BTF-III. Marty goes back to 1885 and meets his earlier ancestors, the first McFlys to settle in America. His male ancestor resembles him, and his female ancestor resembles his mother. Which would allow for the case of Baines lineage… but the family is McFly, which would imply paternal lineage. ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-question/162864/15 "2003-03-21T18:56:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bouv \* > \*\*snip…damn, paradoxes are confusing! \*\* If you want some paradoxes (paradoxi?) that will keep you thinking, read “By His Bootstraps” by RAH. Same theme in “All You Zombies” but not as much fun. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-question/162864/16 "2003-03-21T21:21:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by El Mariachi Loco \* > I had a similar doubt in BTF-III. Marty goes back to 1885 and meets his earlier ancestors, the first McFlys to settle in America. His male ancestor resembles him, and his female ancestor resembles his mother. Which would allow for the case of Baines lineage… but the family is McFly, which would imply paternal lineage. The producers handwaved this by saying that the McFly family genetics make the men predisposed to fall in love with women who look like Lea Thompson. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-question/162864/17 "2003-03-21T21:52:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rjung \* > \*\*The producers handwaved this by saying that the McFly family genetics make the men predisposed to fall in love with women who look like Lea Thompson. 😃 \*\* And really, who can blame 'em? 😃 OTOH, though, I think all the paradoxi are explained by Brown’s theory about diverging time lines. I have to admit, even as a kid, the moment in II when he started talking about that my first reaction was “Well, then nothing they’re doing -really- makes any difference, it just spawns another time line.” Yes, I was cynical even then. ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-question/162864/18 "2003-03-21T22:30:12Z")
You’re right, **ArrrMatey**. Marty didn’t really change anything, he just shunted himself into a different timeline according to the “many worlds” theory. The happy, well-adjusted Marty who belonged in the timeline our Marty was in by the end of the series, got pushed off into some other place. Or, he was off at the mall, and the two Martys will meet sometime after the last scene of the third movie. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-question/162864/19 "2003-03-21T22:36:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kendo \* > \*\*People who correct should be sure of their ground :p…but hell, I can only paraphrase myself. > > When Marty first wakes up after he’s been hit by his Grandad’s car in 1955, the following occurs (after she keeps calling him Calvin Klein): > > Lorraine: “Oh, I guess most people call you Cal.” > > Marty: “Actually, people call me Marty” > > Lorraine: “Nice to meet you, Calv…Marty.” > Cool beans. Such a good film. \*\* Damn, you’re right. :smack: But she does continue to call him Calvin after that. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2003, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-question/162864/20 "2003-03-22T01:13:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BiblioCat \* > **No, he didn’t. She called him Calvin the whole time. > When he was leaving the dance, and told “Calvin” that George McFly was taking her home, he said something about "if you ever have a kid named ‘Marty’ who sets the living room rug on fire, go easy on him."** Sorry to keep flogging this particular horse, but . . . he doesn’t say anything in this line about “a kid named Marty.” I just cued the tape up to this scene, and he says (very close paraphrase), “If you guys ever have kids . . . [Lorraine blushes] and one of them, when he’s eight years old, accidentally sets fire to the living room rug, go easy on him.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-question/162864.md?page=2)