Private Joker says this several times during Full Metal Jacket. What on earth does it mean? Is it a quote from something? Is it meant to be funny? Why does he say it at all, is it relevant to his plight?
BUMP!
Come on, no-one as any help?
I have no idea. But barring a more specific refernce, I’m guessing it’s just an ironic commentary on the heroic John Wayne movie version of war vs. what he’s actually experiencing.
He’s saying something about the duality of man.
Inigo Montoya
Is that a Jungian thing?
My take…
If that’s you (John Wayne)… then what am I (Pvt. Joker) doing here?
Either that or the duality thing.
Dunno about that, but it’s one of those movie quote things. Some piece of shiny brass was giving Joker a hard time about having a peace symbol on his helmet cover along with the phrase, “Born to Kill.” Asking him if it was some sort of joke. Joker explained “I think I’m trying to say something about the duality of man, sir.”
It’s probably more relevant to the OP than I intended it to be. Guess it’s time to watch the movie again with my Art Goggles on and look for pluralisms and stuff.
Oh, Come On!
Why don’t you pitch in and join the team and help out for the “Big Win”?
Inigo Montoya
I picked up on your “duality of man” reference in Full Metal Jacket and I thought you would have picked on mine (“It’s the Jungian thing sir”.)
It seems that Gatopescado is familiar with that dialog.
Anyway, here is the IMDB “Full Metal Jacket” quote page:
Look for the dialog between Private Joker and Pogue Colonel.
(Sorry Inigo for your taking me seriously in my posting and your typing an explanation with which I was already familiar. :smack:
I should have added a smilie or something 
).
I’m an idiot.
It always seemed like he was doin a John Wayne impersonation, albeit a bad one. I’ve only ever watched FMJ on a scratchy video. Maybe on DVD it sounds more like the duke.
But if he’s doing an impression, then it seems like its John Wayne talking to himself, like talking to his relfection.
This article is all I can find on the subject… I’ve re-read it a couple of times, and if my answers in here, then I must be too dumb to see it.
FULL METAL JACKET The screenplay
http://corky.net/scripts/FullMetalJacket.html
No Inigo, I’ll take the blame. :smack:
Anyway, I believe his first John Wayne imitation occurs in the first barracks scene where R Lee Ermey is “introducing” the new recruits to the Marines. Private Joker mumbles his John Wayne imitation and R Lee Ermey gets pissed and wants to know who said that.
I don’t think that really helps the OP but at least we know where the John Wayne references begin.
The book the movie is based on, “The Short Timers” is much more depressing than the movie could ever hope to be. The futility of everything they are doing just becomes a weight on the reader. It looks into Marine life and shows their personalities being stripped away. The Marines start talking to their rifles as if they are their girlfriends, not just fatso or whatever his name is. When Joker goes to Vietnam, the brutuality of the war is given much more weight. A local’s daughter riding a Water Buffalo is killed and the grandfather runs up screaming that he wants payment for the Water Buffalo.
I once took it to mean he was being a smart ass by asking the drill instructer if he is John Wayne and if he was working to turn Joker into John Wayne. Don’t know now but might go reread the book for further thought.