# Stuff people never do in films. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 12, 2005, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-people-never-do-in-films/299013 "2005-04-12T20:40:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-people-never-do-in-films/299013/61 "2005-04-13T19:26:34Z")
> [@Agrippina](#): > > Or how about when someone clicks on a mouse? The click can be heard five miles away. And it’s always slow. Nobody ever double clicks on a mouse, it’s always _CLICK_…_CLICK_. Ooh, I hate that. Pardon the blatant sidetrack, but what’s with the out-of-control sound effects? Someone types on a computer keyboard, and the sound is just _deafening_. Or they hit the speed dial on their phone and it goes BEEP BEEP BOOP BOP BEEP BIP BOOP. Hey sound-effects guy: Just stop it. ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-people-never-do-in-films/299013/62 "2005-04-13T19:38:07Z")
another computer point. How about entering a user id? Why just a password? ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-people-never-do-in-films/299013/63 "2005-04-13T19:42:48Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > Poor people. You rarely see anyone in films who is poor. The bulk of folks are either middle class or upper class. Really? I must watch a lot of downer movies then, because I’ve seen many a movie that centers around being poor or at least deals with it on some level. Two recent examples: Real Women Have Curves Whale Rider As for the period thing, why would anyone want to see that in a movie? And I’ve never had much of a problem just jumping into sex when the time is right. If you shower daily, you shouldn’t have to clean yourself beforehand. I’m with Bouv on what he said. Most of that stuff is not in movies for a reason. ---
**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:** [April 13, 2005, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-people-never-do-in-films/299013/64 "2005-04-13T19:47:42Z")
Also, while a biopic, “Ray” certainly talked about him coming from a poor family, which was show on-screen. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-people-never-do-in-films/299013/65 "2005-04-13T19:58:52Z")
Yet another computer one… No-one ever uses the frickin mouse! No one ever plugs their frickin laptop in. Battery life is not great on those things… plug it in for ogs sake! And when you’ve finished using it _turn it off_, don’t just close the lid. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-people-never-do-in-films/299013/66 "2005-04-13T20:02:19Z")
And they never ever ever ever watch movies made after 1950! I’m sure there’s some legal reason for that but it bugs me. Even young characters. their fave movie (if it comes up) is always some old old shit. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-people-never-do-in-films/299013/67 "2005-04-13T20:02:38Z")
Nobody ever buys groceries except for French Bread, celery, oranges and a couple of cans of something unidentifable. You never see a man shopping for groceries period. ---
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-people-never-do-in-films/299013/68 "2005-04-13T20:22:08Z")
> [@FordPrefect](#): > > another computer point. How about entering a user id? Why just a password? Yet another computer related tidbit: You never see anyone on a computer poke around a bit before they can figure out how to do whatever they want to do. They just sit at the damn computer and happily click away at 90 words a minute. Even if they’ve never seen the computer or that particular program before. Because we know that all computers in the world are exactly the same. While I’m thinking about it, here’s another one: Why does everyone in Movie World own a Mac? ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-people-never-do-in-films/299013/69 "2005-04-13T20:28:36Z")
> [@PoorYorick](#): > > While I’m thinking about it, here’s another one: Why does everyone in Movie World own a Mac? Product placement. Apple pretty much has a lock on the film industry, though I have seen Compaq servers and IBM PCs in a few films. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-people-never-do-in-films/299013/70 "2005-04-13T20:41:12Z")
> [@PoorYorick](#): > > Because we know that all computers in the world are exactly the same. World? _Independence Day_ shows that computer compatibility extends far beyond this one little planet. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-people-never-do-in-films/299013/71 "2005-04-13T20:47:44Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > You never see people talking about TV. The girls are listing **Gilligan’s Island** episodes in **Dazed and Confused**. ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-people-never-do-in-films/299013/72 "2005-04-13T20:51:04Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > Product placement. Apple pretty much has a lock on the film industry, though I have seen Compaq servers and IBM PCs in a few films. Interestingly, most non-Apple computers seen in movies appear to be running some generic operating system—you almost never see bona fide Microsoft Windows running on a movie computer—whereas an Apple computer will **always** be running a standard, recognizable Mac OS. ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-people-never-do-in-films/299013/73 "2005-04-13T20:54:43Z")
How about disabled folks? _Notting Hill_ is the only movie I’ve seen where a character just happened to be disabled. Speaking of Macs and product placement, has anyone ever seen a PC get a BSOD, or a scene where a Mac locked up? Also, as the father of two elementary-school kids, has anyone ever seen an actual booger onscreen? ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-people-never-do-in-films/299013/74 "2005-04-13T21:13:54Z")
This is slightly off topic. but it bugs me when technitians in star trek can learn to use an alien computer in seconds! ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-people-never-do-in-films/299013/75 "2005-04-13T21:17:00Z")
I would actually love to see someone who dives into a body of water to escape gunfire run out of air, resurface in the same spot and get shot in the head. Somehow there always seems to be some underwater escape path for them to take. And somehow the visibility in the body of water is perfect. And somehow they can see perfectly fine without the aid of a mask or goggles. ---
**Author:** ![Ross](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@Ross](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ross)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-people-never-do-in-films/299013/76 "2005-04-13T21:40:45Z")
It’s so uncommon for people to actually cough in movies that in _Finding Neverland_ when the scene switches to outside Barrie’s cottage, and Kate Winslet is outside pegging up clothes, and she coughs just before he arrives, my wife and I both immediately went “Consumption!” The whole plot had been summed up in one moment. In fact it’d be original to have a movie about people dying of consumption where it wasn’t immdiately made obvious. Man that was a depressing movie. Hey, you know the final scene? Just as it fades into “The End”, wouldn’t you have loved it if Depp had given the tiniest hint of a cough? And close with a close-up on the kid’s horrified face? It is possible I could have laid out this post more elegantly. Never mind. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-people-never-do-in-films/299013/77 "2005-04-13T21:50:04Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > This is slightly off topic. but it bugs me when technitians in star trek can learn to use an alien computer in seconds! Even worse - that time they traveled back in time, and Scotty, after realizing that the computer doesn’t have a voice interface, began typing at lightning speed. Why would he know how to touch-type? ---
**Author:** ![Balduran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cc9497/32.png) [@Balduran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balduran)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-people-never-do-in-films/299013/78 "2005-04-13T22:13:40Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > Unless it’s a comedy, you’ll never see anyone forget something important. In thrillers, people always call up the hero and give him some ridiculously complex instructions or phone numbers and you never see them jotting them down. This is what I was coming in here to say. Another similar one is they never need to take down the spellings of people’s names, regardless of the ethnicity. If someone gave me a Russian name, I’d certainly need to write it down. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-people-never-do-in-films/299013/79 "2005-04-13T22:23:00Z")
> [@Balduran](#): > > This is what I was coming in here to say. Another similar one is they never need to take down the spellings of people’s names, regardless of the ethnicity. If someone gave me a Russian name, I’d certainly need to write it down. Spellings are mentioned when it’s a bit of a plot point. In _Tucker_, when Preston Tucker and his backer Abe Karatz meet with Sen. Homer Ferguson, Ferguson spells out Karatz’s name with the implication that he’s aware of Karatz’s ethnicity (Jewish) and doesn’t think much of it. (Considering that this occured just a few short years after WW II, when images of the concentration camps were fresh in people’s memories, it doesn’t speak well of Ferguson.) ---
**Author:** ![nivlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3bc359/32.png) [@nivlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nivlac)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-people-never-do-in-films/299013/80 "2005-04-13T22:29:59Z")
How about flipping open their cell phone and NOT find a signal! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-people-never-do-in-films/299013.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-people-never-do-in-films/299013.md?page=5)