Why Yes, I DO Have a Purty Mouth

Last night I watched Deliverance for the first time. I'd always meant to see it, but probably never would have rented it. As luck would have it, I was channel surfing right before it started on one of my favorite channels, TCM. Of course I knew the gist of the story (Squeal like a pig! Squeal like a pig!), but I didn't realize that there was so much more to it. It really was an amazing movie. I expected some shock value and camp, but instead the acting, the direction, the scenery, everything was incredible.

In particular, I most liked that it ended on a fairly realistic note. We're pretty sure that one of the offending hillbillies got away, and that they killed some poor shmuck out hunting. It seems that movies currently either have the good guy walking away while offering one last smug remark, or the moral and emotional repercussions destroy them. But not Jon Voight! Nope, he did what he had to do to survive, lost one of his friends, probably killed an innocent man in the process, and continued to do what he had to do by covering it up and moving on. Nightmares notwithstanding, he moved on.

Isn't it nice when you watch something that you expect to be nothing more than vaguely entertaining, and instead are surprised with something that really hits you hard?

On a comedy note, I remember hearing this once, and of course couldn't get it out of my head the whole time. It's to the tune of "Waiting is the Hardest Part" by Tom Petty.

Well, I think I’ll go and rent me a movie right now;

Go and get something I ain’t never seen.

And on the discount rack, I see Deliverance,

And I’m watchin’ it now and they’ve got to that scene

Where they meet the hillbillies and they’re big and they’re
mean…

And who’s that crawlin’ ‘round on his knees?

It’s Ned Beatty! (Beatty!) Ned Bea-yay-yay!

Ned Beatty had the hardest part

‘Cause redneck love leaves emotional scars.

I guess he didn’t read the script too far;

Ned Beatty had the hardest part!

Well, I wonder what kind of parts Ned turned down –

Oh, I wonder how desperate he was.

‘Cause I’ve heard it’s pretty tough in Hollywood,

But I woouldn’t ever let them tie me to a tree;

Screamin’ and holdin’ up my BVDs;

Waitin’ for Burt to come and rescue me,S

ayin’ “Hey Burt!” (Hey Burt) Hey-yay-yay!

Ned Beatty had the hardest part.

If you got a purty mouth, you can be a big star.

I bet the next day, his agent got fired.

Ned Beatty had the hardest part!

Well, don’t let ‘em get you Ned – don’t let ‘em next to
you!

Don’t let ‘em get you Ned – you know what he wants to
do!

Think of your momma Ned – put you through drama school;

Is this what she had in mind? You think she’s proud of
you?

Ned Beatty! (Beatty!) Ned Bea-yay-yay!

Ned Beatty had the hardest part!He’s taken method acting just
a bit too far,

‘Cause this ain’t exactly Shakespeare-in-the-Park.

Ned Beatty had the hardest part!