I get that a PG rating back in 1981 doesn’t quite match up with what we consider PG today, but as a parent, it didn’t bother me much. Most scenes and language were pretty tame, although “The Great Outdoors” did push the boundaries a bit with a couple of choice words. The PG-13 rating didn’t make its debut until 1984, thanks to flicks like “Gremlins” and “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.” Before that, PG movies covered a broader range of violence and adult themes. Fun fact: the original “Jaws” is rated PG!
Last weekend, we decided to watch “Planes, Trains and Automobiles,” a classic comedy from the ’80s with Steve Martin and John Candy. My son, Max, caught a promo for it on TV and immediately recognized John Candy from “The Great Outdoors,” wanting to see another movie with that “funny big guy.” So, we made some microwave popcorn, dimmed the lights, and settled in for a good time.
Things were going great; Max was laughing right alongside me, and I thought we were in the clear with another one of those ’80s PG movies. Then came the car rental counter scene. If you’ve seen the movie, you know what I’m talking about. Somehow, I had completely forgotten what was about to happen. Maybe it’s because I’d only seen the edited-for-TV version since the original release. Anyway, here’s the scene:
Yep. Nineteen F-bombs in less than a minute. Definitely not winning any “Father of the Year” awards with that one. The next day, a quick Google search confirmed that “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” is indeed R-rated. Oops. As Steve Martin unleashed his epic rant, Max was still snug on my lap. I had no clue where the remote was, and I figured that trying to cover his ears would just call attention to the whole situation (or maybe I was too busy laughing to think straight). So, I decided to ride it out. The little guy was silent. Did he miss it? Was he dozing off? Suddenly, he turned to me and asked, “Daddy, what does f*cking mean?”
This article was originally published on April 23, 2015.
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