TCM- spend a buck and translate the Dutch-only parts! - A Man to Remember (1938) Discussion

[–] robertshort_3 17 years ago

That is a good idea. I read Dutch, so I didn't give the Dutch-only sections a second thought when I saw them, but of course not everyone has that advantage. If it is impossible to substitute the footage, even the addition of English subtitles for the notes would be helpful. Just FYI - the note attached to the baby read: "I am very sorry for the punch. Am giving the child to someone who can take care of it well." I'm afraid I don't remember what the other notes read.

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[–] bbcmacbear 17 years ago

Thank you Robert! I think that was the most important note and I'm glad to know what it said.

General note: I could tell that some of the notes were bills charged to the doctor, and some were bills people owed to the doctor. A lot of the time the scene immediately following the bill would show the story behind the bare bones of the service on the bill, which is a very traditional way many short stories have begun (start with an object and then tell the interesting story behind it).

I am surprised TCM was cheap, caause it was important info and it wasn't just 1 scene but many.

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[–] fortunate1 16 years ago

it's almost a year after the posts above, but the version of the film now playing on tcm has dutch subtitles! they still haven't sprung for translating the dutch texts/dialogue but i think that's ok (another 'nederlandischesspraak', i think).

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[–] jashobeam5 16 years ago

Thanks for translating!

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[–] milo44 9 years ago

Thank you for telling us what that note said ... I saw it this morning .. a very good movie .

"A man that wouldn't cheat for a poke don't want one bad enough".

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[–] ksf-2 16 years ago

its funny - at 24 mins in, we see the doc hand write: "settled for $2.OO" at the bottom, then they show the close up, and suddenly its in Dutch! not a lot of big names in this one.... but I DID recognize the great Grady Sutton as the clerk...had worked with w.c. fields on 4 flicks... and he never married..hmmmm. This was also the first film Kanin directed, which explains why its dry and serious, almost like a documentary. He directed C Grant in "My Favorite Wife" a couple years later, and co- wrote "Born Yesterday" and "Pat & Mike", which were a lot more fun to watch.

ksf-2

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[–] ducdebrabant 15 years ago

Guys, it's obviously the only surviving version. To take the subtitles out, they'd have to go frame by frame digitally removing them, and match the surrounding matrix tone. As for translating the bills, the preceding scene pretty much makes the point that he's not doing it for the money, and the following scene where he and his son talk about money and his son says "but you need so many things yourself" gives us the result.

First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win. Gandhi.

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[–] liscarkat-2 12 years ago

Then they make a long, long, boring movie about you.

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[–] whiskeyTango-06 9 years ago

LOL

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[–] electrictroy 7 years ago

"they'd have to go frame by frame digitally removing them, and match the surrounding matrix tone."

Sheer nonsense.
They could just add closed captions to the dutch notes, same as they do for foreign films on Sunday nights. TCM is just being lazy.

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[–] mojo2004 9 years ago

I've seen the film a number of times and I think the Dutch subtitles make the film more interesting.

MOJO2004

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[–] mdonln 9 years ago

I'm not sure how it makes the film more interesting but I didn't mind the Dutch language additions at all; especially considering this is the only remaining version.

I enjoyed the movie and know if the Dutch hadn't taken it upon themselves to preserve a copy, I would have never seen it. Clearly the Dutch inserted the subtitles and translated the notes for the enjoyment of Dutch viewers.

I'm sure it's very time-consuming and expensive to modify and preserve a movie particularly when existing modifications would have to be edited out. I don't think it's worth the cost because it's not necessary. I didn't feel I lost or missed anything.

I may not have been able to understand most of the notes but I had a good idea what was in them. I did learn a few things about the Dutch language so if that's what you meant about the Dutch making the film more interesting, I guess I do agree.

I look at it differently though. I don't feel it added anything to the movie itself. I enjoy languages and linguistics in general so the Dutch interested me on that level. However, with or without the Dutch, I believe I would have enjoyed the movie the same.

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[–] lorrainearmstrongfl 8 years ago

I agree with you mdonln. It's a terrific movie and we owe the Dutch great debt for preserving it. To remove the Dutch would be a crime. Leaving it alone stands as a tribute.

Thank you Netherlands.

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[–] texastreasure517 8 years ago

I agree with lorrainearmstrongfl; I appreciate the Dutch for preserving what we should have kept in the first place. Imagine, this film even survived WWII. Thank you, Netherlands; let the Dutch remain in the film.

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