MovieChat Forums > Mister Roberts (1955) Discussion > Making scotch on The Disney Channel

Making scotch on The Disney Channel

posted 13 years ago by hobnob53
2 replies | jump to latest

It always amused me that, when Mister Roberts was run on The Disney Channel many years ago (late 80s or so), the entire scene where Doc and Doug make scotch for Pulver was cut out of the movie! We saw Doug say, "Doc, let's make some scotch," and then the print jumped immediately to Pulver sitting on his bunk saying, "Thanks, Doc, thanks, Doug," which of course he said after they'd gone through the whole scotch-making business. The whole sequence, one of the funniest in the film, was simply gone (and, as far as the viewer saw, they never did make Frank any scotch).

I guess Disney was so protective of its "family" image (unless, of course, you get into a legal dispute with them) that they felt they had to "protect" kids and families from the secret knowledge of how to make fake scotch using only rubbing alcohol, Coke, iodine and hair tonic. Or maybe Mickey had a drinking problem.

[–] ginbelt 7 years ago

they felt they had to "protect" kids and families from the secret knowledge of how to make fake scotch using only rubbing alcohol, Coke, iodine and hair tonic..

I'm curious if that was the only scene Disney cut....if they cut the scotch scene (which I agree was one of the more memorable scenes in the film) but left, for instance, the extended scene where the sailors are all watching, thru telescopes, the nurses on the island undressing, that's pretty hilarious, and telling. How about the sailors so drunk they wound up in grass skirts, with goats, or up in that net? Hell, half the movie concerns fairly adult themes and humor, when you stop to think about it. Of course it was handled in a non-explicit, 1950s sort of way and compared to some movies of today and even compared to the novel upon which it was based it's fairly tame stuff, but it's funny to think of Disney censoring the scotch scene but leaving in some others one could think of.

[–] hobnob53 7 years ago

I believe Disney did indeed cut much of the scene where the sailors are looking at the nurses showering. I know they made some trims besides the scotch scene. But if I recall the sailors in grass skirts and their rowdy behavior on shore leave were left intact. I suppose that was just deemed harmless fun, not something risqué.

But the scotch scene was the longest single cut made. That one was lopped out so completely and skillfully that if you had never seen the movie you'd never have known it was even there.

The whole thing is frankly idiotic, but fortunately it's been decades since the Disney Channel ran non-Disney films and got a chance to tamper with others' work.