MovieChat Forums > The Servant (1964) Discussion > Earliest use of the f-word in the movies...

Earliest use of the f-word in the movies?

posted 12 years ago by federovsky
8 replies | jump to latest

When Barrett (Bogarde) comes out of the phone booth he says to the woman "Get out of my way, you fu**ing bitch." This is several years before Ulysses, which usually takes the honours for the first use of the f-word in mainstream cinema.

They disguised it a bit with some passing traffic and you can't actually hear the "ck", but it's perfectly obvious what he said. I think that qualifies.

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[–] DD-931 12 years ago

You'll hear it used several times in the original SCARFACE from 1932. It's no harder to make out than it is in THE SERVANT.

[–] federovsky 11 years ago

Interesting - if true. After a modicum of research though, I can't find any mention of the word being used in that film. Someone confirm?
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[–] lewisherschell 11 years ago

I always thought the line was as you say, but I watched the film today (via the new Blu-ray) and the subtitles suggest Barrett actually says 'filthy bitch'. His mouth movements seem to match too, so I'm not sure that the subtitles are wrong.

'What does it matter what you say about people?'
Touch of Evil (Orson Welles, 1958).

[–] federovsky 11 years ago

They did a good job of making it ambiguous. If he'd only said 'filthy' though, they wouldn't have partially masked the word with traffic noise.

Well, "yet to be confirmed" then.

[–] lewisherschell 11 years ago

It certainly looks like Bogarde is saying 'filthy', if you look closely at his mouth movements (thank heavens for HD!), but the noise of traffic drowning the word out makes it seem more sinister - which is most likely the intention, a way of *suggesting* the use of the 'f-word' without actually committing the sin of using it, thus circumventing the censors.

'What does it matter what you say about people?'
Touch of Evil (Orson Welles, 1958).

[–] ph75006 9 years ago

I also have the bluray version and mine also has him saying "filthy bitch" instead! That's what the subtitles read and I agree, his mouth movements match "filthy" more than "f-cking." Maybe there are different versions?

[–] toshguy 9 years ago

I personally never had any doubt it was "filthry". Since this was 1961, I assumed the traffic noise was there to muddle the word "bitch" using which must have still been a big deal then.

I'm here, Mr. Man, I cannot tell no lie and I'll be right here till the day I die

[–] 11 years ago

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