MovieChat Forums > Carlito's Way (1993) Discussion > Where in the HELL did he think he was go...

Where in the HELL did he think he was going with $75,000?

posted 16 years ago by CountSuckula
47 replies | jump to latest

I know the film was set in the 1970s (1975 I believe) and things weren’t as expensive in those days as they are now. But how in the HELL did he expect to “build a new life” for himself and Gail AND a new baby for a measly 75K?

Or was his whole plan flawed from the beginning, and he was just kidding himself and just didn’t know any better? Was this the director’s way of illustrating some naiveté on Carlito’s part, or of the ultimately hopelessness of his plight?

I guess so because even for 1975 $75,000 doesn’t seem like very much money at all!

"Stick with me baby, and you'll be fartin' thru silk!"

[–] 786 16 years ago

The 75k was for the guy he said he met in prison, who was gonna start his own car rental place in the bahamas. I believe the 75k was for an investment in that business to take a share of it. He would benefit from those profits.

[–] stephani-killen 16 years ago

Yes, you are correct. He was going to use that money to buy his way into a car rental business. Everyone in NY kept laughing at him when he talked about his plans because everyone believed that he would just end up back in the life of crime.

[–] DariusStrain 15 years ago

Do they even have roads in the Bahamas? Sounds like a pretty shoddy plan.

[–] KTope 14 years ago

Do they even have roads in the Bahamas? Sounds like a pretty shoddy plan.

It's people like you who spread the belief that no Americans know Geography. Do the rest of us a favor; if it is a matter of Geography, check the facts first or keep your mouth shut!

BTW, Nassau (the capital) has a population of over a quarter million and an incredible tourist population at any given time. Yes, they have f_cking roads.

I am Jack's IMDb post.

[–] DariusStrain 14 years ago

Oh well gee wiz, put the road kill in the oven Bubba, we gonna hav a bar-b-quu.

[–] KTope 14 years ago

It took you 5 months to conjure up that little retort?

I am Jack's IMDb post.

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] DariusStrain 14 years ago

No, but there it is.

But back to the subject, as in there are no roads in the Bahamas.

[–] KTope 14 years ago

Are you an imbecile?

Do you really believe the quarter of a million people in Nassau ride their bikes through deer paths cut through the thriving metropolis they live in?

Are you really too lazy to pull it up on Google maps and see that you are making more of an ass of yourself with every word you type?

I am Jack's IMDb post.

[–] Milkdoesabodygood 12 years ago

2 get out of stupid azz NYC which $75,000 gets U nowhere.

[–] jpssteveshanahan (403) 5 months ago

"Yes, they have f_cking roads.

😄

[–] TequilaMockingbird5150 16 years ago

75000 in 1975 probably is the equivalent of 250-300,000 today, certainly enough to start a new life anywhere, especially on an island in the Caribbean.

It would work for me, that is for sure.

The sun shone, having no alternative, on the nothing new. Samuel Beckett

[–] CountSuckula 16 years ago

75000 in 1975 probably is the equivalent of 250-300,000 today, certainly enough to start a new life anywhere, especially on an island in the Caribbean.

That’s a common overstatement; I seriously doubt that 75K translates to quadruple it’s 1975 value, but I will concede that $75,000 in 2008 would be worth closer to $120k or thereabouts. But even that amount seems hardly enough to “start a new life”.

Just think about for a minute...Okay, Carlito, so now you got a piece of a car rental company. Is renting out cars to fat assed tourists supposed to keep he & Gail and baby Carlito supported all that well for the next 30 - 40 years or so? What kind of lifestyle was that supposed to afford them.

Upon further consideration I think it’s meant to show how much of a “pipe dream” his plan really was, and is meant to emphasize the ultimate hopelessness of Carlito’s dilemma.

In short” he was kidding himself if he thought he could really make it out of his world.

"Stick with me baby, and you'll be fartin' thru silk!"

[–] PenaltyBox 16 years ago

Actually, according to this government inflation calculator:
http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl,

$75,000 in 1975 would be worth $305,417.29 in 2008 dollars.

[–] CountSuckula 16 years ago

Trust me, that's laughably inaccurate. It looks more like something Gramps McCain concocted during one of his “senior moments” than a reliable consumer price index indicator.

"Stick with me baby, and you'll be fartin' thru silk!"

[–] nanten14 16 years ago

Sources?

[–] seoll 15 years ago

http://www.westegg.com/inflation/

[–] bonheura 16 years ago

Ok you're right, 75K is a ridiculous amount of money, even back in the 70's, the gov calculator is false, this is a big flaw, end of story.

How to argue with you, when you reject any argument ? Ok, you're right, period.

[–] lucitanas 16 years ago

Maybe he planned on buying into the business and using the $75,000 as a down payment. Few people are going to be able to open a rent a car business without first taking out a loan and as a down payment in 1975 $75,000 would have been more than enough to start a rent a car business.

We all need to convert to the fetishism of FEET!!!

[–] coryboy345 16 years ago

Id say it's enough, that inflation calculator is fairly accurate trust me, I'm a finance guy.

[–] quinn_larkins 16 years ago

I agree, the inflation calculator is accurate. The reason why it seems like such a big difference is because the inflation rate for the US dollar has grown exponentially since the 1980's, when Reagan to office, followed by Bush sr., and it has really grown since the moronic Bush jr. took office.

Inflation happens when the country has lots of spending(like on the Iraq war)and has less tax revenue coming in due to the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy. The only way for the government to pay for it's spending is to print up more money. This starts to make our money worth less, and foreign countries like China which produce most of our goods demand more dollars for the same products.

This is what's been happening since Bush took office, and it's the reason why what $75,000 would've bought you in 1975 would now take $300,000.

[–] quinn_larkins 16 years ago

What I'm surprised one has mentioned is that he was carrying $75,000 in two large stacks that fit into his coat pocket. That's impossible. If he had all hundreds it would take 750 bills to make that up. Most people with that kind of money stack it in sets of 100 bills, which makes up a stack of $10,000. He would need 7 and a half of those, but when he hands the money to Gale it's like just two large stacks, which would be $40,000 at the most if he had 4 stacks of 10K.
I think he would need a small bag or a very large envelope at least to carry that much money.

But what I want to know is how he made that much money that fast? He wasn't selling drugs anymore, and he only owned 50% of the club. Where was all that money coming from, drinks and club admission fees? I don't think he'd make that much that fast.

[–] lucitanas 15 years ago

We don't really know how long a time period this was taking place over, I haven't read the book but I remember Carlito saying "just a few more months" in one of the scenes. I also think he was leaving early, so he probably was short.

We all need to convert to the fetishism of FEET!!!

[–] egaez 15 years ago

He never made the 75K. On or around the time he buys tickets for the train to Miami Carlos tells gail that the friend in Bahamas would let him pay the remainder later.

[–] go_team_bounty 15 years ago

I think it was one of those "sort it all out when you're out there" plans $75,000 would have easily been enough to get the ball rolling, and when you constantly looking over your shoulder for "gansters" any plan sounds like a good one.

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] AnotherSchmoe 14 years ago

LOL, the OP is seriously an idiot. With that much money in 1975 I could have set myself up anywhere in the world, what's the big problem? You act like it was a pocketful of change and nothing more. Even today $75,000 is a lot of money if you are careful with it and aren't some bubblehead that goes to the mall to buy 50 pairs of overpriced shoes every week (see: unnecessary spending). Also, it's not like he planned on living on that $75,000 alone for the rest of his life, he was using it to buy in to a business. Are you some trust fund baby who drives around in daddy's Ferrari all day and wastes money on all sorts of useless trash? Because you clearly have no concept of the value of money.

He wasn't going out to become the Tony Montana of the car rental business and live in a big mansion etc., he just wanted to settle down and live a quiet peaceful life with Gail. You act like he was going to live in poverty and be walking around on the streets, which tells me again that you clearly have no freakin' clue about anything to do with life or money. You sound like some spoiled brat with rich parents.

[–] rumipoet24 10 years ago

Had he invested in gold in 1975 , 75k would have returned 750k by 2013, but 75k would be plenty to get into a nice cuschy car rental biz, Carlito was being a realist, livin' small but how to get the heat off his ass & live well.

Gold 1975 prices
http://www.usagold.com/reference/prices/1975.html

"Want to know how to make God Laugh? Tell Her your plans...."

[–] PvtRolandBozz 14 years ago

dude it's been happening for mad long. I think it always happens. Hamburgers used to be like five cent mo fcka.

I mean, i know the ppl you mentioned didn't help it at all, like you said they made it worse. But inflation is always happening.

the truth is we can't all be stars, but I'll be god damned if I'll settle for bronze....

[–] diskoboy 15 years ago

For 1975, $75 grand was alot of money.

In 1975, most cars cost $1500-$3500, new. Most people were still buying homes for under $100,000. The house my parents built, in 1974, cost $63,000. They have long since moved, but that house is worth almost $450k, today.

A year later came Jimmy Carter and double digit inflation....

"You people voted for Hubert Humphries! And you killed Jesus!" - Raoul Duke

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] thePharoah90086 15 years ago

never-mind the Government Propaganda and the Two-Party BrainWashing ... It would require $1.5 Million , in-2008 , to purchase What , in-1975 , would-cost $75,000.

[–] gav-14 15 years ago

$75K was probably chicken feed for Carlito compared to his drug-running days, but really it's a lot of money considering the average household income in the mid-70s was less that $15K a year.

http://www2.census.gov/prod2/popscan/p60-104.pdf

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] mancityblue23 15 years ago

he shud have went to blackpool

[–] BQQ 15 years ago

"he only owned 50% of the club."

Correction, he came in on 50% of Saso's end. Kleinfeld also owned part of the club, we don't know how big.