Apart from the overrall fun of the movie, I love the fact that Johnny Twennies never "compromises" the way he is. It makes me wonder why he is the way he is. Even his mother is "stuck" in her Edwardian world! I'd be interested in hearing what people think about their "Johnny Theories." Was Johnny that way as a child? Was it time travel?
Don't use K..."
I think that part of it was his old-fashioned mother, but I think that Johnny was just a man who didn't care for the modern world. So, he simply escaped into a simpler time. His 1920's world seems based on movies from that era, rather than the actual decade. Johnny doesn't even think about pre-marital sex, but it was around forever. He doesn't even sense or consider that Tim is gay, but there were homosexuals back then. Johnny is just creating a world based on what he has seen and read.
shareI was also struck by the conversation Johnny had with Samantha on the way to her apartment, when he brought up Theodore Dreiser and when Samantha confused him with Dr. Seuss, (whose real name was Theodor Geisel) Johnny made a face like he had no idea who Dr. Seuss was! It's one of my favorite scenes in the movie, in that we get a sense of how removed Johnny was from today's world. I tend to believe he honestly didn't know anything about the current times.
Remind me tomorrow to buy up all the Wagner records in town and rent a chainsaw."
I agree it must have something to do with his mother and the way he was raised, but there's probably more to it than that. I thought they were going to explain it at one point but they never did. It was funny at one point where Tim (I think) asks him something like "Do you just sit around and watch old movies from the twenties all day or what?".
shareIn SAN FRANCISCO in the 60's--70's there was a commune where members attempted to dress and act as if it were the 20's..........
shareIn many ways Johnny reminds me of Elwood P. Dowd (Jimmy Stewart) in Harvey. To quote Elwood, "Well, I've wrestled with reality for 35 years, Doctor, and I'm happy to state I finally won out over it." And also - "Years ago my mother used to say to me, she'd say, 'In this world, Elwood, you must be' - she always called me Elwood - 'In this world, Elwood, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant.' Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. You may quote me." And so I have.
shareTate, I love love love your observation and that's it there is no "reason" for Johnny being the way he is. He and his family are just anacronisms...time out of place. It was such fun. I also loved your quote from one of my favorite movies.
"Anybody want a peanut?"
It would appear to me that the "modern" characters are comfortable only when they fall into Johnny's world. The title cards, the soundtrack, the black and white cinematography all tell me that the "modern" characters are interlopers, not the other way round. What confuses me is the reference to Ubu Roi, Jarry's scandalous 1896 play that was the precursor of the dada, the surrealists and the absurdists. Any thoughts about that?
shareI have to think it was all based around his mother. She was like him in believing in the past, so I don't know if she was just really old fashion or what, but I think she played the most critical role in the development of Johnny. Maybe, as Tim suggested, she kept him in the house and he was only able to watch movies from the 20's so he thought that was the way the world was. Adding to it the hosue, the butler, and the "car" his mother owned and an isolated person would believe that was reality. It was a fun movie though. I love the constant jargon he speaks.
My favorite part was when he visited sam at the gallery and he was wearing glasses and the hat and he said, "i'm incognito" and the black due said, "hey Johnny" and Johnny said, "RATS!" That really tripped me out. Overall a pretty good movie, but I think it got a little too surreal at times.
Another observation was the way the people at the club acted and talked. They were just like Johnny, especially the girl selling cigarettes, who was crazy about him. I don't know what that means, but maybe there's a connection somewhere.
Also good job noticing how the characters seem more comfortable when they're with Johnny.
I'd like to blame his mother but this movie is supposed to take place in the 90s and she didn't look much older than 60 or 70 to me, which would mean she was barely a child in the 20s herself. They must both get their idea of how things were from movies.
I think Johnny is a faerie who enchants everyone who enters his life. So long as he behaves just like the classic 20s silver screen hero, everything turns out just like a movie. He can fight hoodlums without a gun, always gets his cab, he can play piano and sing like a pro, and everyone he likes ends up happy. And anyone who spends any amount of time within a certain radius of him is affected. Notice how everyone joins in the final musical number?
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You have to be open to suffering a little
I'd almost forgotten about this thread! Excellent posts, everyone!
Consilio et prudentia
I'll second Hermione's theory! It's like they fall under his spell whenever they get pulled into Johnny's orbit.
shareOne thing I'm grateful for is that Johnny remained "himself" at the movie's end, instead of merely finding the confidence to tell Samantha that he was crazy about her. Too often the character will find love and have to lose a part of what makes them special. I'm glad that Johnny didn't have to change.
Consilio et prudentia
Excellent observations and very well put!
shareI just assumed it was because he was mentally ill.
shareEither he was mad in a "nice" way, or he was unique in that his whole pre-adult life was enclosed except for 1930's films, which in that case those taking care of him may have been mad.
Or it may be that the entire show was pure farce.
Woody Allen's Starlight Melodies had a similar concept of a too-innocent hero from a fantasy/movie world walking among reality. Where he was able to put a bully on his can with the old one-two Queensbury rules fighting style, the brute retaliated by dirty fighting which the character had no expectancy or response to.