MovieChat Forums > Cape of Good Hope (2004) Discussion > Cheap Ploy (*spoilers*)

Cheap Ploy (spoilers)

posted 17 years ago by TC Fenstermaker
2 replies | jump to latest

Was it really necessary to resort to the cheap ploy of having the Boer be a predictable sleaze? We knew the second he appeared on screen he would wind up trying to rape *someone*. Worse, we knew from the get-go that he was the mysterious lover of Kate's. This, despite the incredibly manipulative technique of ensuring he spoke only Afrikaans while on-screen and English while off (talking to Kate on the phone).

Yes, I know this is basically a light romantic chick flick and thus shouldn't be mistaken for a cultural experience. But, it really was nice to see the regular interplay of diversity in the Cape; resorting to making the rich Afrikaner the stock scumbag just seemed like filmmaker laziness. (Really, the movie has many problems, including the Kate character, who really never had me rooting for her; but this seemed the most obvious groaner.)

[–] zelledk 16 years ago

i saw this movie for the first time today and that was my exact thoughts. i was actually disgusted and offended by that.

[–] JackBluegrass 11 years ago

How about the caring Kate, who was also an Afrikaaner? And, also Jean-Claude's supervisor at the planetarium, who regretfully had to inform Jean-Claude that he was dismissed because of an order to hire local (South African) Blacks.

Long ago, it was standard Hollywood practice to cast a Nazi as evil in the flesh. The director and writer here were just lazy writing in an "evil Boer" from central casting.

Stupid!?! I never called you stupid! To call you stupid would be an insult to stupid people!