MovieChat Forums > Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn (2015) Discussion > Ni**er Jim

Ni**er Jim

posted 13 years ago by odbal17
11 replies | jump to latest

I'm already a bit wary of this movie, given the decision to bill the character as "Jim" rather than "Ni**er Jim." I'm glad that it isn't listed as "Slave Jim" as Allan Gribben would so wrongly want, and I'm hoping that this movie isn't whitewashed like Gribben's take on Twain's poignant work.

Though a devastating word, its presence in Twain's writing is necessary to fully illustrate the fact that Twain was actually very anti-racism and anti-slavery. To pretend the word never existed attempts to retroactively exonerate the past, which should never be done. Those who choose to forget the past are destined to relive it.

Note: I'm aware that I had to censor myself in accordance with IMDb posting rules, but I felt that "Ni**er Jim" was at least better than "*beep* Jim."

"Like the naked leads the blind I know I'm selfish, I'm unkind."

[–] StrongRex 13 years ago

He's listed in the cast as just Jim, not n***** Jim.

[–] odbal17 13 years ago

That's exactly my point. The character's name is Ni**er Jim. I'm bothered that they changed it for the cast list, and I hope it isn't their outlook on the whole movie. Why make it if you're just going to fiddle with the writer's original view of how it should be?

"Like the naked leads the blind I know I'm selfish, I'm unkind."

[–] StrongRex 13 years ago

Two things:

1. He's not necessarily referred to as Ni**er Jim in the book.

2. You do realize that ni**er is a cuss word right? Why would they put that on a family website (aside from the majority of what is said on message boards), and eventually a family movie?

[–] imdba1 13 years ago

In the context of the times, I don't think that it was considered a cuss word. I do notice that they still refer to "Injun Joe". Wouldn't that be offensive to Native Americans?

I don't do a lot but what I don't do I do amazingly well. You just don't notice.

[–] emperordalek 12 years ago

You're right - THAT word wasn't a pejorative until the 1900s, almost twenty years after Twain wrote the book, and he's trying to give an accurate depiction of how it would've been used when the book was set (forty or fifty years before that). But because the word has become so derogatory, there's just no way a major motion picture could use it 216 times (the amount of instances in the book) and get away with it. Only movies by African-Americans about African-Americans and primarily FOR African-Americans can really do that, and even then there's a different rationale behind it besides racism.

So no, the movie's not likely to be a completely faithful adaptation, but hopefully they'll do their best with everything else. Would be nice to have a decent version of this book in film for a change...

- TBW

[–] odbal17 11 years ago

Have you seen Django?

"Like the naked leads the blind I know I'm selfish, I'm unkind."

[–] Sage_Beckett 9 years ago

Super late to the party, but incorrect. The character's name, as named by his mother in the book, is Jim. Twain refers to him, and has others refer to him, as n-word Jim, but that was not his given name.

[–] MontanaJones 12 years ago

There have been some decent Huck Finn films, the novel lends itself well to a entertaining adventure story, but that is really a different animal than the actual words of Mark Twain. What doesn't translate to film so well is Twain's scathing satire, "N word Jim" must be heard in the context of a masterful satirist. It wasn't just slavery/racism, politics, religion, etc., were all targets, nothing was above his dagger sharp quill, the novel is a above all a condemnation of the hypocrisy of society. I don't expect this version to be any different, it would take a truly remarkable film to successfully go beyond the adventure yarn genre.

MEDINA
SOD

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] dinerfood-901-211557 9 years ago

So why not make Huck Finn a slave so they can call each other <censored>s. You know, when they want to make a point or in an affectionate way as in: "<Censored> please."

With the help of producers of features such as this, we can re-write the horrible cultural events in history so as not to offend anyone. In this way we could rely on wealthy investors to establish acceptable film art, prose and common speech for myself and the other members of the ignorant masses. Thanks a lot.

[–] bartallenii 9 years ago

Jim's appearance in this movie is nothing more than a quick cameo at the end, setting up (probably never to be made) sequel for Huck's adventures.

"What kind of scary ass clowns came to your birthday party?"