MovieChat Forums > Harley and the Davidsons (2016) Discussion > Harley and the Davidsons vs. The Sith Lo...

Harley and the Davidsons vs. The Sith Lords of Springfield.

posted 8 years ago by clyons
14 replies | jump to latest

Seriously, why did the Indian guys have to be trotted out as the (literally) mustache-twirling villains? Why couldn't they just say both companies made good motorcycles, and Harley-Davidson proved to be the more consistently-run company over time?

I guess mainly because this was a glorified six-hour promo for a company that is now running into serious competition from the revived Indian brand?

I can't find any evidence of that patent-infringement lawsuit that supposedly almost bankrupted Harley-Davidson, and then they just forgot about it--maybe it happened, but I doubt it was that serious a threat.

They even had Edsel Ford getting in on the Sith Lord act. I mean, I know one of the worst cars in history is named after him, but he made some pretty good cars too, and I really doubt he devoted that much thought and effort into destroying a motorcycle company.

I don't ever plan on owning a motorcycle, I was mainly watching out of curiosity, and fast-forwarded quite a bit. It wasn't the most awful thing I ever saw, and they sure cast some good-looking actresses to play the wives (I'm guessing a whole lot better-looking than the actual wives, but that's television). It's an interesting story, always, how people learn how to make things, then make them better, and it also did a good job showing that having a good product alone doesn't guarantee success.

But I don't think there are any actual Sith Lords in Springfield, MA. Which isn't where they make Indian motorcycles nowadays, anyhow.

Anyway, good to know a motorcycle company won WWI, and was disappointed we didn't get to see a fleet of Harleys storming the beaches at Normandy in WWII, though I guess the first Captain America film came close to that. 

[–] texastreasure517 8 years ago

First of all, 'staches were very much the style at that particular time, so that was historically correct.

As for Edsel, he was already long dead of cancer when his "namesake" car came out. He had nothing to do with it. His Lincoln Zephyr was a masterpiece; it pretty much saved Lincoln.

It was a fact, though, that both Ford and Indian were corporate carnivores, meaning they were about acquiring other companies. It was just a business philosophy, considered "growth" and not necessarily evil. Other companies just didn't want to assume all that debt. Harley Davidson didn't do that then, that I know of, but they sure are doing it now.

BTW: There has to be some kind of conflict to move a story along.

[–] clyons 8 years ago

First of all, 'staches were very much the style at that particular time, so that was historically correct.

Hendee had a mustache, but it didn't look like that, and I really doubt he walked around smirking all the time like Snidely Whiplash or Dick Dastardly.

As for Edsel, he was already long dead of cancer when his "namesake" car came out. He had nothing to do with it. His Lincoln Zephyr was a masterpiece; it pretty much saved Lincoln.

My exact words were "One of the worst cars in history is named after him," so thanks for wasting your time and mine with a pointless quibble. 

It was a fact, though, that both Ford and Indian were corporate carnivores, meaning they were about acquiring other companies.

That may be a fact, but it's not a fact you'd learn from watching this show. I mean, obviously we know that about Ford and GM, but we really were told next to nothing about Indian except they were The Empire, and the H-D guys were the rebels, except that after WWI wasn't H-D the Empire, and Indian the rebels?

It was just a business philosophy, considered "growth" and not necessarily evil. Other companies just didn't want to assume all that debt. Harley Davidson didn't do that then, that I know of, but they sure are doing it now.

Actually, according to the H-D Wikipedia article, they did in fact acquire other motorcycle companies now and again. And no, that's not evil, which is why they didn't show that happening, because they had to make the two Indian guys evil, and give them plenty of opportunities for mustache-twirling.

BTW: There has to be some kind of conflict to move a story along.

There doesn't have to be conflict along the lines of Turn of the Century Melodrama--I mean, I'm amazed Hendee didn't tie all three of the H-D wives to the railroad tracks, or foreclose on their mortgages--oh wait, that's what he was doing with the patent lawsuit, wasn't it? Pity they couldn't have gotten Jack Lemmon to play him, along the lines of his Professor Fate character from The Great Race--"Push the button, Max--MAXXXXXXXX!!!!"

They could have had conflict without making one side the villain, and suggesting Harley-Davidson made the only cool motorcycles in all of history.

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] clyons 8 years ago

Actually, the Ford Edsel was a pretty decent car but it didn't sell well, so it's considered a flop.

It wasn't a particularly great car, and they invested way too much in it. Also, just not a good idea for a car name.

I thought the portrayals of Edsel Ford and both Hendee and his successor were stupid examples of the lame, cliched writing that plagued this otherwise well-done mini-series. My only other complaint is the amount of commercials! As an episode progressed I timed the amount of air time of the show itself to the amount of commercial time, and it was around 5-to-6 EACH -- almost dead even! That's a buttload of commercials to sit through just to watch such a poorly written mess. Of course, I always record shows and fast forward through commercials, but still...

Yeah, thank God for DVR. Imagine spending six hours of your life watching this--and there were moments worth watching--mainly involving the three implausibly hot women the three heroes got to marry.

Actually, one of my favorite moments was just slightly risque--right after it's implied Walter and his girl had sex, we see them running off to get married at City Hall, and right after the ceremony is completed, he caresses her belly--a clear implication she got preggers out of wedlock, hence the hasty nuptials. I have no idea if that's actually based on anything--I doubt there's a whole lot of solid biographical info about these guys. They clearly made a whole lot of it up out of whole cloth.

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] clyons 8 years ago

Jessica Camacho (who played the biker girlfriend) was definitely hot, but I think you have rather ridiculous standards of beauty, if you don't mind my saying so. They were trying to match the period, in terms of clothing and hair styles, which may have misled you, but c'mon--ugly? Somebody's been watching too much online porn. 

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] texastreasure517 8 years ago

Yeah, Wild Bill, what you said.

[–] clyons 8 years ago

And loser trolls need it too, so good luck with that, man. All of those women were light years out of your league.

A picture of the 'ugly' Essa O'Shea.

http://heavy.com/entertainment/2016/09/harley-and-the-davidsons-cast-imdb-tv-show-discovery-channel-mini-series/5/

Too proud to get eyeglasses?



[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] clyons 8 years ago

I bet you lose a lot of bets.

In fact, I bet all you ever do in life is lose.

That would explain the motorcycle fixation.

You got no business calling anyone else ugly, ugly.



[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] clyons 8 years ago

You need to stop talking about yourself in the second person, dude. It's weird.



[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]