When this 1983 Columbia comedy was made, American society was in a place of flux with an uneasiness and uncertainty about life and the future. The Cold War was old and wearing. The "sexual revolution" of the 1960s had since passed into history, but its tentacles were everywhere in society. Secularism was just becoming vogue in society if not yet in conversation. And political correctness was about to emerge. There seemed to be a malaise over what comes next. I thought about that malaise when reading the comments about this movie. Few others saw the satire or could appreciate the farce. Some thought it was just a funny movie.
This film pokes fun at many of the social conditions of the time. It breaks ground on social commentary that was beginning to emerge as critique of some of the foibles of the American system and society. Some of those things in years ahead would become more agitating. We didn't know it then, but we do now, looking back. So, I'm somewhat surprised that so few people who have commented on "The Survivors" could see how it spoofed so much of what was going on and emerging.
Much of the movie is devoted to the survivalist training and escapism by Robin Williams as Donald Quinelle. Closely connected to that is the effort of Walter Matthau's Sonny Paluso to keep from getting killed by a criminal, Jack Locke, played by Jerry Reed. But, feeding both of these subplots within this film are many nuances of things that don't seem right about society. Williams, Matthau and Reed all play their parts well, as do a few people in the supporting cast. The film has a good share of antics, especially by Donald. And the screenplay is filled with witty, farcical and outrageous lines.
These and some of the early situations leading up to the survivalist confrontations are what build on the satire. But for some unnecessary profanity and occasional crassness, I would have this movie in my library of satire films. Before I give some sample lines of the humor, consider these few situations that spoof the culture of the time.
After Sonny loses his gas station and is out of work, he can't draw unemployment relief while he looks for work. He tells the social worker he has paid into the unemployment insurance for 15 years as an employer, and asks rhetorically, why he can't receive any assistance when he has lost his job? The woman says, "You cannot be unemployed. You were an employer."
The irony and political correctness spoof are so clear in this scene. The government employee is a Hindu woman who has a red jewel (bindi) on her forehead. She has an accent so she is a recent immigrant. Yet, she has a job and tells the native-born Sonny that there's no help for him. She tells him to go stand in another line, but Sonny protests. He stood in line six hours just to see her, and now she tells him to go stand in another line. He says, "You can't treat people like cattle. Oh, excuse me." She glares at him, and I laughed all the harder. Once more Sonny protests, and she sprays mace in his face. Of course, that wasn't funny.
When Sonny and Donald take Jack Locke into the police station to turn him over, they're told to wait in line. The police are all busy and there's a line. No one pays attention to them, looks up, or listens to what they have to say. It's just, "get in line."
The survivalist stuff is a poke at that type of social craze that reared its head a couple of times in the 20th century. And, Sonny's reticence to "get involved" or report a criminal is a jab at an attitude that was quite prominent in that time that further enabled small-time crooks and others to get by with thievery and other crimes. There were some other satirical jabs in places (i.e. Sonny's 16-year old daughter watching a porn video she got from a teacher).
Here are some of my favorite lines from this film.
Masked Jack Locke, robbing the café, "S--- man, you ain't got no money. What did they pay you in, food stamps? You oughta be robbing me."
Donald is lying on the floor after being shot in the arm. He's frantic. Sonny says, "You're not going to die." Donald, "They always say that to people who are going to die."
Donald's girlfriend, Doreen (played by Annie McEnroe), "Donald, I'm sure no one who matters watches the five o'clock news."
Jack Locke, "I was raised a Southern Baptist and I place a high value on human life. $20,000 minimum."
Donald, "This will be like skiing, except for the booby traps." Doreen, "I don't believe in surviving. I believe in living."
Donald, on the phone to Jack, "You drive fast, oyster brain. Because the sooner you get here, the sooner there'll be one less wart on the ass of society."
Jack tells his wife that he goes away at times because he's a professional killer. "So, I'm not out there committing adultery. I'm out there committing murder."
Donald, after shooting a pop-up target that has a boom box, "Wes says to shoot the radios because without music they lose half their will to fight."
Wes, "Welcome to the new Middle Ages."
Donald, "What kind of man gives cigarettes to trees?" One has to see this scene for the full humor.
This film pokes fun at many of the social conditions of the time. It breaks ground on social commentary that was beginning to emerge as critique of some of the foibles of the American system and society. Some of those things in years ahead would become more agitating. We didn't know it then, but we do now, looking back. So, I'm somewhat surprised that so few people who have commented on "The Survivors" could see how it spoofed so much of what was going on and emerging.
Much of the movie is devoted to the survivalist training and escapism by Robin Williams as Donald Quinelle. Closely connected to that is the effort of Walter Matthau's Sonny Paluso to keep from getting killed by a criminal, Jack Locke, played by Jerry Reed. But, feeding both of these subplots within this film are many nuances of things that don't seem right about society. Williams, Matthau and Reed all play their parts well, as do a few people in the supporting cast. The film has a good share of antics, especially by Donald. And the screenplay is filled with witty, farcical and outrageous lines.
These and some of the early situations leading up to the survivalist confrontations are what build on the satire. But for some unnecessary profanity and occasional crassness, I would have this movie in my library of satire films. Before I give some sample lines of the humor, consider these few situations that spoof the culture of the time.
After Sonny loses his gas station and is out of work, he can't draw unemployment relief while he looks for work. He tells the social worker he has paid into the unemployment insurance for 15 years as an employer, and asks rhetorically, why he can't receive any assistance when he has lost his job? The woman says, "You cannot be unemployed. You were an employer."
The irony and political correctness spoof are so clear in this scene. The government employee is a Hindu woman who has a red jewel (bindi) on her forehead. She has an accent so she is a recent immigrant. Yet, she has a job and tells the native-born Sonny that there's no help for him. She tells him to go stand in another line, but Sonny protests. He stood in line six hours just to see her, and now she tells him to go stand in another line. He says, "You can't treat people like cattle. Oh, excuse me." She glares at him, and I laughed all the harder. Once more Sonny protests, and she sprays mace in his face. Of course, that wasn't funny.
When Sonny and Donald take Jack Locke into the police station to turn him over, they're told to wait in line. The police are all busy and there's a line. No one pays attention to them, looks up, or listens to what they have to say. It's just, "get in line."
The survivalist stuff is a poke at that type of social craze that reared its head a couple of times in the 20th century. And, Sonny's reticence to "get involved" or report a criminal is a jab at an attitude that was quite prominent in that time that further enabled small-time crooks and others to get by with thievery and other crimes. There were some other satirical jabs in places (i.e. Sonny's 16-year old daughter watching a porn video she got from a teacher).
Here are some of my favorite lines from this film.
Masked Jack Locke, robbing the café, "S--- man, you ain't got no money. What did they pay you in, food stamps? You oughta be robbing me."
Donald is lying on the floor after being shot in the arm. He's frantic. Sonny says, "You're not going to die." Donald, "They always say that to people who are going to die."
Donald's girlfriend, Doreen (played by Annie McEnroe), "Donald, I'm sure no one who matters watches the five o'clock news."
Jack Locke, "I was raised a Southern Baptist and I place a high value on human life. $20,000 minimum."
Donald, "This will be like skiing, except for the booby traps." Doreen, "I don't believe in surviving. I believe in living."
Donald, on the phone to Jack, "You drive fast, oyster brain. Because the sooner you get here, the sooner there'll be one less wart on the ass of society."
Jack tells his wife that he goes away at times because he's a professional killer. "So, I'm not out there committing adultery. I'm out there committing murder."
Donald, after shooting a pop-up target that has a boom box, "Wes says to shoot the radios because without music they lose half their will to fight."
Wes, "Welcome to the new Middle Ages."
Donald, "What kind of man gives cigarettes to trees?" One has to see this scene for the full humor.