Hollywood and "SIR!"

[Kelly Nedwick]

On Behalf of Ross Auerbach:

Um, i would have to say that the reason he thinks that is because some
of these movies included drill sergeants and basic training where they
would yell SIR! Yes, SIR! Examples include "Full Metal Jacket", and
"Officer and a Gentleman", not to mention "In the Army Now", "Jarhead"
and other films of more recent wars.  In most films of WWII and Korea
(and in an actual close combat situation), they wouldn't shout SIR on
the battlefield because it would draw enemy fire to the officer's location.

I recall some WWII or Korean War films that would have large outdoor
calisthenic training scenes, where the soldiers-in-training would shout
Sir or would sing in unison.

There is also a difference in the style of films made.  Many of the
earlier war films focused on events, such as D-Day or are site-specific,
like a U-boat or warplane.  Rarely would they follow a soldier from
enlisting throughout the duration of the war.

An example would also be 1980's "Stripes" where Bill Murray, Harold
Ramis and co shouted Sir! Yes, Sir! spoofing earlier basic training
films, though this is well after the 1965 date mentioned in the post.
-KN

Jonathan Lighter wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Hollywood and "SIR!"
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Some years ago  I began to notice that movies about the Vietnam War were
> starting to represent enlisted troops in the field as addressing or
> responding to commissioned officers with the barked word "SIR!"  This was
> notably the case in _We Were Soldiers_ (2002), set in 1965.
>
> I don't recall _ever_ hearing this ultra-hearty intonation in earlier films
> about World War II, Korea, or even Vietnam.
> Nor can I recall reading any comment to the effect that it was current. In
> basic training, maybe, or at West Point.  But elsewhere?
>
> My suspicion is that this "SIR! Yes, SIR!" is a latter-day (circa
> 1990?) affectation, though I wouldn't be surprised to find that movies have
> reinforced it.  ("HOO-ah!" and "OO-rah!" both seem to post-date Vietnam as
> well: they were discussed here a few years ago.)
>
> Wilson, Bill, Jim, Dave, et al. What say you?
>
>
> JL
>
>
> --
> "There You Go Again...Using Reason on the Planet of the Duck-Billed
> Platypus"
>
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