The Sun Also Rises – A Revelation

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OK, I've read this book several times and just recently was finally able to see the movie. One scene contains the following conversation between Jake Barnes and his doctor:

Jake Barnes: Doctor, don't you think it's about time you stopped lying to me?

Army doctor: What do you want to know, Barnes?

Jake Barnes: Am I going to be all right?

Army doctor: There'll be certain aftereffects from your wound, but that's to be expected. The important thing is that the shell fragment that entered your back missed your spine, so you'll be able to walk and move about absolutely normally. However...

Jake Barnes: Go on.

Army doctor: You're going to be impotent.

Impotent? And here I always thought he got his dick blown off. HA!

Update: 3:00 PM, Monday

Revelation Refuted

I have since watched the DVD extras.

In an interview, screenwriter, Peter Viertel reveals that during a conversation he had with Hemingway, "Papa" told him that Barnes was not impotent, but in fact, "had his cock shot off."

F*cking 1950's Hollywood, trying to make our entertainment more palatable.

Rewrite:

Jake Barnes: Doctor, don't you think it's about time you stopped lying to me?

Army doctor: What do you want to know, Barnes?

Jake Barnes: Am I going to be all right?

Jake Barnes: Go on.

Army doctor: You're going to be impotent.

Jake Barnes: Impotent? You f*cking quack, I got my dick shot off! You call that impotent? Come here you son of a bitch, I'm going to kick the living crap out of you!

Cut –

End Scene

p.s. – read the first line on the book cover above: "Could he live without the power to love?" HA!