In the end of "Back to the Future II", Marty McFly is approached on a 1955 roadside by a Western Union man, who delivers a letter that' s been in the company's possession since the year 1885. The sender (Doc Brown, stranded in the Old West) had given Western Union explicit instructions that the letter be delivered to a young man named Marty McFly on that particular roadside, on that particular date in the distant future. "We had a little bet going as to whether this Marty would actually be here" the man jokes, "Looks like I lost". I love it. The scene, like the movie, is brilliant.
But I'm curious to see what happens the very next day in 1955 when the news breaks about that letter being successfully delivered; when Western Union makes it their advertising cornerstone and a stunned public is baffled beyond comprehension how such a letter could exist (and where the mysterious recipient has inexplicably vanished to). I want to see the confused 1955 McFlys explain to the rabid press that they don't know a Marty McFly, but they DO know a "Calvin Klein" who occasionally goes by the name Marty and fits the description. Of course, this also means that an eventual young designer named Calvin Klein is gonna have to find a new handle, because by that point his name would sound pretty much like "Roswell Grassyknoll". Not helping matters would be local resident Biff Tannen's claim that he knew this "Marty" but hasn't seen him since he soared away in a flying car the very night the mysterious letter from the Old West arrived. Putting all this together, you can bet that from 1955 to this very day, nerds would gather every November 12th in Hill Valley to hold a massive convention.
Far be it from me to criticize such a fine film. It's in my top 20. But perhaps just a bit more surprise and confusion [might I suggest "Holy shit, you're here! You're actually fucking here!!!] from the Western Union man to hint at the tumult to come...
Saturday, March 8, 2008
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6 comments:
For any Western Union employee to have inquired of a "Marty McFly" anytime between 1885 and Joe Flaherty's character's scheduled delivery of Doc's letter in 1955 would have been bad business. Curiosity aside, 70 years' worth of the company's staff handled the matter entirely professionally; I believe such discretion is commendable, not to mention totally plausible.
True. But I'm not suggesting Western Union tried to find Marty before 1955. I'm posing the question of what happens once the unexplainable actually occurs. One can only assume the elders at Western Union thought ol' 1885 Doc was a nut, sending letters to teens in the distant future. Surely they didn't think this "Marty" would ever exist, let alone that he'd actually BE there at the roadside to receive the letter. But props to them for delivering - hence this likely becoming Western Union's advertising cornerstone ad eternum.
We're such dorks.
You were suggesting as much before you altered your text, revisionist blogtorian.
Regardless...how would Western Union have gained acclaim from their Marty McFly story post-1955 if there were no Marty McFly on hand to confirm it? The public would've dismissed the matter as nothing more than falsified corporate self-promotion, and it would have been forgotten long before the actual Marty McFly was born in 1968.
At the most, Joe Flaherty's character would have ended up in a mental institution, driven mad by the fact that no one would believe his tale (after losing his job for refusing to heed his superiors' orders to let the matter rest, of course).
Regarding the last paragraph of my previous comment:
Potential Back to the Future Part IV plot inception copyright me 2008.
Fair enough. How about the Western Union man's despair is assuaged by one intrepid reporter who believes him and digs out the truth of the elusive Marty? That way, all of my own madness will come to fruition and I don't have to revise my blog (again).
Pass.
Don't worry, though; I'll fight to get you an associate producer credit.
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