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devices such as the affection that the characters are shown giving to Nigger. Christine
Geraghty, a lecturer in media studies, observed that "Gibson's suppression of feelings is presented as appropriate rather than problematic, and the use of the dog as his most explicit emotional attachment is in keeping with the way in which class and masculinity are brought together in this isolated but self-sufficient figure." James Chapman, lecturer at the
395:, producer of a planned remake of the film, said in 2006 that "It is not our intention to offend people. But really you are in a no-win, damned-if-you-do-and-damned-if-you-don't scenario: If you change it, everyone's going to whinge and whine about political correctness. And if you don't change it, obviously you are offending a lot of people inadvertently. ... We haven't made any decisions about what we'll do."
303:
323:
Film critics have observed that Nigger is used in the film as a symbol of the men's emotional attachment to one another, an attachment that is not directly expressed between the film's characters. Sarah Street notes that the film, while full of emotion, does not articulate it except through secondary
291:
upon the successful completion of the central mission was not censored. More recently, in 2012, ITV3 showed the film uncut a few times, but with a warning at the start that it contains racial terms from the period which some people may find offensive. In 2013 the film was shown by
Channel 5 uncut and
403:
rejected them all, saying "Guy sometimes used to call his dog Nigsy, so I think that's what we will call it. Stephen has been coming up with other names, but this is the one I want." Jackson's assistant contradicted this a week later, however, saying "To stay true to the story, you can't just change
411:
commented that controversy over the dog's name seems to have overshadowed other aspects of the raid. When he told people that he was planning to write a book on the raid, 9 out of 10 replied "What are you going to call the dog?" He found that the three characters connected with the raid that most
367:
No. I think it's a question of historical accuracy here ... the film and obviously the events are very much part of the time they were made in and took part in and so I think tinkering with the historical accuracy of the film and of the story is a very dangerous and slippery slope to start
29:
358:
With political correctness which is a new concept of a way of life in this country and I think all over the world it didn't exist when we made the original film so Nigger was Nigger, but nowadays you can't say that sort of
181:. Nigger often accompanied Gibson on training flights and was a great favourite of the members of both 106 and 617 Squadrons. He was noted for his liking of beer, which he drank from his own bowl in the Officers' Mess.
353:
programme in 2005 along with
Jonathan Falconer, author of a book about the film, about the name of the dog and whether any remake of the film should retain the name. Todd, in a pre-recorded interview, said:
249:
to the
Antarctic (1910–1913) was also named Nigger. The term was not considered offensive in the UK until the 1950s, being found earlier in novels and other contexts and causing no remark at the time.
404:[the name]. We have not made any decisions yet. The script is still being written; and that decision will be made closer to the time." Later Fry said the dog would be renamed "Digger".
376:
Well they ought to. If they are being objective about it then I think they should accept it as historical accuracy, but I can understand why some people may find it offensive.
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328:, adds to that the observation that the scene where Gibson is shown choking back his grief at the death of Nigger, silent and blinking awkwardly, is an example of the
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384:, who also acted in the film, in response to being asked whether any opinion had been expressed on the name at the time that the film was made, said:
788:
Bressey, Caroline (2008). "It's Only
Political Correctness – Race and Racism in British History". In Dwyer, Claire; Bressey, Caroline (eds.).
399:, writer for the remake, was asked to provide several alternative names for the dog, and came up with several suggestions. Executive producer
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Dam busters : the true story of the inventors and airmen who led the devastating raid to smash the German dams in 1943
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as "unnecessary and ridiculous" and because the edits introduced continuity errors. The code word "nigger" transmitted in
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Nigger (bottom centre) with members of No. 106 Squadron, (Gibson's previous unit); he appears to be wearing a German
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204:. In July 2020 the headstone was replaced, with his name removed. The RAF said it "did not want to give prominence to
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broadcast a censored version of the film, with all instances of the name removed. ITV blamed regional broadcaster
276:
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No, none at all. Political correctness wasn't even invented, and an awful lot of black dogs were called Nigger.
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In response to being asked whether he thought people would accept this as historical accuracy, Falconer said:
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with a warning explaining the film was historical and that some would find it to be racially offensive.
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Some edited
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was often used as a dog's name during the early part of the 20th century. A black explosive
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In response to being asked whether the name should be censored in a remake, Falconer said:
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without any warning. On
Thursday 17 May 2018 an uncut version was shown on the UK channel
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192:: -. .. --. --. . .-. ) was the codeword Gibson used to confirm the breach of the
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622:. Turner Classic Movies British Film Guides. I.B.Tauris. p. 51.
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again showed a censored version in June 2001, it was criticised by
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British cinema in the fifties: gender, genre and the 'new look'
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Cinemas of the world: film and society from 1895 to the present
456:. Shire Album S. Vol. 452. Osprey Publishing. p. 45.
965:
652:"Nigsy? Trigger? N-word dilemma bounces on for Dam Busters II"
52:
332:
behaviour characteristic of
British war films of the genre.
490:"Dambusters dog: Headstone replaced to remove racist name"
177:. Gibson owned the dog when he was previously a member of
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to move the dog's grave to another airbase was refused.
37:
or similar decoration on his collar. His owner, Wg Cdr
519:"RAF proposal to move Dambusters dog's grave rejected"
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BBC story includes photo of Gibson's crew with Nigger
41:, is crouching on the right with a pipe in his mouth.
343:, who played Gibson in the film, was interviewed on
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184:Nigger died on 16 May 1943, the day of the famous
1100:photo gallery including more photos of the grave
754:. Communication and society. Routledge. p.
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792:. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. pp. 29–30.
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1017:"Dam Busters dog renamed for movie remake"
596:"ITV attacked over Dam Busters censorship"
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445:
27:
20:
1130:Royal Air Force personnel of World War II
262:Nigger was portrayed in the 1955 British
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718:. Globalities. Reaktion Books. p.
682:. National cinemas. Routledge. p.
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237:mine clearance unit in 1944 during the
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861:Jonathan Falconer (13 December 2005).
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412:people had heard of were Guy Gibson,
7:
1060:. New York: Atlantic Monthly Press.
544:"THE BRITISH ARMY IN NORMANDY 1944"
790:New geographies of race and racism
604:. Guardian News and Media Limited.
14:
306:Nigger's grave up until July 2020
1135:Military animals of World War II
198:Royal Air Force station Scampton
517:Murray, Jessica (5 July 2023).
211:In 2023, the RAF's request for
993:"Takeoff looms for Dambusters"
991:Katterns, Tanya (5 May 2009).
567:"The Voyages of Captain Scott"
407:In 2012, historian and writer
208:that went against its ethos".
1:
916:(Interview). Interviewed by
867:(Interview). Interviewed by
746:Geraghty, Christine (2000).
97:RAF Scampton, United Kingdom
89:RAF Scampton, United Kingdom
650:Marks, Kathy (6 May 2009).
594:Milmo, Dan (11 June 2001).
454:Animal Graves and Memorials
431:List of Labrador Retrievers
233:named Nigger served with a
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241:. The black dog leading a
175:No. 617 Squadron
956:Stax (6 September 2006).
277:London Weekend Television
26:
1095:Discussion of hauntings
1056:Holland, James (2012).
710:Chapman, James (2003).
678:British national cinema
426:List of individual dogs
380:In the same interview,
213:listed building consent
196:. Nigger's grave is at
16:Dog owned by Guy Gibson
1090:Scampton's own gallery
674:Street, Sarah (1997).
618:Ramsden, John (2003).
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57:Canis lupus familiaris
546:. Imperial war Museum
314:Area around the grave
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247:Terra Nova Expedition
910:(13 December 2005).
816:(13 December 2005).
173:, and the mascot of
117:53.30006°N 0.55197°W
1003:Fairfax New Zealand
285:Index on Censorship
113: /
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1140:Labrador Retriever
1125:1943 animal deaths
452:Toms, Jan (2006).
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160:labrador retriever
122:53.30006; -0.55197
70:Labrador Retriever
1067:978-0-8021-2169-1
998:The Dominion Post
937:Missing or empty
888:Missing or empty
839:Missing or empty
799:978-0-7546-7085-8
765:978-0-415-17158-8
729:978-1-86189-162-4
693:978-0-415-06736-2
629:978-1-86064-636-2
571:Project Gutenberg
565:Turley, Charles.
463:978-0-7478-0643-1
253:Portrayal on film
239:Normandy Campaign
206:an offensive term
186:"Dambusters" raid
158:was a male black
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972:on 16 July 2007
958:"Jackson Talks
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268:The Dam Busters
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136:Squadron mascot
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1023:. 10 June 2011
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498:. 16 July 2020
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974:. Retrieved
970:the original
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939:|title=
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574:. Retrieved
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550:21 September
548:. Retrieved
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526:. Retrieved
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202:Lincolnshire
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179:106 Squadron
155:
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960:Dam Busters
922:BBC Radio 4
873:BBC Radio 4
824:BBC Radio 4
401:David Frost
397:Stephen Fry
345:BBC Radio 4
231:sniffer dog
120: /
87:16 May 1943
1114:Categories
437:References
289:Morse code
258:Censorship
190:Morse code
167:Guy Gibson
148:Guy Gibson
133:Occupation
105:53°18′00″N
39:Guy Gibson
35:Iron Cross
1076:861319301
976:19 August
319:Symbolism
223:The word
194:Möhne Dam
108:0°33′07″W
1021:BBC News
495:BBC News
420:See also
336:Renaming
264:war film
243:sled dog
1050:Sources
1027:10 June
502:17 July
169:of the
48:Species
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576:1 June
528:5 July
460:
359:thing.
226:nigger
156:Nigger
22:Nigger
913:Today
864:Today
819:Today
368:down.
350:Today
294:Film4
141:Owner
65:Breed
1072:OCLC
1062:ISBN
1029:2011
978:2010
943:help
894:help
845:help
794:ISBN
760:ISBN
724:ISBN
688:ISBN
624:ISBN
578:2012
552:2014
530:2023
504:2020
458:ISBN
219:Name
84:Died
79:Male
966:IGN
756:189
720:274
347:'s
281:ITV
273:ITV
76:Sex
53:Dog
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
