So, I'm watching Dirty Dancing for the first time this weekend and while very impressed with the dance stylings of Patrick Swayze I was also quite disappointed in the films left-leaning, communist undertones. The "bad guy" in the movie knocks up some young thing and turns his back on the whole situation refusing to accept responsibility for his actions as he believes that some people are inherently more worthy than others. Where does he get this notion? Well, you see, he is apparently reading 'The Fountainhead' (and wildly misinterpreting the message although the film does not go into this.)
Hijinks ensue as the young girl's friends send her to a hack to get an abortion. She becomes dangerously ill from the procedure and T.V.'s Jerry Orbach must step in to save the day. Which he does gallantly. So the problem is not that the girl is pregnant or that she is having an abortion, the trouble is that she can't simply go to the Free Clinic in her high school and have it done by the State. No, no, no, she has to go to a butcher.
This is no surprise seeing as how the prevailing attitude of the film is that you should only have sex with "someone you sort of love," speaks the films female lead shortly before she mounts the streetwise Johnny Castle (Swayze) for a little afternoon delight. Her name is Frances, presumably named after Frances Perkins, the first woman elected to the cabinet although people just call her "Baby." Indeed the irony is both sick and twisted.
Swayze's character is no better. When he shoots a steely-eyed glare at the camera and motions for Baby to join him for some Dirty Dancing he says 'Come here Baby.' But it's as if he's saying 'Come join the Communist Party Baby, we're making things happen.' It's chilling.
When one considers how popular this movie was with adolescents, some people seeing it as many as 15 or 20 times, it is no wonder we are in the condition we are today. It's an easy jump from Swayze to the Mommy State. So if you see child watching this film you may want to suggest that they wear blinders and a full contact Rector helmet. The impression on their young minds could be warping otherwise.
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