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Title: Monkeys not Racist
Review: I as surprised to read in more than one review of John Ford's "They Were Expendable" that several reviewers have an issue with the song sung by the ordinary seamen during a farewell party: "The Monkeys have no tails on Zamboanga." They interpret the song to refer to Filipinos in a racist insult. However, sailors have called ordinary seamen "deck apes," "powder monkeys" and the like for centuries. One can find discussions of this in many online dictionaries. The lyrics in the film say "the monkeys have no tails, they've been bitten off by whales," a rather whimsical view of maritime life. The verse, "He won't go back to Subic anymore" obviously is meant for the "Doc" who sheds a silent "tear" as one of the "monkeys." Clearly, the audiences since 1945 have forgotten the naval slang. I'm satisfied that no insult toward our WWII allies even contemplated by cast and crew. Great film filled with great scenes.
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