Defy authority. Destroy property. Take off clothes.

Here’s some dialogue from the 1986 movie Sweet Liberty. The discussion is between Bo Hodges (Saul Rubinek), director of a movie in production about the American Revolution, and Michael Burgess (Alan Alda), author of an historical book upon which the movie is based:

Bo Hodges: You realize who goes to see movies. Eighty percent of them are between the ages of 12 and 22. And you know what the kids like?
Michael Burgess: What?
Bo Hodges: Well, this may sound silly to you, but kids go completely ape if you do three things in a picture: defy authority, destroy property, and take people’s clothes off.
Michael Burgess: [bollixed] What does that have to do with American history?
Bo Hodges: Oh, come on, Michael, think about it for a second. Why do kids defy authority? Because they’re in rebellion. The American revolution, Michael, was the ultimate rebellion. *And* they destroyed property! So all we had to do with these lunatics’ help was to get their clothes off.

The exchange is a set-up for a later callback, a big set piece in which Alda’s character — disgusted with the liberties the movie is taking with history and his book — leads a group of locals dressed up as film extras and acting as American revolutionary soldiers to (A) refuse what the director tells them to do (defy authority), (B) turns cannons around and fires on the film set (destroy property), and © flashes their naked butts at the director (take off clothes).

Funny. But it’s just funny, right? I mean — Defy authority. Destroy property. Take off clothes. — those can’t actually be like… some sort of Hollywood rules about making movies, can they?

Nah, didn’t think so.

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