Traces of the “car salesman” C-3PO?

It's very well known that C-3PO as we know him was not what George Lucas had originally intended. The robot was due to be an "oily, car salesman" type, voiced by a yet un-cast American actor. I had a "light bulb" moment the other day when I realised that all of the actors and George Lucas in Star Wars thought he was going to be an oily American salesman and all of the characters seem to react to him as if he were. Anthony Daniels' "fussy robot butler" altered the dynamic of many scenes, perhaps the entire film, I believe for the better.

When C-3PO tells Luke Skywalker that "R2-D2 is a real bargain. I've worked with him before" there seems to be no doubt that he is telling the truth and that he only wishes to serve his fellow robot and new owner in the proper manner. If he had been a slick car salesman, his actions would have come across as being devious. Later Luke asks C-3PO about his experiences with the Rebel Alliance, the droid replies "Actually there's not much to tell. I'm not much more than an interpreter and not very good at telling stories." If he had been the car salesman, it might have come across that he could not be bothered to explain. Luke does not press the matter, as if he's been spoken to in a more authorative way. In Ben Kenobi's hut, C-3PO asks if he would be allowed to shut for a while and there seems to be no doubt that he wishes to conserve power. The salesman's voice may have made it appear that C-3PO was bored with the conversation and wanted to go to sleep.

When C-3PO asks in the Death Star control room "What should R2-D2 and I do if we are discovered here?" it comes across as being something logical to ask in circumstances but the salesman's voice may have made the question sound sarcastic. The scripted reply of Luke Skywalker saying "Lock the door" and Han Solo adding "And hope they don't have blasters" comes across as being a reply to a sarcastic comment. It seems an uncaring thing to say to a robot butler who attempting to please. It may have been intended as a little "payback" for the salesman C-3PO who comes across as being obnoxious and selfish. It's easy to see why an obnoxious, loudmouth C-3PO would have been unpopular, with the bar tender not wanting a droid of that model in his cantina. Who wants a robotic loudmouth smutch winding up the customers? Han solo probably pulls a face when he meets C-3PO because he doesn't relish spending time cooped up with him. With people being nasty to the most innocent and helpful droid model in the galaxy, it adds an additional layer, of there being prejudice against all droids.

C-3PO's voice being a loudmouth salesman may have altered his relationship with Luke Skywalker. A parallel between the salesman C-3PO and Luke could be Dr Smith and Will Robinson in the television series Lost in Space. Dr Smith's utterly selfish and conniving character varied widely from cowering subservience to commanding authority depending on the situation he found himself in. Will Robinson was someone naïve enough to trick and cajole but strong enough for Smith to cower behind if any kind of danger appeared. Jonathan Harris may have been an actor who was able to fit a voice performance around Anthony Daniels' movements and I wonder if he ever tested for the role. Harris went on to play the conniving, cowardly robot Lucifer in Battlestar Galactica who was kind of an evil C-3PO.

With the salesman's voice, Luke and C-3PO may have been seen to jostle for authority. When C-3PO suggests removing R2-D2's restraining bolt, it might have been more of an order that Luke jumps too than a polite request. Mark Hamill does seem to jump as if he's received a command. Luke also treats C-3PO as being fairly capable. When he hands the droid the screwdriver and tells him "Here, see what you can do" he was probably talking to the salesman who might have been able to help. Asking the fussy butler C-3PO to take over repairing R2-D2 comes across as ridiculous and to me, a whole lot funnier. When Luke and C-3PO search for R2-D2, C-3PO is driving which seems strange for a soppy butler. The strong, loudmouth C-3PO could have easily driven a landspeeder. Luke Skywalker comes across a much better character dealing with Anthony Daniels, because he seems to treat C-3PO with respect, even though the droid is a soppy, useless butler. Luke is caring when others are not. If he had been seen to be taking orders from C-3PO, or jostling for authority, Luke would have come across as much weaker. Han Solo is given more of an edge in the way he treats the only-trying-to-please C-3PO. Originally he would have been seen to be showing Luke how to deal with a smarmy robot, which Luke copied in the "Shut the door" line.

If C-3PO had ended up as the loudmouth salesman, he might well have been the one sore point in the film for some people – a kind of Scrappy Doo or Jar Jar Binks. I believe that the Star Wars trilogy was provided with many additional layers of detail, with the inclusion of Anthony Daniels' fantastic performance.

Diden't know most of that great info. :shock:

Good insight

Great piece, thoroughly good read.

The Saga begins with the viewer following the lowly servile droids, until we meet Luke, they are the protagonists. For me, this is how one can follow the story. Not as the hero, but how the most humble or small (Yoda, R2, Ewoks) can win the day. The whole Kurosawa / peasant motif.

R2 was always my favourite, cussing, cajoling and taking one for the team, but Daniels performance, along with the other Brits, gave the movies gravitas and refinement. Leave the smart-ass quips to Han, and sass to Leia because the humble Tin-man, despite his protestations, is along for the ride with his little pal, no matter what. 'Oh R2, don't leave me!'.

While plucky R2 was getting stuck in, 3PO's nervousness echoes the viewers excitement as the action unfolds. Daniels and Baker did an awesome job of making the droids likeable, believable and in spite of being metal, warm. Here is a buddy movie, the odd couple on a mission. To overcome the odds even being out-thought, out-numbered and out-classed. How honesty and diplomacy can defeat tyranny.

Car salesman is a short step to estate agent or other such smarmy hucksterism. 'This oil bath is going to feel sooo good!'

Thank the maker for R2 and 3PO, the beating hearts of Star Wars!

Some great observations and ideas there mate. I thoroughly agree that 3PO is integral to the story and the feel of the films, especially the beginning of episode IV. I think his cautious and pragmatic approach to events ties it all together and he's one of my favourite characters. As you mention the voice is key to his character and if he wasn't so sincere and he had swagger it wouldn't work as well. You always need a voice of reason and 3PO provides that as a counter to the gung ho of Luke and Han. His appearance only reinforces that personality. It's well known, Lucas himself has said the story is seen through the eyes of the droids and to make that work in a movie is pure genius. We connect with them and they're not even human actors.

Hey man, some awesome stuff iv never even thought off, not to mention your villains thread about them all being left handed. Good stuff Sir. Food for thought rather than just gibberish.

Edit. I'm a car salesman. A little bit of swagger is required. More than 3PO less than Jar Jar. :wink:

Grant – you're a car salesman? No offence intended to car salesman in general! I keep getting True Lies and Bill Paxton in my mind.

Thanks for everyone's fantastic replies.

Thinking further on the subject, perhaps the loudmouth C-3PO's conniving tricks could have been seen by the audience to finally be of some use when he cons the Stormtroopers into to letting him and R2-D2 out of the Control Room. He then uses his sharp wits to tell R2-D2 to search for information on Luke and the others.

The loudmouth C-3PO could then have received a turnaround in the audience's affections when he and R2-D2 go on to save everyone from the trash compactor. There could have been a satisfying "click" in the mind of the viewer, who up until then had wondered why this annoying shyster was even in the film at all. "Of course" the audience member thinks. "A savvy con man was required to assist in the Death Star escape."

This seems to be a familiar trick in movies. A familiar cliché for the audience. John Connor in Terminator II is a dead weight skills-wise until his cash point trick helps during the raid on Cyberdine. In Force Ten from Navarone, Carl Weathers seems to be dead weight character until his "street fighting" knife throw fells the indestructible Richard Kiel, which seems to be the only way of dealing with him man-to-man. Shelly Winters in The Poseidon Adventure is nothing but a burden to the people attempting to escape the up-turned ship until she is revealed to be a champion swimmer and saves the hero Gene Hackman. Her overweight figure also provides a neat way to bump her off, as she dies of a heart attack. That's script efficiency for you! Script writers can work in reverse, finding a point in the film where special skills are required and then tinker with the cast accordingly.

In the completed film, the fussy butler C-3PO we all know and love is the only hope for the heroes trapped in the trash compactor and it makes this section of the film suspenseful and exciting. It is gratifying to see such an unlikely character come good. I'm not sure any script writer would have written it that way though!

Simply Sci-fi said:

Grant – you're a car salesman? No offence intended to car salesman in general! I keep getting True Lies and Bill Paxton in my mind.

Thanks for everyone's fantastic replies.

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Unfortunately I am Dude :lol: no offence taken tho. I know tons of shysters in my profession lol. So your 99% right in your assumptions Craig. 8)

As usual insightful stuff Fella.

What's important about this is that Lucas wanted C-3PO to be this loudmouth character, but was persuaded otherwise. He didn't have any of this in the prequels - hence rubbish.