Johnny's Initial Sarcasm That Baby Is "Miss Fix-It"

During the movie Dirty Dancing, Johnny Castle's attitude toward Baby Houseman evolves from his sarcasm that she is a "Miss Fix-It" to his appreciation that she is a person who is "willing to stand up for other people no matter what it costs her".

In this post here, I will analyze Johnny's initial, sarcastic put-down that she is a "Miss Fix-It". He gives her that nickname in the scene where Baby gives the abortion movie to Penny Johnson. Watch the below video beginning at 1:07.

Johnny Castle
Yeah it takes a real saint to ask Daddy.

Penny Johnson
Thanks, Baby, but I can't use it.

Johnny Castle
What? What's the matter with you? You should take the money.

Billy Kostecki
(Addressing Baby)
I can only get her an appointment for Thursday.

They do their act at the Sheldrake on Thursday night. If they cancel, they lose this season's salary and next year's gig.

Baby Houseman
What's the Sheldrake?

Billy Kostecki
It's another hotel where they do their mambo act.

Baby Houseman
Can't someone else fill in?

Johnny Castle
No, Miss Fix-It. Somebody else can't fill in. ....

======

There are two problems in arranging an abortion for Penny.

1) The abortion costs $250 that Penny does not have.

2) The abortion will conflict in time with the Sheldrake performance.

Baby has just fixed the first problem and now suggests a fix for the second problem.

Johnny is resentful because Baby has the resources, practicality and initiative to fix problems that he himself has not been able to fix.

Penny and Billy, however, immediately recognize Baby's practical fix, which is that someone else could fill in for Penny at the Sheldrake. Johnny is compelled to go along with Baby's proposed fix -- and furthermore to train Baby as Penny's substitute.

=====

Johnny's resentment about Baby's practicality began already earlier in the story. When Johnny, Baby and Billy are going to the kitchen to help Penny, Baby asks Billy a practical question: what is Johnny going to do about Penny's pregnancy?:

Baby Houseman
So, what's wrong? What's the matter with her?

Billy Kosetecki
She's knocked up, Baby.

Johnny Castle
Billy!

Baby Houseman
(Addressing Billy)
What's he [Johnny] going to do about it?

Johnny Castle
What's he gonna do about it? Oh, it's mine, right? Right away you think it's mine.

Here Johnny is changing the subject. He has no idea of what he might do about Penny's pregnancy, so he changes the subject to blaming Baby for implying mistakenly that he caused the pregnancy.

======

Baby is a practical person. When she sees a problem that she might be able to solve -- or at least help to solve -- she takes practical steps to do so. If she can get some money from her father, she does so. If she thinks someone else might fill in for Penny, she suggests the idea.

Baby intends to obtain a higher education to learn how to study big social problems and to develop and administer solutions.

Baby is following the example of her father, who obtained a higher education in medicine to become a doctor who provides practical help to people with health problems.

In contrast, Johnny is an entertainer. He does not aspire to solve significant problems of other people.

======

In an earlier post, titled My Sociological Criticism of Dirty Dancing, I wrote:

The Houseman family conformed to the social conventions that worked well during the 1950s and early 1960s. The men attended universities and the developed professional careers. The women married and managed households that raised children to follow those conventions. Such families prospered.

Other characters in the movie followed the same conventions, although sometimes less than perfectly. Neil Kellerman attended a School of Hotel Management and was trying to find a suitable marriage partner. Robbie Gould attended Yale Medical School and dumped a girlfriend who turned out to be not suitable as a marriage partner.

The movie's major characters who failed to follow the social conventions were Johnny Castle and Penny Johnson, who were struggling to make their livings as professional dancers. Neither of them had obtained a higher education as their basis for developing their careers. Neither of them -- while already in their mid-twenties -- were orienting themselves toward marriage and children.

Johnny and Penny are artists who are struggling professionally and personally. Their economic futures seem bleak. Johnny might have to go back to painting and plastering houses. Penny suffered a close call with an unmarried pregnancy. Johnny and Penny feel intellectually inadequate and lack social self-confidence

Johnny resented the success that the Houseman family enjoyed by conforming to the social conventions. The Housemans either obtained higher educations or devoted themselves to becoming supportive wives and mothers. The Housemans prospered by fixing problems.

Because Jake Houseman had become a doctor, he earned enough money to give $250 to his daughter for some unexplained reason. Because Baby was a trusted daughter of such a prosperous father, she could use his wealth as a resource to fix problems.

======

As the story continues, Johnny does not decide that he should follow the Houseman family's example, but he does come to respect the family's capabilities and conduct.

On the other hand, the Houseman family -- especially Jake -- comes to respect the capabilities and conduct of the struggling artists -- Johnny and Penny.

======

From the movie's beginning, Billy respects the Houseman family. Billy sees Max Kellerman praise and honor the family when the family arrives at the resort.

Billy never treats Baby disrespectfully -- as the artists Johnny and Penny treat her. Billy supports all of Baby's intentions, suggestions and efforts.

Billy is an intermediary between the story's conventional families and struggling artists. He is employed to help the resort's guest families and to help also the resort's artists. Billy too is a practical fixer of problems, and so he appreciates Baby's being a practical fixer of problems.