In checkers, is jumping compulsory?

My grandfather (b. 1917) taught me that jumping was mandatory, end of story.

This scene clearly shows Billy Bob with the "kid" using profanity.

Quote: Wizard

This scene clearly shows Billy Bob with the "kid" using profanity.

Yes indeed, and that's not what I'm
talking about. The scenes where
Santa goes off on the kid, yelling
at him and calling him ugly names,
that's what you don't want a 9 year
old to have to endure. They just
do not have the maturity to handle
it no matter how much they're told
it's all in fun. They can internalize
it and that's not good. No matter
how big Bret was, he was 9 years old
when Bad Santa was filmed. He was
a 4th grader.

Quote: Bruce Westbrook, Houston Chronicle, November 28, 2003

To reassure the child actors in "Bad Santa," he spent time with them between takes, "just to let them know I was a regular guy. "I'd play with them and tell them jokes," Thornton said. "But they were actually fine with [the language]. I think there's so much [bad language] on TV these days. They've got `South Park' and things like that. There's a different sensibility from when I grew up."

That sure sounds like the children were on set.

Quote: Pacomartin

That sure sounds like the children were on set.

They would have to be, swearing was in every
scene. Again, I'm talking about the scenes
where Santa is yelling directly at the kid,
and when the camera is on the kids face,
he's emotionless. He wasn't there being
yelled at, he was somewhere else.

Jack Nicholson turned down the part of
Santa, and Bill Murray accepted is and
then disappeared like does all the time.
So it went to Thornton. Too bad, it
was perfect for Murray or Nicholson.
The Coen brothers were vehemently
against the black elf being in the
movie, they said he would ruin it.
I agree, I didn't care for that character
at all. He just didn't seem to fit.

Kathy Bates plays Santa's cursing mom
in the sequel. Oh boy.

Quote: Evenbob

Jack Nicholson turned down the part of
Santa, and Bill Murray accepted is and
then disappeared like does all the time.
So it went to Thornton. Too bad, it
was perfect for Murray or Nicholson.

Big disagreement here. I thought Billy Bob did an unforgettable performance. Either he was playing himself or that is about as raw as acting gets.

Quote: Wizard

Big disagreement here. I thought Billy Bob did an unforgettable performance. Either he was playing himself or that is about as raw as acting gets.

He did a Billy Bob performance, it was OK
for him. Nicholson would have added a
touch of evil to it, like he did in Shining
and Witches of Eastwick. They wrote it
with Nicholson in mind. Bill Murray would
have added whimsy to the part, a down
and out criminal drunk with some Uncle
Joe from Petticoat Junction thrown is.

We'll never know who was the best, only
one of them did it.