s01e01 Paul: Last night was like,... the barn raising scene in Witness

What is the barn raising scene in Witness?

Monica and Paul are saying goodbye at the door after their first night together. The evening before Paul has reviled to Monica his deep dark secret of not being able to perform sexually, ever since his wife left him. But this night everything worked again! Monica seems to heal Paul.

Paul: Thank you! Thank you so much!

Monica: Stop!

Paul: No, I'm telling you last night was like umm, all my birthdays, both graduations, plus the barn raising scene in Witness.

Why the barn scene in Witness is supposed to be a great analogy to Paul here? What is funny about this comparison?

The bran-raising scene comes from Witness a crime drama film from 1985. The movie is about a cop John Book, that takes on to protect a young Amish boy, who has witnessed a murder. John Book is played by a popular star of the 90-ies Harrison Ford. 

As a young adult, Paul must have been fascinated with Ford for over a decade. Harrison has stared in the series of big hero-movies at the time, such as Star Wars(1977), Blade Runner (1982), Indiana Jones (1981, 1984, 1989).

But let's take a closer look at the Witness film. The Harrison Ford's character takes the boy and his mom into hiding among Amish people.

Amish community is very different in traditions, values and pace of life from where John Book is coming from:

- John Book is a cop and deals with violence daily. Amish people do not accept violence in any from around them.

- John Book is single and busy with his individual life. Amish people are valuing family time and community.

- John Book is detached from land and wrapped up in modern technology and other perks of civilization. Amish prefer to live simply and raise their own food, build their own homes, and solve conflicts within community.

When John Book settles among Amish, they naturally are suspicious of a newcomer. But as the movie goes, Amish people start to see John Book, even though different from them, but as a decent man.

The pinnacle of this trust raising comes with the symbolic barn-raising. It is a scene where Amish community comes together to build a new house, a new home. And since no machine is involved (remember simple living part?) everyone should work as a single organism. This is when Harrison Ford's character shows that he can be trusted and relied onto.

In the goodbye scene with Monica, Paul metaphorically says, that last night he has had a chance to prove himself as a better man, than people thought him to be. Plus of course the analogy of erection is also there. Overall it is a reference, I felt was really worth time exploring and getting in the end.

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Would love to hear your takes on the joke, did I get every bit of it?

Katia.