Why does George Mcfly employ Biff to wax his car after he had previously tried to rape his wife?

Question

In Back to the Future, Marty goes back to 1955 and devises a plan for his father George McFly to win over Lorraine in order to ensure Marty's survival.

The plan involved Marty pretending to sexually assault Lorraine then George would step in and stop him. Biff meddles with Marty's plan, by kicking Marty out of the car and then he tries to rape Lorraine. George expecting to find Marty in the car, instead finds Biff and musters the courage to stop Biff and protect Lorraine.

Near the end of the movie when Marty travels back to 1985 we see that Biff is outside of Marty's house waxing George's car. Why would George employ Biff to do this job? I can't imagine Lorraine would be too happy with the idea.

Answer 1

I haven't seen any director commentary, so I can't speak with full authority.

However, I don't think they thought that hard about it. I think it is put in there for dramatic effect.

The antagonist was defeated, and now instead of the big man on campus, he practically begs from George McFly for work. It is a triumph of the little guy over his oppressor.

The movie is full of David vs Goliath moments, and that's when you know the underdog ultimately won.

Answer 2

1. It's not clear that Biff was trying to rape Loraine. Although he was clearly taking liberties he should not have.

2. McFly subdued Biff in the fight at the dance. After that, Biff learned to take his place behind McFly. The car-waxing scene was really just to prove this.

3. 30 years had passed. The new, wiser McFly was undoubtedly able to forgive Biff--especially with Biff in his new subordinate role.

Answer 3

Have you ever noticed how feminine Biff's character is in the new 1985? The assumption the audience is being invited to make is that, because he was so completely emasculated in his encounter with George McFly the night of the dance, Biff eventually became a homosexual. This explains why George McFly doesn't consider it a risk to keep him around the house despite his past misdeeds.

Answer 4

We're talking about a movie filmed in 1985 set in the year 1955. People's attitudes towards consent were different back then. For example, no one, at least not at the time, would say John Travolta was trying to rape Olivia Newton-John in Grease.

Answer 5

I don't think he employed him (as in, offering him money for doing it). I think it is more that he commanded him to do it, that is, he's now the one who can get Biff to do things for him, and Biff no longer has the balls to refuse.

Answer 6

For all we know, in the intervening years, Biff saw the error of his ways, begged forgiveness, and was accepted by the McFlys as a changed man.