Being There : Degrading sex scene for Ms. MacLaine

Degrading sex scene for Ms. MacLaine

I thought the bedroom scene with Sellers and MacLaine was pretty tacky, even for this movie. It was obviously played for laughs, but they both looked absolutely foolish. If they wanted to show Chance's naivete toward sex, it could have been revealed in a more subtle tone and fashion. The way it was done here looks forced and more appropriate for the SNL audience.

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Re: Degrading sex scene for Ms. MacLaine

I must say, it made me cringe a little...

Re: Degrading sex scene for Ms. MacLaine

Well, we are dealing with Peter Sellers here. Degrading? If MacLaine herself felt it was "degrading," she would have declined the role. It wasn't as if she was some struggling 19-year-old starlet later to to say, "I was young and I needed the money." Come on now! Furthermore, Chance was not "naive" about sex; he was utterly incapable of comprehending it. The character wasn't called "Chance" for nothing. At heart, Kosinski's story is absurdist.

Re: Degrading sex scene for Ms. MacLaine

The screen was just right for this movie. Anyone who feels uncomfortable watching it is a prude, and anything sexually makes them feel uncomfortable.

Re: Degrading sex scene for Ms. MacLaine

The masturbation scene was the reason Laurence Olivier declined to appear in the movie (he was originally supposed to play "Ben" in the film).

Re: Degrading sex scene for Ms. MacLaine

I understand everyones' posts here. After all, we live in a society where Sexuality (upper case) is everywhere, but where our own personal sexuality (lower case) is still a very guarded secret for most.

The scene is a bit unnerving, but I don't agree that it 'cheapens' or 'degrades' the film or characters in any way.

Quite the contrary, we have watched Chance (or Chauncey) as politicians, economists, socialites, and power-brokers alike hang on his every word. Eve is just as caught up in 'awe' of 'Chauncey' as everyone around her. She is a young, vibrant woman married to a much older, very ill man. It is not stretching to assume that her sexlife is virtually inexistent. It is also not stretching to imagine that her knowledge of sexual things may not be much more advanced than Chance's.

We live in a society where masturbation is still looked upon, in large part, as a degrading act. Yet, virtually everyone does it. It is not a surprise then, that when Eve hears 'Chauncey' say, "I like to watch, Eve", that she finds herself--mistakenly--reassured by the man that virtually everyone--mistakenly--considers an expert in all matters.

She, herself, is nearly as lonely as Chance. She says so herself, in as many words, just before she kisses him for the first time. She is longing for some kind (any kind) of intimacy, so when 'Chauncey' tells her he likes to watch, it is both approval for what she does next, and an invitation for her to 'connect' with him (even if it is neither, except in Eve's misguided perception).

The scene only seems forced--or absurd, if we fail to recognize (as another poster already pointed out) that the entire film is a study in absurdity.

Re: Degrading sex scene for Ms. MacLaine

Exactly. It may not be the best scene in the movie, but I think it can only be labeled as 'degrading' if we consider masturbation degrading, which I think has more to do with society taboos than anything else. If it had been a couple sex scene we probably wouldn't be having this discussion.
I said it's not the best scene in the movie, but I don't find it pointless. I think the scene serves as a liberating point for MacLaine's character, as she later acknowledges. It's again the theme of Chance affecting in an important manner the lives around him without him knowing.

Re: Degrading sex scene for Ms. MacLaine

In the novel, it is alluded a few times, most notably at the party following the UN dinner, that EE is somewhat of a sexual deviant that has had many affairs while married to Ben. Her naivety is due in part because she expects men to reach out and take her as their own, something Chance is incapable of doing. She is only inexperienced in this particular scenario, and it should not be inferred that she is otherwise inexperienced.

I'm feeling kind of punk. Maybe cause its good not great. - Mission of Burma

Re: Degrading sex scene for Ms. MacLaine

Urban legend, and has no basis in reality.

My password is password

Re: Degrading sex scene for Ms. MacLaine

A more subtle tone and fashion? Shouldn't you be at a repressive church right now instead of on the internet?

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Re: Degrading sex scene for Ms. MacLaine

I like to watch.

Re: Degrading sex scene for Ms. MacLaine

I thought it rather personal, like I was peeking at somebody, but I thought it did fit the movie and gave even more indication of how totally oblivious Chance was. A hot woman doing herself in order to please him didn't phase him.

Re: Degrading sex scene for Ms. MacLaine

I thought it was funny for the same reason as mentioned above. He's so naive and innocent that he has no idea what she's doing right there before him. Its a dirty scene, but oddly intriguing.

Re: Degrading sex scene for Ms. MacLaine

Yeah, it is kind of weird/funny/silly. But it's not to reveal his naivete--that could hardly be more obvious by this point.

I've always thought it served a plot purpose: Chance is totally innocent about everything in the world, including sex. Yet the story requires Eve to fall in love with him, which helps line him up to step into Rand's shoes at the end (and possibly the presidency of the US as well). So we're supposed to take it that the problem of their sexual relations has been solved, for now and always.

Yep, this scenario is hard to swallow. But then, a lot strange things are premised in this movie.

Re: Degrading sex scene for Ms. MacLaine

I didn't think it was degrading at all. I think that's an uproarious scene and both of their performances are fantastic. When you're doing a comedic scene like that, you have to just totally commit and go for it and I thought MacLaine did a great job. I don't know why anyone would have a problem with that scene.

Re: Degrading sex scene for Ms. MacLaine

I didn't really like it, not because I'm a prude. I just thought it wasn't necessary to the story for it to go on so long and I didn't really find it entertaining or funny. It was almost too awkward to watch, and while it was supposed to be, it didn't really add anything to the movie for me.

Re: Degrading sex scene for Ms. MacLaine

Maybe it went on too long. I dunno..have to watch again. But I think it was an essential part of the movie.

Re: Degrading sex scene for Ms. MacLaine

Chauncey attempting the Sirshasana yoga pose while Eve is masturbating on the bear skin rug? Omg I cracked up during this scene!!

Someone mentioned they thought Eve may have also been naive sexually but I find that hard to swallow. She's gorgeous and surrounded by powerful men. Yes they may be older but that didn't stop her from hooking up with Big Ben did it? I'm sure she's attracted to power and money and I'm betting she was getting plenty of offers on the side from Ben's various social circles.

The two intimate scenes were important to the character development of Eve: in the first, Eve learned about self control by witnessing first hand how Chauncey was able to contain himself in the face of temptation (from her perspective of course). And in the second, Eve became liberated from her desire for intercourse. She later says to Chauncey: "Desire flows within me and when you watch me, my passion ... it dissolves the desire. I reveal myself to myself and I am... purged."


Everyone becomes enlightened by interacting with Chauncey in their own way and this is how it plays out for Eve.

Re: Degrading sex scene for Ms. MacLaine

I thought it was well done, adding to the idea that Chance really didn't have to do anything and he made the people around him manifest their desires physically.

What she needed (and wanted, either consciously or subconsciously) was a good orgasm, and he obliviously gave it to her.

I liked the dead bear skin too, because that was basically what Chance's role was in the 'sex scene', a dead rug. But, it still worked for her.

Re: Degrading sex scene for Ms. MacLaine

I can't stand prudes. If either of them felt it was "degrading" they wouldn't have done the scene. It isn't like someone was standing behind the camera with a whip and a chair forcing them to do this.

The scene was flawless and it fit in perfectly to the film. But hey, if sexuality bothers you, stick with G rated movies. This was for thinking adults.

Re: Degrading sex scene for Ms. MacLaine

In the novel, it's the gay ambassador who masturbates in front of him.

Re: Degrading sex scene for Ms. MacLaine

The screen was great. It fit the film perfectly.

Re: Degrading sex scene for Ms. MacLaine

First time seeing the movie and the bear rug scene shouldn't have been included in the movie. Took it from a 9/10 for me to an 8/10. I did like him standing on his head during the end of the scene.
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