Degrading sex scene for Ms. MacLaine
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jamesntull — 17 years ago(July 12, 2008 05:10 AM)
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 herselfmistakenlyreassured by the man that virtually everyonemistakenlyconsiders 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 forcedor absurd, if we fail to recognize (as another poster already pointed out) that the entire film is a study in absurdity. -
sdrullman — 17 years ago(August 12, 2008 01:31 AM)
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. -
Jamminit6 — 17 years ago(October 11, 2008 06:00 PM)
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 -
rwsmith29456 — 15 years ago(December 05, 2010 06:33 PM)
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.
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Pelikano — 14 years ago(April 07, 2011 11:08 AM)
Yeah, it is kind of weird/funny/silly. But it's not to reveal his naivetethat 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. -
pennylane520 — 14 years ago(May 04, 2011 09:42 PM)
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.
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A_Fistful_of_Pennies — 13 years ago(August 23, 2012 09:55 AM)
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.
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siiiva — 13 years ago(October 03, 2012 03:12 PM)
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. -
r-taylor13-848-416837 — 13 years ago(November 03, 2012 06:12 AM)
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. -
StevenSmithNYC — 12 years ago(May 01, 2013 02:33 AM)
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.