MovieChat Forums > A Room with a View (1986) Discussion > Women who love the nude scene...

Women who love the nude scene...

posted 13 years ago by wsitu
27 replies | jump to latest

Is it anything more than an excuse for reserved women to see bouncing wieners without feeling like perverts? To just laugh and pretend it's goofy and innocent and non-sexual? Would many of the same women not be offended if those characters were female? I have no problem with the nudity itself, just the hypocrisy exhibited by so many women. If this doesn't apply to you personally, then forget it.

And I know the nudity's in the book as well. Same story there.

Nest is best.

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[–] Starfishby 13 years ago

It's just nice once in...well, ever... to see males nude, let alone sexualized in the media, when we are bombarded with female sexuality and nudity in movies as if it's passe. Women need to be thrown a bone sometimes. It's not equal by any stretch. Guys have it so easy if they want to see the opposite sex naked or sexualized (or even attractive). Sometimes I wish I were a lesbian so that I'd be okay with all the female sexiness but no male sexiness whatsoever (sticking boobs in to "help the story", but god forbid a penis). Not saying that this movie serves as porn or that the nudity is an excuse for anything, but still.

Do what's good for you, or you're no good for anybody.

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[–] Mandyjam 13 years ago

The subject of the nudity has been discussed at great length, the discussions generated mainly by people who found it offensive. If you look down a little further, you will find at least two threads that you might like to comment on.

"great minds think differently"

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[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] artistathome 13 years ago

The nudity is completely unexpected especially if you have not read the book.
But when "poor Mr. Beebe" jumps in nude, you have to admit that was funny.

If you are offended by what I am going to say too bad. A woman doesn't have things hanging and dangling. Men are just funny looking doing things like they were doing.

It was meant to be funny and non sexual and it was!

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[–] lantzn 9 years ago

I just saw a current interview of the actor who played Beebe and he said when he saw rhe scene he sees two beautiful gazelles running around with a hippo. Now that's funny.

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[–] boxerrebellion 8 years ago

I agree... and I really did not find it to be a sexual scene... mostly because there was no provocativeness about it... it just was - and fit perfectly with the time period.

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[–] gribfritz2 13 years ago

Women need to be thrown a bone sometimes

nudity has been discussed at great length

look down a little further

Bone. Great length. Look down a little further. This thread is hysterical!

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[–] AZINDN 12 years ago

ROTFLMAO! Touche!

-- Ew lover, you gonna make me clutch my pearls --

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[–] elvisflushley 13 years ago

I agree unreservedly. I feel that women need to be thrown a bone more often than not. My quandry is whether or not to let them off the leash.

There ain't no Hebrew God, Ozzy's God!

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[–] deliaw1946 13 years ago

wsitu, I visited this board for another reason (regarding this music) but as this movie one of my favorites, thought I'd check the boards. I agree with you. This scene was not sexual at all, funny, guys "having a bathe." The one thing I did notice, however, was where Lucy's eyes were when George jumped up and down in front of her! First grown-up one she'd ever seen, eh? This, in my opinion, contributed to her sexual awakening. Good for her....and George.

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[–] jtf1986 13 years ago

Why do you think that women would be offended if they were women characters? Why do you say "the hypocrisy exhibited by so many women" based on a supposed reaction to hypothetical women you just made up?

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[–] wsitu 13 years ago

Women I made up? Ah, no. I'm talking about people I know and reactions I've witnessed by many people throughout my life.

Nest is best.

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[–] Mandyjam 13 years ago

I am trying to do a replay of this scene with the genders reversed.

Let us say that it is an overweight spinster governess, the beautiful Lucy and an equally beautiful friend. Taking a dip in the nuddy and becoming a little hilarious. Two delightful pretty girls and a heafty woman with bouncing b**bs. Down to the pool come the father of one of the girls, a young man who is in love with one of the girls, and the young man's fiance.

Outrage! Scandal! The spinster governess would lose her position on the spot. The father would have an apoplectic fit. The fiance would rage at her partner to be "I saw the way you looked at her! You don't love me!" (which would be perfectly true, of course!) It would be a total disaster!

One aspect of the scene is the vulnerability that is brought upon people by nudity. It is a recurrent dream with some people, that they are suddenly naked in the middle of the city, or some equally unlikely and unsuitable place.

But the very real difference between three men being caught naked and three women being caught in the same situation by a number of males, is that the women are genuinely much more vulnerable.

"great minds think differently"

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[–] jtf1986 13 years ago

How many women have you watched this movie with throughout your life? Why did you word the original post in such a strange way?

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[–] wsitu 13 years ago

Two. But I'm not just talking about this movie. I'm also talking about the general reactions I've seen countless times, of women that tend to laugh at male nudity in film, but get offended, to whatever extent, if it's female. I worded the question the way I did because I figured people would know what I meant. I only know what I've witnessed in my own life, maybe it's not representative of the whole reality.

Nest is best.

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[–] jtf1986 13 years ago

I doubt its representative. Female nudity in movies is much more common, so that reaction doesn't even make sense.

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[–] LordManhammer 8 years ago

The vast majority of filmmakers are men, and so their reasons for including male and female nudity are different. The former may be innocent, and the latter lascivious. I don't see hypocrisy in these reactions, necessarily; but I do question the assumptions you made in your original post. You seem to be on the lookout for reasons to criticize women, and assume we're all the same.

__ __ __
Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room!"--Pres. Merkin Muffley

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[–] KatrinaW 13 years ago

As a woman, it's not that I "love" the nude scene (athough it was definitely a treat seeing Julian Sands and Rupert Graves in all their glory!), but I thought it fit in with the movie, the time period, and Englishness in general.

I'm American, but I do find it troublesome and ironic that a lot of the more repressed people in this country think it's scandalous and perverted to see the naked human form (which we all have) presented this way on film.

The scene, to me, was just men being boys, goofing off in the water. To us, 100 years later, would it occur to a guy who had just met another guy, to ask him to go and 'bathe'? Meaning swimming in the buff in a country pond? Probably not. But I guess back in the day things were different.

At any rate, I just saw this movie last week for the first time (thank you, TCM, and your Merchant Ivory film festival!), and it made me seek out the equally awesome "Maurice", which I've since fallen in love with. Rupert Graves is my new crush!

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[–] candypants42 13 years ago

I'm a lesbian so frankly I couldn't give a *beep* about the bathing scene, but you can't really compare this with the way womens bodies are exploited in film and media. was it even ment to be a sexy scene? I obviously don't mind seeing some boobs and none of my female straight friends are offended by female nudity as long as it's not degrading, my guess is that you're just overgeneralising because you were uncomfortable?

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[–] Hewso 13 years ago

The scene plays an important role in the story, for reasons that have been explained already by many others. So, no, it's not just an excuse to show naked men.

That said, as a woman I greatly enjoyed seeing two nice looking men running around in the nude. I don't mind saying that. As much as anything, many of us are just so tired of seeing naked women in every film that it's nice for a change to see a film where the men run around totally nude and the women keep their clothes on.

I don't think a similar scene with females would have worked. First of all, women of that time period would not strip naked and run around goofing off like that. If they had been female, the whole scene would have looked like an awkward attempt to show T&A. So many films have thrown in female nudity solely for the sake of T&A that it's really hard to do a 3 or 4 minute female frontal nude scene without it looking like it was just a peep scene for men.

Furthermore, some men (not all) would discuss every tiny flaw (real or imagined) in their bodies. Just imagine what men would say if they saw a female version of Mr Beebe running around completely nude for several minutes. Yet, I don't think you'll find many ugly comments from women about Mr Beebe. He may not be attractive but most women are mature enough not to be nasty about it. I'm sorry but I really think that's the truth. After reading some of the nasty comments on IMDB about some of Kate Winslet's nude scenes, I'm surprised there are any women willing to do nude scenes.

There is nothing wrong with female nudity, per se. It's just that men are much more comfortable being seen in the nude than women are. If you don't believe me, just go to any clothing optional beach. You'll see FAR more completely nude men than women that are even topless. Since men are more comfortable with their own nudity, most nudity in film should be male. If things were truly fair (and actors and actresses were never pressured to do nudity they weren't comfortable with), 90% of the nudity in film should be male.

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[–] PlatinumScreen 13 years ago

Yet, I don't think you'll find many ugly comments from women about Mr Beebe. He may not be attractive but most women are mature enough not to be nasty about it.

i must be the odd woman out on this thread because i actually preferred mr. beebe without a stitch on him! i had a new appreciation for him after seeing him thoroughly out of that stuffy suit. he's no daniel craig, but i wouldn't send him away. ;)

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[–] gaius-julius-baltar 13 years ago

I think you just noticed he had the biggest piece out of all of them.

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[–] Mandyjam 13 years ago

Mr Beebe is loveable. Mature women tend to prefer mature men.

"great minds think differently"

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[–] MedioSiglo 12 years ago

I completely agree Mandyjam!

Why ain't you at the garden party you heathen?

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[–] ShannonTriumphant 12 years ago

NOW you're getting the idea! :D Let's be honest, as fun and cute and totally in line with the plot and the book as this scene was, and as true as it is that this would never happen in 21st Century America (or probably England anymore), and as many other facets as there are to this scene,most women like to look at naked men. I liked the tent scenes in "Brokeback Mountain"...I admit it!

But the original point about the overdone female nudity (usually gratuitous) is a good one. The answer is to have more male nude scenes, if they go with the plot. And though I love Simon Callow (Mr. Beebe), and he was funny as hell in that scene, I wouldn't let him come home with me and Rupert and Julian, to have a hot bath! I like young, fit bodies--call me shallow.

She deserves her revenge, and we deserve to die.

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[–] SCsurfguy 10 years ago

^^^You're just speaking the truth.
The way I see it, there are three types of women. Lesbians who don't care about men, naked or otherwise. "Prudish" women who pretend not to be into it, but really are. And those who totally get into it and have no problem admitting it.
The fact is, women are obsessed with sex. Just look at the rags at the checkout stands where magazines directed toward women are plastered with sex issues.
And look how many sex therapists are women.
Women like to pretend it's the men who have the one track minds. They will even accuse men of having these high expectations of women and what they look like.
But women are exactly the same. They think about sex and men all the time. And they give way more attention to the hot guys too. So looks are equally important to women. If not more so.
In fact, I think women are more visual; with men being less picky.
I used to work in the tourism industry here in California and I can tell you that I saw tons of couples where the guy was WAY better looking than his female partner. She either wasn't much to look at, was heavy, or on occasion, older.
Guys are not nearly as picky as women are. Even though women try to say they are.

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[–] yrnej 8 years ago

Did anyone get a whiff of homoeroticism? (not that there's anything wrong with it)

I didn't consider this when I first saw the film 25+ years ago, but just watched it again and couldn't help sensing it in the parts when Freddie and George wrestling.

See my published polls here: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls063373675

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