All of these films got released in the U.S. without any trouble when they came out. None of them would have been rated R. CONTEMPT even got dubbed into English and shown around the country. And it even played on commercial television. They probably cut the scene of Brigitte’s butt or did a pan-and-scan where you couldn’t see it. But I remember seeing it on regular television.
In Canada at any rate, Contempt would be PG13 or 14A at most.
another fucking fantastic thread
Well Vivre Sa Vie and Contempt are both 15 in the UK, and most films with a 15 receive an R in the US
Most would be R, if not all. I mean, cmon, the “egg” conversation in ‘Weekend’? That honestly might upset American sensibilities all the way to an NC17. For the ones you mentioned, the nudity in ‘Contempt’, the dialogue in ‘2 or 3 things…’, and the general thematic matter of ‘vivre sa vie’ would have nabbed them all R’s.
haha Weekend would definitely be rated R. That “egg” sequence was just…wow. Yeah
WEEKEND came out in the U.S. just before the ratings were instituted. For all I know it might never have been submitted to the MPAA or it would have gotten a “Suggested for Mature Audiences” tag, which was placed on “adult” films in the months before the MPAA ratings were instituted.
I think many of you are confusing what would get an “R” TODAY with what would have gotten an “R” back then. They were much more lenient back then in many areas.
There’s almost no nudity in CONTEMPT, just a shot of Brigitte Bardot on the bed unclothed with her derriere exposed. Far edgier material routinely got an “M” or, later, “GP” rating. Nicolas Roeg’s WALKABOUT (1971) had full frontal interracial nudity and got a GP. I took a class of kids to see it!!!
I’ll be the last one to defend American racial standards, but I doubt “interracial nudity” would have been more serious than white nudity by 1971.
Uh, I doubt it. I suppose with some of the nudity (unlikely), but definitely not an R. How could Vivre sa Vie possibly get an R rating? I mean really, Jake, even the U.S. isn’t that Presbyterian.
I guarantee had there been a board to review Vivre Sa Vie, a film involving prostitution (including detailed scenes describing the life and methods on a day-to-day basis), multiple scenes taking place immediately pre or post sex (with this not left to subtext in any way), and ending with the main character gunned down by pimps and gangsters would not have snagged a PG-13. Pointless argument, I’m aware, but even with their past leniency, they would not have been that easy on a French noir tragedy.
Pretty weird to think that something like Une Femme Est Une Femme would be rated R because of two shots of female nudity.
Same for Pierrot, maybe even the same for Breathless(unless the MPAA has different standards when it comes to shots of nude still pictures.)
Underage smoking has always been considered behavior that could warrant a tougher rating, the MPAA said in its release. Now, “all smoking will be considered and depictions that glamorize smoking or … feature pervasive smoking outside of an historic or other mitigating context” could warrant a more prohibitive rating, the organization said. – http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2007-05-10-MPAA-smoking_N.htm
Can someone advise me where to start with Godard, I am overwhelmed – ten best/most famous titles please?!?
Have only seen Vivre Sa Vie and have Breathless to watch
Mastroianni
I personally wonder how many of Godard’s films, such as Vivre Sa Vie, Contempt, 2 or 3 Things…, were released in this country not having been banned for violating the Hollywood Production Code, which I assume was lifted at around the start of the New Hollywood era. I am sure those three aforementioned films would have been rated R if released today in their uncut form.