Does Murray rape Peggy?

I don't think he would have raped her, I think that would have probably been too much for a 1940 film, although you can't exactly tell as it cuts off. Peggy and Murray seemed to be fine still working together after that though. He was probably just trying it with her. Come to think of it, that scene doesn't really have much relevance, as you don't see him do anything like that again in the film.

I think he just forces himself on her for a big kiss or something nasty like that.

You want to investigate my courage? Do you? Find out! Find out!

Yes, he does rape her. They couldn't and didn't show it back then.

But, it's more a "If you're going to work with me, you'll take it and like it."

She was hungry for success, so she did what she felt she had to.

If you remember later in the movie she tells him to never touch her again.

Yes and they make it as obvious as possible for a movie made in 1940. Her show lying in the corner, and her pleading for him to let go of her. Yes he raped her. That's probably the reason she let him slap her around and generally be abusive to her

Darling, I am trouble of the most spectacular kind!

Pretty much...

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Of course he raped her. Next to actually showing the rape, they couldn't have made it more obvious.

There's a similar scene 15 years later in "Love Me Or Leave Me", only this time it was Jimmy Cagney doing it to Doris Day.

At that point in the movie I was certain the fade out meant he raped her. However, as the story progressed, I had a change of heart. Clearly started resisting his advances but then I think she gave in willingly. Kicking off her shoe was symbolic of her letting her guard down; getting comfortable in his company.

I don't think they did anything more than what she would do with Danny; the hesitation was doing them with Murray especially after she told Danny she was his girl. In her mind she was finally going in the direction she wanted. They just got a contract to dance. She wasn't going to risk it by making him angry. He had all the control and all the money would be going to him; she had to keep him happy. Early on Danny was warned it was ambition, not Murray, that threatened their relationship.

1. This movie was made while the code was in effect. If Murray had raped Peggy, there would have been a consequence. That's how it worked back then. Tampering with the boxing match and causing Danny's blindness got one guy killed. Imagine what would have happened to a rapist.

2. If Murray had raped her and she stayed, continuing to dance with him as if nothing happened, it would, in my opinion, mean she consented after the fact. That means it would not have been the only time. If that were the case, her reaction to Danny's unexpected arrival at her dressing room door would have been different. She would have felt shame for not being 'pure'; this was 1940. Instead she was happy to see him and acted as if nothing had changed.

3. If he was having or had at any point had sex with Peggy for whatever reason, Murray would not have passed up the opportunity to throw it in Danny's face. There were many ways to communicate that information to him without saying it in so many words. He could, for instance, have put his hands on her in a possessive way. She would not have been able to deny it. Naturally, Danny probably would have gone after him but I don't think Murray could have resisted.


Woman, man! That's the way it should be Tarzan. [Tarzan and his mate]