MovieChat Forums > Kiss the Blood Off My Hands (1948) Discussion > The whipping of Burt Lancaster

The whipping of Burt Lancaster

posted 15 years ago by dinky-4
8 replies | jump to latest

Rumor has it that he requested to suffer an actual lashing during the flogging scene for the sake of authenticity. True story, or just publicity?

[–] scotbpens 15 years ago

I'm not privy to any inside information, but it sounds like typical publicity blather to me. I've never heard of an actor who would willingly subject himself to agonizing pain for the sake of a performance -- Method or no Method!

As a side note, the flogging frame used in that scene looked quite authentic. I've been wondering where I can get plans to build one for my finished basement.

[–] Orgelist 15 years ago

Le Sadisme au cinéma reports it to be true.

Inside every older person is a younger person wondering what the Hell happened!

[–] scotbpens 15 years ago

Really! Does that book have anything to say about Elvis Presley's whipping in Jailhouse Rock?

All the universe . . . or nothingness. Which shall it be, Passworthy? Which shall it be?

[–] Orgelist 15 years ago

Nope. It was published before Elvis.

Inside every older person is a younger person wondering what the Hell happened!

[–] scotbpens 15 years ago

Exqueeze me, I don't think so. Jailhouse Rock was released in 1957. George de Coulteray's Le Sadisme au Cinéma (Sadism in the Movies) was first published in 1964.

I haven't read the book, but I understand that it should be more aptly called Violence in the Movies since it deals very little with sexual sadism. Of course, whether you consider Burt Lancaster's and Elvis Presley's whipping scenes sexual sadism or not depends on your paticular kink, I suppose.

All the universe . . . or nothingness. Which shall it be, Passworthy? Which shall it be?

[–] Orgelist 14 years ago

Inside every older person is a younger person wondering what the Hell happened!
I stand corrected on the date of publication. Thanks. Still, no mention of Elvis Presley.

[–] a-east 11 years ago

At the moment, K.T.B.O.M.H. is available on YouTube in five segments of about 15 minutes each. Burt Lancaster's flogging comes in Part 3. Considering what a tough guy he's supposed to be playing, I think Lancaster does this scene wrong. Rather than defiant, he looks martyred, and after only a few strokes of the "cat" seems ready to faint.

[–] liscarkat (16530) a year ago

I am amazed they were still doing that in Britain in the 1940s. I thought flogging went out in the late 18th century.