Mavis' Picture - The L-Shaped Room (1962) Discussion

[–] karmala2 12 years ago

Yes, of course she was a woman. The audience, me anyway, was clued in a few lines earlier when Jane says "Was he on the stage, too?" And Mavis replies: "Who, dear"?

"I told you a million times not to talk to me when I'm doing my lashes"!

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[–] mtarshis 12 years ago

ha! missed that..

...hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.

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[–] brucepantages-1 12 years ago

In the same scene She also says (in an apparent reference to the baby) "Have a girl. They're so much easier than boys." That clinched it for me.

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[–] gngral23 12 years ago

And notice that the term "lesbian" wasn't used either.

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[–] ejc15 12 years ago

Your probably right. At the time I thought it was a cat.

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[–] BG43214 12 years ago

I am so glad you brought this up!!

I saw it when it first came out........truly a great movie. still a big favorite of mine....

HOWEVER...on TCM recently, saw it again.....and the scene with Mavis's photo?

It was CUT....that is, when Caron looks down, in the movie I saw in 1963, you see that it's a photo of a woman, dressed in a military-type costume, obviously reflecting the type of act the two were in.

WHY OH WHY this STUPID CUT???????????

I WISH you could have seen the uncut, original scene!! WHO the hell takes it upon themselves to censor stuff like this?

If this is available on DVD, and I have no idea if it is, perhaps it is the original, UNCUT version.....

Sorry you had to miss the entire few seconds they cut.

Wish there was someone/somewhere I could complain about this to, but I doubt if there is.

ANyway, it's an incredible movie, and the BEST thing Caron EVER did, EVER!!

at least she was nominated that year for best actress.....

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[–] Windoflower 11 years ago

Exactly BG43214! I saw this film years ago and remember the scene showing the picture of the woman. When I watched the film last night, the picture was not actually shown, which surprised me. Doubting my memory, I came here. Thank you for confirming what I thought: A wonderful moment has been damaged by the cut.

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[–] BG43214 11 years ago

What really amazes & IRRITATES me is that there is absolutely NO reason to cut at that point!!!!!!!!!............so it's her lover, big deal!! and just imagine those who never saw it in its uncut form - their confusion!!! so now countless people will be wondering...'what the heck did she see in that photo??"...........to think that in this day and age we have such mindless, ignorant editing/censoring!!! I am aghast at this!!

oh well...something that we have no control over....I'd like to meet the moron who did this and smack'em upside the head!! lol

so I'm glad I was able to confirm that you hadn't remembered that particular scene incorrectly!!

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[–] Clemencedane 11 years ago

I was sure when I had seen it before that they showed a photo and last night I thought perhaps I was just losing my mind. How would cutting that help with "time" anyway? That shot must have lasted about 2 seconds. I truly hope they don't think we are less able to handle a lesbian reference in 2013 than people were in 1961.

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[–] the_cobalt_goddess 11 years ago

It might have been edited for time, but for the record they DO show the picture nearer the beginning of the film. The camera pans over to it and I thought "Why would she have a picture of herself at her bedside table?" because it looks like a woman in a military uniform. Maybe they cut the other shot for time figuring it wasn't important to show it again since they already had? If they were trying to cut out the lesbianism they would have just cut the whole scene.
__________________________________
So, is this a sexy tune, Mrs. Badcrumble?

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[–] BG43214 9 years ago

you have an interesting idea there, but who the hell would think that moviegoers would be paying attention to such a small detail? except, of course, people like us!! lol.

as for time,,,,,,how long was it? 2 or 3 seconds? if indeed that's the reason, & heaven only knows, it's a STUPID STUPID way to save a few seconds from a memorable scene!!!!!!!

- sigh -

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[–] Itsamoomoo 11 years ago

I recently watched this on TCM for the first time. Is it possible some of you may think that you saw a photo of a woman? You're relying on a fifty year old memory. TCM takes pride in saying how films are never cut on their network. There was definitely a play on words in this scene and as I was listening I knew it was a "she" and not a "he." I didn't need to see a photo to validate what I was picking up on.

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[–] EdgarST 11 years ago

I have it on DVD bought in the UK and it does not show the photograph of Mavis' friend. I understood that it was a woman's photograph, even if I did not notice it the first time it appeared.

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[–] Flora_Poste 11 years ago

The original, theatrical version of the movie did not show the photograph when Caron's character picks up the frame. The viewer remembers the framed photograph of the woman from seeing it earlier in the movie in a shot of Mavis' room.

The viewer makes the logical leap about Mavis's "friend" along with Caron's character. It's a great example of the magic of cinema.

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[–] chicago85 9 years ago

I remember the picture from years ago and a picture of a woman. The "it takes all kinds" tipped me that she had a relationship with another woman.

I don't know everything. Neither does anyone else

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[–] BG43214 (44) 5 years ago

OH no no no no.......I saw it when it first came out...and they DID SHOW THE PHOTO that Caron picks up...that's what made it such a poignant moment!!

Sorrrrry to disagree but it's true!!!!!!

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