This scene is not in the book so it's an original contribution of Lewis John Carlino, who adapted the novel by David Ely.
I think the scene accomplishes two things.
It covers the "initiation" of Tony into the sexual freedom aspect of his new life. It has to be long because Tony goes from being curious, shocked, repelled to willing and immersed. You have to build that transformation.
And it is a more cinematic compromise for the instances in the book where the company tries to "initiate" Tony rather crudely. The nurse actually gets intimate with Arthur on the morning of his operation to relax him as he is showing signs of being a "sensitive" client. On the day of Tony's arrival at his new habitat in California, his all-around assistant John arranges for a young model who is all too willing to take her clothes off. Nora Marcus (Salome Jens) is not named in the book and is not given a backstory. She is just a woman sketching on the beach and she is also giving off the scent right away.
Billy Wilder Page, Play the Movie Smiley Game
www.screenwritingdialogue.com
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EllisFowler
14 years ago
An excellent reply and of course, you're correct. Nora doesn't appear in the book (but then, neither does the film's climax). Am I correct in remembering that the bacchanalia was cut from the US theatrical release?
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hootson21
14 years ago
For 1966 the bachanalia was very full on - no penises on display of course but lots of women bare asses and the boob.
I saw it in Britain and on its initial release - when I saw it many years later I was surprised how much nudity they got away with - but then again the more "in your face" shots might have been edited from when I first saw it.
As the other contributors have noted the scene is about liberating sexuality but also possibly a symbol for rebirth from death - that is life-giving wine will come from trampling down "dead" grapes just as Hudson's new life should arise from the death of his old self.
Incidentally I read that Frankenheimer had to strip the clothes off photographer James Wong Howe and throw into the tub because the guy didn't want to do it!
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hootson21
14 years ago
For 1966 the bachanalia was very full on - no penises on display of course but lots of women bare asses and the boob.
I saw it in Britain and on its initial release - when I saw it many years later I was surprised how much nudity they got away with - but then again the more "in your face" shots might have been edited from when I first saw it.
As the other contributors have noted the scene is about liberating sexuality but also possibly a symbol for rebirth from death - that is life-giving wine will come from trampling down "dead" grapes just as Hudson's new life should arise from the death of his old self.
Incidentally I read that Frankenheimer had to strip the clothes off photographer James Wong Howe and throw into the tub because the guy didn't want to do it!
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rudykawa
13 years ago
I thought it to be a little bit over the limit.
I think I saw some kids in the middle of that. Not naked, but playing around there.
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