MovieChat Forums > Kinsey (2005) Discussion > John Lithgow's condition

John Lithgow's condition

posted 15 years ago by mary_palazzo
3 replies | jump to latest

I think i missed something. What was John L. talking about when Kinsey was interviewing him? What was his condition and why did he wear a strap. really confused.

[–] I_Am_Quaid 15 years ago

I haven't seen the movie in a while, but if I remember correctly his parents made him wear some contraption to prevent him from getting aroused.

[–] kmec20 15 years ago

if i interpreted it correctly; his "condition" was just that he liked too masturbate often... very common among most adolescent males. but being devout christians, his parents thought he needed a "boner belt" to keep his hands off his weenie.

poor kid

[–] streakyfuzzer 12 years ago

Chronic masturbation isn't just about a young, horny kid needing to get off. If it's CHRONIC, it's likely about deep-seated fear. Since Lithgow's character is an angry, repressed religious-type, it is likely that he grew up terrified of all kinds of things and that his parents burdened him with it. (I grew up Mormon. I can relate.)

The contraption was some sort of chastity belt, intended to prevent him from masturbating. (The road to hell is paved with good intentions. If the parents really wanted to help him, they should have given him up for adoption.) The prohibition of self-soothing masturbation is likely to have only exacerbated his fears, a big part of his turning him into the miserable tyrant you saw in the film making everyone else miserable.

It's a good example of the importance of sexual expression.