Sexiest Scenes in Film History

Many folks say that the famous beach shot of Burt Lancaster and a blonde Deborah Kerr in From Here to Eternity (1953) is one of the sexiest scenes in film history. I had that in mind when I watched the movie for the first time last weekend. Maybe I was expecting more, but I was mildly disappointed when I did finally see it. It was far too short and quickly moved into a heated argument over jealousy and rumor. I was much more intrigued by the scene in which Deborah's character is looking for her husband and Burt's character says to her, in a very flirty manner, "Is there anything I can do for you?". Yes, I'm sure there was a lot of things he wanted to do for her.

This got me thinking. Classic films are not generally known for their sexiness. In fact, most people have a preconceived notion that because these films were heavily censored that they were stripped of any sexuality. But that just isn't the case. There are plenty of very sexy pre-code films and suggestive movies from the late '50s. Besides, filmmakers found numerous ways to work around the censors and subtley makes for more of an impact on the viewer.

Below is a list of what I believe are the top 10 sexiest scenes in classic films. I hope you've had the pleasure of seeing at least one of them.

1. Rear Window (1954) - Grace Kelly walks in on a sleeping Jimmy Stewart and wakes him up with a seductively soft kiss. Then plants numerous little kisses on him after showing him her overnight bag. WOW! (link is a short clip)

2. Double Harness (1933) - Ann Harding slips into something more comfortable while at playboy William Powell's apartment. So scandalous that it was discovered many years later that the 2-1/2 minute clip was taken out of many copies of the movie. (link is another related clip)

3. Red-Headed Woman (1932) - What scene of this film isn't sexy? I think they all were. Jean Harlow is red-hot as she seduces her wealthy boss played by Chester Morris. He's fed up with her seduction and confronts her at her apartment. She traps him in her bedroom by locking the door and hides the key in her cleavage. Yowzah! (link is another related clip)

4. A Free Soul (1931) - Norma Shearer is in a figure-clinging dress (and nothing else, if you know what I mean) when seducing gangster Clark Gable. She reclines on a sofa and beckons him to put his arms around her.

5. The Cabin in the Cotton (1932) - The sexual tension between Bette Davis and Richard Barthelmess is intense. The most famous scene is Bette line to Richard: "I'd kiss ye, but I just washed ma' hair". She teases him almost endlessly, until one day, the rich southern belle takes the poor boy up to her room, in her mansion, and then well, you know. (link is the trailer)

6. Spartacus (1960) - One of the opening scenes in which Kirk Douglas is slaving away under the hot sun, combines his muscles, a nice tan and a lot of sweat. It's just all very good.

7. North by Northwest (1959) - Hitchcock was a very very clever man. The final scene with Eva Marie Saint and Cary Grant, on a train, in a bed... then cut to a shot of a train entering a tunnel. Talk about suggestive. (link is a featurette about censorship of the movie)

8. Woman of the Year (1942) - You are probably surprised that this is listed here. However, the scene where Katerine Hepburn's character meets Spencer Tracy's character for the first time is electric. The chemistry between them was unmistakeable. This was their first film together and it lead to their real-life romance of 27 years. (link is the trailer)

9. The Seven Year Itch (1955) - One of Marilyn Monroe's most iconic roles. Besides the famous flowing skirt scene, this film is rife with Monroe's special doses of blonde bombshell. Monroe is hot (because it's summer and for other reasons as well) and is trying desperately to find ways to cool down. In the meantime, she gets the married Tommy Ewell all hot and bothered. The air-conditioner scene is my personal favorite. (link is the trailer)

10. Cat People (1942) - Feline Simone Simon is seductively bad. There is something very alluring about the bathtub scene. She seems delicate yet dangerous. So subtle! (link is the trailer)

Blonde Bette Davis: Marked Woman

The virtues of a blonde Bette Davis are many and go largely unacknowledged. Most know Bette Davis as a wide-eyed brunette; fiesty and domineering. The films she's best known for are all in her brunette period [Jezebel (1938), The Letter (1940), Now, Voyager (1942), Mr. Skeffington (1944), All About Eve (1950)]. These are wonderful in their own right and I do not disagree at all with those who say that these are her best pictures. However, just because Bette Davis made wonderful films in her brunette period doesn't mean that her blonde period should be forgotten.

You'll find me talking about blonde Bette Davis often here. This selection of films, pre-Jezebel and spanning roughly 7 years are some of my absolute favorites. My top favorite being Cabin in the Cotton (1932) where Bette Davis utters one of her most famous lines: "I'd kiss ye. But I jus' washed ma hair."

I was very lucky to come across another blonde Bette Davis jewel: Marked Woman (1937). It bridges between the blonde and brunette periods. Her hair is significantly darker but she is often referred to in the film as a "blonde". Plus her role has that youthful vivacity that is juxtaposed with her burden of worldly knowledge that is so reminiscent of blonde Bette Davis characters. I find that her brunette roles lack that youthfulness and sprite and are either jaded or feeling the weight of the chains from living a hard life. Marked Woman is a sad drama but Bette Davis is still quite vivacious. She plays one of many prostitutes that work for a gangster at his nightclub. Betrayal is either punishable by death or a cross-mark on one's face. It's quite good and watchable to see Davis as well as a very young Humphrey Bogart. Highly recommended.

I Heart Bobby Darin: Pressure Point

I must share my love for Bobby Darin with you... with the world. When most people hear his name, they automatically think "Splish, Splash", "Dream Lover" and Sandra Dee. My mind's image of him is far more complex. To me he was an amazing actor, singer and comedian. Did you know that he was nominated for four Golden Globes (winning one) and an Academy Award and that he could do a really great impersonation of Robert Mitchum? No, of course you didn't. I truly believe that Bobby Darin is highly under-rated as an actor in his own right. The man was multi-talented, highly ambitious and hard-working. I always have the utmost respect for people like that.

I came to watch Pressure Point (1962) to see Bobby Darin in a dramatic role. I was ready to see a rough, mean and pyscopathic Darin. There are a couple of noteworthy scenes in this movie. The first one taking place in jail when Darin's American-Nazi character, while alone in his cell, sees a minature version of himself desperately trying to climb out of the sink's drain. The mini-Darin is not thwarted by the larger-Darin's attempt to flush him away. It's quite a powerful scene, representative of the character's descent into his madness.

The second scene is comprised of a sick and twisted game of tic-tac-toe. Darin's character is drunk and violent and with the help of other drunks, proceeds to cover the walls, ceiling, floor and furniture of a bar with tic-tac-toe grids. It ends with a final round done with lipstick on the barman's wife's face and back.

Darin truly steals the show. Poitier gets top billing and is the central character and narrator, but one cannot be but captivated by Darin. Wonderful stark visuals and harsh clangy music, and this film will by far deconstruct any preconceived notions you have of Bobby Darin.

The Dick Cavett Show ~ Hitchcock Edition

If you haven't watched The Dick Cavett Show yet, shame on you! For the classic film fanatic, it is absolutely essential to watch. Where else will you see amazing one-hour interviews with film legends? The best part is that during the late '60s and '70s, most of these stars had already gone through the best moments of their career and you get to hear wonderful stories. An added bonus - Dick Cavett knew how to showcase these film legends at their best.

There is no excuse not to watch it. It's on DVD, and available to buy or rent. They've been aired on Turner Classic Movies and perhaps might be in the future (pretty please good folks at TCM!). You get to see Bette Davis, Katharine Hepburn, Groucho Marx, Orson Welles and other greats. One of my personal favorites is the witty Alfred Hitchcock. It opens with a very amusing sequence and I thought I'd share some screenshots so maybe you'll be enticed to watch the show. Here they are...