3113
Hello Summer!
- Joined
- Nov 1, 2005
- Posts
- 13,823
Greetings BDSM folk! Just wanted to venture into a discussion on this, if anyone's interested. Obviously, we've all seen the more obvious BDSM moments in old films (i.e. women getting spanked/taming of the shrew type stories). But the other night on TMC I caught something less common.
There's a movie called "The Big Street" with Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda based on a Damon Runyon story. It is not a very good movie and not a good vehicle for either actor. That said, I found it interesting. The story is about a bus boy (Henry Fonda) who is infatuated with a gangster's girlfriend (Lucille Ball). She is imperious and demanding, but does have a generous/good side. Our bus boy is utterly enamored and servile towards her. When a fellow show girl calls this Moll "Your Highness" the busboy thinks it a perfect way to address her, and starts calling her that. Of course, our Moll's boyfriend is awful and when he hits her she falls down some stairs and is crippled. This gives the busboy the chance to take care of her. He waits on her hand and foot, brings her to his home when her money runs out, and is even willing to push her wheelchair to Florida (they get rides) when she yearns for sunshine. He calls her "Your Highness" and with help from his friends, gets her whatever she wishes.
Being an old movie, our disabled lady can't possibly have a useful life and so, of course, she sickens and dies, but not before acknowledging all the busboy has done of her--and even to the end, he tries to give her what she wants, carrying her up to a balcony so she can look out at the sea.
Now back when, this was just one of those weepy women's films--and like most of the characters in the movie, few members of the audience would understand the busboy's devotion to this imperious show girl or recognize it as a D/s relationship. Of course, viewing it from a BDSM perspective, it all makes perfect sense: the busboy has found his perfect mistress, and she's found her perfect sub. Serving her is all he wishes to do, and her accident allows him to do that. Similarly, she's likes giving commands and being in charge and here is someone who will jump to obey. Like secret gay messages in old films, this one clearly has a secret (or not so secret) BDSM undertone/overtone/message.
So, now I'm curious. What old films (intentionally or not) seem clearly BDSM to you even if other viewers might not see it? Which ones do you feel speak to you--even if they're sending their message covertly from the silver screen? Have there been any such old movies that, seeing them now, have made you say, "Whoa! That's was pretty obvious!"
There's a movie called "The Big Street" with Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda based on a Damon Runyon story. It is not a very good movie and not a good vehicle for either actor. That said, I found it interesting. The story is about a bus boy (Henry Fonda) who is infatuated with a gangster's girlfriend (Lucille Ball). She is imperious and demanding, but does have a generous/good side. Our bus boy is utterly enamored and servile towards her. When a fellow show girl calls this Moll "Your Highness" the busboy thinks it a perfect way to address her, and starts calling her that. Of course, our Moll's boyfriend is awful and when he hits her she falls down some stairs and is crippled. This gives the busboy the chance to take care of her. He waits on her hand and foot, brings her to his home when her money runs out, and is even willing to push her wheelchair to Florida (they get rides) when she yearns for sunshine. He calls her "Your Highness" and with help from his friends, gets her whatever she wishes.
Being an old movie, our disabled lady can't possibly have a useful life and so, of course, she sickens and dies, but not before acknowledging all the busboy has done of her--and even to the end, he tries to give her what she wants, carrying her up to a balcony so she can look out at the sea.
Now back when, this was just one of those weepy women's films--and like most of the characters in the movie, few members of the audience would understand the busboy's devotion to this imperious show girl or recognize it as a D/s relationship. Of course, viewing it from a BDSM perspective, it all makes perfect sense: the busboy has found his perfect mistress, and she's found her perfect sub. Serving her is all he wishes to do, and her accident allows him to do that. Similarly, she's likes giving commands and being in charge and here is someone who will jump to obey. Like secret gay messages in old films, this one clearly has a secret (or not so secret) BDSM undertone/overtone/message.
So, now I'm curious. What old films (intentionally or not) seem clearly BDSM to you even if other viewers might not see it? Which ones do you feel speak to you--even if they're sending their message covertly from the silver screen? Have there been any such old movies that, seeing them now, have made you say, "Whoa! That's was pretty obvious!"
