Here is a beautiful clip that Himself found and shows a fabulous swimming scene from 1934 with Johnny Weissmuller and Maureen O’Sullivan.
Her bottom is stunning and it is so … naked! 1934! Honestly, I don’t know how this got through the censors, except it looks like art to me.
I think that Tarzan is not as gallant as he could be- pushing her in like that but I suspect he would spank her. He seems to be a no nonsense kind of guy.
I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.
It is beautiful, but it actually didn't get past the censors in 1934. The nude scene was only restored for the video release. The body double for Maureen O'Sullivan is an Olympic swimmer.
I wonder if there were so many movie spanking scenes in the 1930s because they couldn't show sex or nudity per the Hays Code. But spanking was allowed, and studios must have known that would give a lot of people the same thrill…
I think Tarzan would have been a spanker, too – elephants spank, don't they?
I should have been more polite and introduced myself at the beginning as this is my first comment here – but I have lurked for a while and just would like to say that I love your writing, it's fun and brave and pretty.
I used to love watching the old black and white Tarzan movies when I was a kid, and I know I never saw that scene! Thanks, Flora, for the info–it would have to be an Olympic swimmer with JM as they both have amazing breath-holding capacity. Thanks for sharing, Dev and Poppy. That was fun.
I wondered about that, Flora, but I couldn't remember when the Hays Office came into existence. I'll bet this took a few video buyers by surprise, when they expected to see the same show they saw at the Saturday matinee, or on the Friday Late Movie.
I'm a little disappointed to hear that this is a body double though. I really wanted to give Maureen credit, but she was pretty brave about that flippy little almost skirt she wore in the rest of the film.
Flora mentioned that this nude swimming scene was not in the theatrical version, but I beg to differ. I spent two years living in Japan in the 1960s, and I saw this same scene in a movie theater there.
But Flora is right, in that Ms. O'Sullivan's nude scenes were doubled by an Olympic swimmer — Josephine McKim, who was on the 1924 and 1928 U.S. Olympic swim team.
Dan
Poppy, nice clip, thanks Dev.
Tarzan/Johnny Weissmuller was a boyhood hero of mine, basically because he was real, and an Olympic swimmer.
I've seen all the Weissmuller Tarzan films, I think that I might have remembered that scene.
Pretty amazing swimming, and very carefully shot.
Nice post Poppy, thanks a bunch.
Warm hugs,
Paul.
Hi, Flora!
I have to admit that I have made my breakfast saying my writing is "fun and brave and pretty" to the tune of lions and tigers and bears. That is not cool is it? Heh ho.
But that is how happy you made me. So thank you.
I did read that it was a olympic swimmer body double too but I do not have the great insight into Tarzen films of the 1930's that you do- that is some specialist area of knowledge. I love it when people know things like that.
Hi, Scarlet and I loved them too. I remember watching them at about six o' clock whilst refusing to go in for dinner.
Hi Dan! Someone new! Again! And a controversy (ish). I bow to your greater knowledge in this area and I bet that is a pretty unforgettable scene for a young man in a cinema. And thank you for the precise information- I love it!
Hi, Paul- wasn't Dev kind to let me use it? He spoils me (in lots of ways- but I won't ever say most of them!). I am glad you enjoyed it. It may be that different countries showed the scene at different times. Censorship knowledge is not my specialist area.
Hugs to you too,
My thanks also, Dan, because I did wonder why the director would shoot such an awesome scene knowing it never could be shown. Then I recalled that many early Hollywood film makers produced a 'European version' of their works to be viewed in the much more permissive foreign markets.
And Flora and Dan, let me add my welcome as well. We appreciate your chiming in.
That's so cool that you got to see it in a theater, Dan! Yes, sorry, I was being very U.S.-centric…they could have gotten away with more in foreign markets. thanks for the welcomes everyone!
Wow, and wow, and wow again…isn't that beautiful? and sexy? and how on EARTH did it get past the censors??!!
Well done you for finding such a brilliant clip to post! And thank you!
Bandree, welcome! I am sorry to have been so slow to reply but I have been away. I think just as you do that I have no idea how it got made at all and what such an artistic, beautiful scene got put in a Tarzan film. And I found it by Himself telling me about it- he deserves all the credit. (I get the wine, he gets the credit- I think that works.)
It's possible this scene *was* in the original theatrical release. 1934 was the very last year films could get away with not adhering to the censorship board. It's part of the Pre-Code era, which was between 1930-34. There were lots of incredibly racy films made around this time.
Hi Poppy, I robbed this for my blog the other day, it brought me back to a happy childhood place so beautifully, thank you!
My lovely surrogate mother commenter said this about it:
I have loved Johnny Weismuller from the earliest times of my childhood. In fact, I believe that it was my deep love-crush on him which made me realize the possibility of what the future might hold as pertained to the erotic joys- whatever they might be.
I have pictures of him in my office and the sight of him still stirs me. I am serious about this. He was a gorgeous human animal.
You know, when they filmed Tarzan and His Mate (at Silver Springs, in Florida) they filmed that underwater scene three different ways. Jane nude, Jane dressed in her jungle outfit and Jane, topless but not entirely nude. The Hays Office came down on the film and they replaced the nude Jane but Ted Turner restored her. Yay TED!
An Olympic swimmer named Josephine McKim was the double who did the swimming parts with Johnny Weismuller in this clip although when they broke the surface and a bosom is exposed- that’s Maureen O’Sullivan’s very lovely breast.
Thank-you, Jo, for posting this today. And forgive me my dork-nerd little essay on one of my most favorite movies of all times.
Which I appreciated wholeheartedly and wanted to share.
I loved going through your archives, thanks a million.
You might be more interested in my erotica blog than my daily life blog – http://www.heatsuffused.blogspot.com
I am so glad you enjoyed it and thank you for letting me read that comment- good on Ted Turner, a fabulous comment- thank you.