iowa underground blog

You know, I put this post under the category of movies, but I really think it belongs under sexuality (perhaps even politics).

I just watched the documentary tonight. It’s a pretty fascinating look at the controversy that surrounded the film Deep Throat and the transformation of social mores during the early 70s (with a peek at the evolution—devolution?—of pornography in its wake). I had no idea that Deep Throat was shown in mainstream movie theaters or that it was the most profitable film in history (cost $25,000 to make and brought in $600,000,000 over the years). I also wasn’t aware that the Supreme Court made a ruling in 1973 that strengthened obscenity laws in the U.S. It’s hard to believe that there was greater freedom of speech in 1972 (in at least one respect) than there is now.

There’s a lot that I’d like to say about the documentary but I just can’t help imagining what American society would be like had the Supreme Court not made a ruling that classified Deep Throat as obscene. I’m not trying to make a statement for or against here, but think about it this way. Regular middle class couples were going to mainstream movie theaters to watch Deep Throat together! Married couples going out in public to watch a porn film at the local theater in plain view. Plumbers, city council members, accountants, secretaries, etc., all going out for a night on the town to watch a porno as a community activity. How utterly bizarre by today’s standards.

Apparently, the New York Times published an article about “porn chic” related to the phenomenon of Deep Throat being shown at mainstream theaters in NYC. Suddenly there was an explosion of interest—the NYT article had made viewing the movie socially acceptable. Just in case anyone doubted the power of the mainstream media to legitimize certain social activities as norms here is probably the best example I’ve ever come across.

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I was thinking about the movie As Good As It Gets this morning. Not sure why exactly. But, anyway, I was thinking about the scene in the restaurant when Helen Hunt was about to walk out on Jack Nicholson and said to him “Say something nice to me or I’m leaving.” Jack Nicholson has this pained look on his face and he’s clearly struggling to find the words, to find the part of him that loves this woman and let it out. And just as she’s about to leave he looks up, clear-eyed, and says (best line he’s ever delivered) “You make me want to be a better man.”

It’s the tastiest scene in the movie. It would be too contrite to say that it was Nicholson’s moment of redemption. It was, but to say it so simply perhaps doesn’t do it justice. As I was thinking about it I began to imagine what might happen if there was a sequel. Fast-forward a year later in their lives. Helen Hunt has quit her job as a waitress and has gotten engaged to Nicholson. But one day she runs into a waitress she used to work with at the restaurant. As they’re catching up, Hunt mentions to the woman that she’s engaged. There’s the usual excitement and congratulations. So the waitress asks her “So, who’s the lucky guy?” and Helen tells her that it’s the cantankerous old goat that used to come into the restaurant all the time. The other woman is dumbfounded and asks why, how, when, where—what?!

Helen explains everything and mentions the scene at the restaurant as the turning point when she started to really fall for him. She then goes on to say that he kept putting is foot in his mouth even as they were dating, but less and less so over time. So much less that she mentions that it’s been months since he’s said anything that could be considered remotely mean. In other words, he truly has become a better man through his relationship with her. But not only has he become kinder and gentler with her, he’s become kinder and gentler with everyone. The waitress is bewildered but uplifted by this story. She mentions to Helen that she still works at the restaurant and says that the two of them should drop by the restaurant sometime—”You have to! No one there will believe it and they’ll think I’m nuts if you don’t. Please come by!”