"Design for Living" (1933)

[AnAmericanDarling]

Hi folks,

I'm not sure if this is the right place to put this, but put it I will and see what happens.

I was watching an old movie the other night called "Design for Living." For those who haven't seen it, it's about a menage a trois situation between two men and a woman. Being that this movie is 90+ years old, all the sex in the movie is implied, insinuated, hinted at, and suggested - and that makes it all the hotter because of those things. There are strong sexual suggestions that make it, for the most part, better than the porn out there today; the power of what the imagination can come up with is far stronger than anything that could be presented on screen (at least in my opinion!).

Does anyone else share my opinion on these things, or am I out in the cold on this one? And has anyone seen this film or perhaps a lover of the old-film genre in general?

 

[FireStillBurning]

October Greetings American Darling. Definitely a different type of question for here. But as I’m an B&W film lover I’ll throw in my 3 cents worth. Definitely a Fan of Bogart, Cagney, EG Robinson & the Marx Brothers.
Never heard or saw the film in question, so I did some research. Gary Cooper & Fredric March were the 2 male stars. Film was based on a Noel Coward play & came out at the end of 1933. A most significant date, for in 1934 the “ Hayes Code” went into effect. Censorship was now “ officially “ on for movies regarding sex & violence.
In my opinion in someways that helped the writers, the good ones. Sometimes when you “ constrained “ in certain areas you are forced to get more “ creative “ in one’s writing. The “ double entendres “ & various meanings to some word, in certain scenes can, as you say get one’s imagination running in high gear. Makes one think a bit..& entertain various possibilities. But you need good writers to do that. Paint a picture in your mind.
I’m a huge fan of the Thin Man movies with William Powell & Myrna Loy. What chemistry between the two of them…& the double “ entendres “, as well as martini’s. They definitely “ pushed things.. for the times they were made.
Well, that’s my contribution. Let’s see if it draws another response. Slainte

 

[Beholders_Eye]

With the right actors meanings become very apparent:

 

[FireStillBurning]

This is Exactly what I mean about the writing…Great Clip from an All Time Classic Movie

 

[PacificWaves]

Hi folks,

I'm not sure if this is the right place to put this, but put it I will and see what happens.

I was watching an old movie the other night called "Design for Living." For those who haven't seen it, it's about a menage a trois situation between two men and a woman. Being that this movie is 90+ years old, all the sex in the movie is implied, insinuated, hinted at, and suggested - and that makes it all the hotter because of those things. There are strong sexual suggestions that make it, for the most part, better than the porn out there today; the power of what the imagination can come up with is far stronger than anything that could be presented on screen (at least in my opinion!).

Does anyone else share my opinion on these things, or am I out in the cold on this one? And has anyone seen this film or perhaps a lover of the old-film genre in general?

I don’t like explicit sex scenes in movies and TV shows. If I want to watch porn, I’ll visit PornHub. When it comes to movies and TV shows, I’m more interested in the characters and the story lines. I have a perfectly good imagination to fill in what the film producers and directors exclude.

 

[AnAmericanDarling]

I don’t like explicit sex scenes in movies and TV shows. If I want to watch porn, I’ll visit PornHub. When it comes to movies and TV shows, I’m more interested in the characters and the story lines. I have a perfectly good imagination to fill in what the film producers and directors exclude.

I agree. Not all media needs to blur the boundaries between pornography and sexuality, and with everything bared in mainstream media then where is the thrill in watching something X-rated when it comes time for that? Imagination is a huge thing, but unfortunately terribly underrated in this day and age.

 

[PacificWaves]

I agree. Not all media needs to blur the boundaries between pornography and sexuality, and with everything bared in mainstream media then where is the thrill in watching something X-rated when it comes time for that? Imagination is a huge thing, but unfortunately terribly underrated in this day and age.

In addition to allowing the viewer’s imagination to fill in the sensual scenes, minimizing the hot sex scenes allows us to appreciate the acting talent. It’s hard to make a living acting on screen or stage. Those that make it work hard to develop their skills. A film that lasts between 30 minutes and 3 hours should prioritize the art of acting.

And as long as I’m on my rant, I’ll add that there’s too much cussing in films these days. Sure, cussing is part of life, and has it’s place in film. But when I see an actor saying “fuck” every other sentence, I’m inclined to believe the script writers are being lazy.

 

[AnAmericanDarling]

In addition to allowing the viewer’s imagination to fill in the sensual scenes, minimizing the hot sex scenes allows us to appreciate the acting talent. It’s hard to make a living acting on screen or stage. Those that make it work hard to develop their skills. A film that lasts between 30 minutes and 3 hours should prioritize the art of acting.

And as long as I’m on my rant, I’ll add that there’s too much cussing in films these days. Sure, cussing is part of life, and has it’s place in film. But when I see an actor saying “fuck” every other sentence, I’m inclined to believe the script writers are being lazy.

Good point. I think it's up to those acting - and the filmmakers behind the scenes - to convey what they feel they need convey while still allowing the audience to interpret it the way they see it. That kind of ambiguity is sexy, being able to see to things at different angles, kind of like a hologram.

The cussing doesn't bother me too much, although, like you said, I think writers do tend to put in those words for "realism." But again, that kind of bluntness in anything creative doesn't allow the audience to use their imaginations, which I think should be the whole point of something creative.