10 Movies That Were Scandalous for Their-Time

Morality has historically been a subjective thing in most societies. What raised objections a century ago might not even raise eyebrows today. Not surprisingly, cinematic history is no different. There are movies from the early days of film that rocked the world when they were released, but would likely get no more than a PG rating in a modern-day release. Others still raise hackles, and for good reason. Witness the following; a list of ten movies that in their time were considered scandalous:

1. Birth of a Nation (1915) – The vicious and blatant racism toward blacks in this film is so strong that it is to this day used as a recruiting tool for the Ku Klux Klan. Considered a masterpiece of film-making, it was ranked #44 in the Top 100 American Films by the American Film Institute (AFI) in 1998.
2. Freaks (1932) – Banned in England! At least until the 60′s, anyway. This film was considered exploitative of its subject and made audiences squirm. The scene where the ‘freaks’, crawling through mud, close in on their intended victims is unforgettable.
3. The Outlaw (1943) – Apparently Howard Hughes had a big thing for Jane Russell’s big … things. He did everything he could to point that (and them) out in this movie, creating quite a stir among critics and audiences alike.
4. Baby Doll (1956) – An adaptation of the Tennessee Williams play, it simmered with taboo subtext. The story of a teen-age, thumb-sucking ‘baby’ doll, a husband drooling in anticipation of consummating the wedding, and a lecherous owner of a cotton gin, with an agenda of his own.
5. Lolita (1962) – Banned in Paris!(?) Well, the book at least, for 2 years. Sue Lyon, who played the title role of the seductive nymphet, was only 14 at the time of filming. The hotel room scene hinted at things- as was the case throughout the film- that caused another scene with viewers.
6. I Am Curious (Yellow) (1967) – Regarded as pornographic at the time, it didn’t actually portray any explicit sex; though it was a major stepping stone in the emergence of hard-core porn which followed soon afterward.
7. Rosemary’s Baby (1968) – Who’s your daddy!? This Roman Polanski thriller helped launch the horror film trend toward occult themes. The fact that Rosemary (Mia Farrow) conceives by the seed of Satan made this one a hot topic back then indeed.
8. Midnight Cowboy (1969) – Dealing with homosexuality and male prostitution among its subject matter, the film was initially given an ‘X’ rating, which was unprecedented for a non-pornographic mainstream film.
9. A Clockwork Orange (1971) – Only the second major motion picture released with an ‘X’ rating. Its stylized depictions of violence, particularly the rape scenes, earned it the scorn of religious groups and some critics; though overall it received great critical acclaim.
10. The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) – A film adaptation of the 1955 novel by Nikos Kazantzakis, it explored a whole host of decidedly non-biblical possibilities in the life of Jesus – much to the outrage of religious groups everywhere. The ultimate sin, of course, was in Christ’s last temptation.

There were many more movies that had eyebrows and fists raised in their times. Just like today, film artists and actors are trying to raise the bar, in ways both shocking and eye-opening. What may be a shame today could become a film classic a few decades from now.

Taken From Cable TV Providers