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16 YO given permission to bare her breasts in movie

Skwim

Skwim

Veteran Member
This sounded so implausible when I heard it that I had to check it out. Not only did it seem unlikely a parent would give such permission, but that no respected studio would ever ask it of a 16 year-old girl. Boy, was I wrong.

I'm sure most of you have seen the scene.
ScreenShot020-1.jpg

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It's actress Thora Birch in American Beauty, a darn good movie.


Here's the skizzy.
"Thora Birch was born on Thursday (as in Thor's Day) March 11, 1982.

American Beauty
R 122 min - Drama - [release date] 1 October 1999 (USA)"

Source:Internet Movie Data Base
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This would make her 17 at the time of the movie's release and about 16 at the time of shooting.

Here's the info.
"In the vaunted, Oscar-winning "American Beauty," so much emphasis was placed on its dark tale of suburban despair that few took notice that its underlying subplot was about adults wanting to have sex with teen-agers. Actress Mena Suvari was 19, but playing a 16-year-old, when she performed a topless scene. And Thora Birch really was only 16 when she exposed her breasts in the same movie."
source


"Both of her parents were actors in adult films, including Deep Throat. I don't think I knew that, although I remember the controversy surrounding her topless scene in American Beauty, which was only possible because her parents gave permission."
source

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Question: Considering the importance of the movie---big name: writer (Alan Ball), director (Sam Mendes), major studio (Dream Works), and actors,(Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Mena Suvari, Chris Cooper, Wes Bentley, Allison Janney)---which lends a lot of legitimacy to the project, would you do the same if it was your daughter?
 
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Koldo

Koldo

Outstanding Member
Skwim said:
Question: Considering the importance of the movie---big name: writer (Alan Ball), director (Sam Mendes), major studio (Dream Works), and actors,(Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Mena Suvari, Chris Cooper, Wes Bentley, Allison Janney)---which lends a lot of legitimacy to the project, would you do the same if it was your daughter?
Click to expand...

Good question. Most likely yes, if that is what she wanted to.
 
Oneatatime

Oneatatime

Huh?
I would certainly be willing to consider it under these specific circumstaces but would want to make that sure that both myself and my daughter were making an informed decision.
 
LuisDantas

LuisDantas

Aura of atheification
Premium Member
I believe Alceste's point is that people know that women have breasts. Ultimately, the only true downsides of showing hers on screen are the bother that she might receive as a consequences.

As Willamena said, age is an arbitrary boundary.
 
McBell

McBell

Unbound
Skwim said:
Question: Considering the importance of the movie---big name: writer (Alan Ball), director (Sam Mendes), major studio (Dream Works), and actors,(Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Mena Suvari, Chris Cooper, Wes Bentley, Allison Janney)---which lends a lot of legitimacy to the project, would you do the same if it was your daughter?
Click to expand...
"Importance" of the movie?
"Legitimacy" of the project?

What do "big names" have to do with either the "importance" and or "legitimacy" of the movie?

Anyway, to answer the question:
would you do the same if it was your daughter?
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It would depend on a number of things.
For the scene in question, I would have also given my permission for her to do so, given she was ok with it.
 
Alceste

Alceste

Vagabond
Koldo said:
Do you walk around in the street showing your bare breasts?

"It's just boobs for heaven's sake. What's the big deal?", right? :)
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I whip them out whenever it seems appropriate. The beach, for example. I would say being paid a couple million bucks or so to star in a movie would pass my appropriateness threshold.
 
Songbird

Songbird

She rules her life like a bird in flight
Yah, they're just breasts, but we've sexualized them too much, and until we can view them less so, I'm not opposed to arbitrary age boundaries. Whether she was mature or not, it was wise of the studio to not advertise her age at the time.
 
Skwim

Skwim

Veteran Member
LuisDantas said:
I believe Alceste's point is that people know that women have breasts.
Click to expand...
Which seemed so obvious that I figured she was questioning the permission aspect.

Ultimately, the only true downsides of showing hers on screen are the bother that she might receive as a consequences.
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I agree.

As Willamena said, age is an arbitrary boundary.
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As it is in many of our laws. My thoughts are; if a child is comfortable with it, and, as you point out, there is little likelihood of bothersome repercussions, I see no reason not to give permission.



Mestemia said:
True.
However, why is it such a big deal?
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You'd have to ask the MMPA about that, although I'm sure it was put in there as a concession to those who were demanding a stricter rules when the Code was written.
 
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Alceste

Alceste

Vagabond
I certainly would have given permission if that's what my daughter wanted to do. I was out of the house and living on my own at 17, traveling through Europe alone at 18. 16 is not too young to make and take responsibility for your own choices. Even for a younger person, it isn't the nudity that would put me off, but the context. For example, if the scene involved any kind of groping or other age-inappropriate behavior I'd say no.
 
Alceste

Alceste

Vagabond
Songbird said:
Yah, they're just breasts, but we've sexualized them too much, and until we can view them less so, I'm not opposed to arbitrary age boundaries. Whether she was mature or not, it was wise of the studio to not advertise her age at the time.
Click to expand...

Maybe Americans see boobs differently than Canadians or Europeans. I honestly don't see what the fuss is all about.
 
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