This British film was nominated for five Oscars, including the two most prestigious, Best Director (John Schlesinger) and Best Picture. It did not win those grand prizes, but Julie Christie was selected for the Best Actress Oscar. The film has recently been released in a remastered 4K edition.
Young, attractive, and vivacious, model Diana Scott (Julie Christie) is firmly determined to become rich and famous, and she does not hesitate to take bold steps to succeed. She finally strikes gold when she meets Robert Gold, a well-known television journalist who not only introduces her into new social and professional circles, but also abandons his family to live with her. Diana seems to have happily combined success and love. However, in those roaring sixties, others are ready to offer her even more money, fame, and fun than Robert can.
From a 2025 perspective, it is difficult to understand just how groundbreaking this nudity was. Although there had been some post-code nudity in 1963 (Promises! Promises!) and 1964 (The Pawnbroker), neither of those featured an acclaimed actress in a consequential movie. Although Julie’s nudity was cut for distribution in the USA1, it was shown elsewhere, making Julie the first winner of the Best Actress award to perform a nude scene in her winning performance2, and the first major actress to do any significant nudity in the three decades following the Code enforcement date of July 1, 1934. 3
Julie was far ahead of her time. It would be five years before another Best Actress winner would perform a nude scene in her winning performance (Glenda Jackson, Women in Love). Even Helen Mirren was four years behind Julie in the nudity race.
Footnote 1: Because Julie’s nudity was cut for U.S. distribution, it is possible to argue that the first distinguished actresses to appear nude in a significant film in the USA were Vanessa Redgrave and Jane Birkin, who performed nude scenes in Blow-Up (1966). MGM defied the Code by daring to release Blow-Up uncut, without the “Seal of Approval.”
Footnote 2: Claudette Colbert had done a nude scene and had won the Best Actress Oscar, but for two different films.
Footnote 3: Marilyn Monroe might have blazed that trail, and there is 1962 footage of her nude scene in Something’s Got To Give, but that film was never completed. Monroe also filmed a nude scene for The Misfits (1961), and that would have been a major shocker in 1961, but director John Huston decided not to include it in the final print. To date, the footage has not been made public. (Pre-code nudity is discussed here.)
You mention how strange it is today to consider this scene groundbreaking, yet Hollywood still wouldn’t allow this scene in the vast majority of things they create even though these same shows are filled with adult topics. Hollywood is as ridiculous as they have ever been and they wonder why they are all losing their revenues in this competitive age of streaming.
Well, uptight about nudity sure, but also losing because they’re unwilling to try anything new. So anything that’s even remotely successful gets three sequels and a gritty reboot and half of everything is fucking comic-book superheroes.
The Best Actress winner has delivered a significant nude performance in each of the last two years, not just a butt and a quick flash of breasts in the mirror, but in each case delivering the #2 nude scene of the year.
In the most recent year, three of the nominees did nude scenes.
You say, “Hollywood still wouldn’t allow this scene in the vast majority of things they create” and that is true. But, they are catering to demographics. And studio images. And Boards of Directors.
You also say “they are all losing their revenues in this competitive age of streaming.” Where does the streaming content come from? You need to get used to your content from global sources. There is no lack of nudity friendly and entertaining content.
But Scoop is right. This was forward thinking for the time.
Hollywood’s bottom line, as always, is the bottom line! No charge for my keen grasp of the obvious!
Look at the all-time, top 100 box office movies. IIRC 1 nude scene, Kate Winslet, Titanic. ok, maybe 2 😉
Probably just Titanic and Oppenheimer. I can’t recall any others.