Yes, that’s right.
1959.
Topless.
Those are terms seldom associated. Norway (and Liv) really led the way into modern film nudity.
Although Ung Flukt was lensed 65 years ago, Liv is still alive, and performed as recently as 2021, I assume she did that with her clothes on, but she did do a dark nude scene in 2003, at least theoretically. (You can’t see anything. The 2003 film is Saraband.)
Ung Flukt is:
The story of a young Gerd, played by Liv Ullmann in her first leading role, who falls in love with a young boy. She is considered a ‘loose’ woman, and the boy’s family does not accept their relationship. The young couple run away to a cabin in the woods where they meet a rogue man who tests their relationship.
Trivia:
Submitted to the British Board of Film Censors as The Wayward Girl by Compton-Cameo and passed with an “X” certificate on 2 August 1962. Enjoyed a two week run in London’s West End, opening at the Cameo-Royal, Charing Cross Road on 27 November 1962 and sharing the bill with Italian epic Slave of Rome (1961)
clip can be found here clip can be watched here
Shame is an Ingmar Bergman film featuring the stars of the Bergman repertory company, Liv and Max von Sydow.
In the midst of a civil war, former violinists Jan and Eva Rosenberg, who have a tempestuous marriage, run a farm on a rural island. In spite of their best efforts to escape their homeland, the war impinges on every aspect of their lives.
As Richard Mulligan said to Julie Andrews in Blake Edwards’ 1981 crazy comedy S.O.B., “LIV ULLMAN!!!”
Video – Liv Ullmann – The Wayward Girl (Ung flukt) (1959) big file
clip can be found here
Great to see some 50’s nudity. But remember Sophia Loren kicked off the decade with her couple of well-lit scenes in 1951’s “Era lui; si si”.
Well, “Sophia Lazzaro” and a bunch of other extras in a film that nobody has ever seen. Apparently all copies of the “French version” have been lost, and the extras are all covered in the Italian version.
But of course we have all seen the stills, and Sophia has discussed the matter many times. Pulp International did a fun overview of that film.
I have seen those stills of Sophia before and have always appreciated them. That said, I have always thought that she has unusually shaped breasts. Not unattractive (understatement), but unusual.
Her nipple placement is a bit off but otherwise her breasts were awesome. Aside from the Era Lui Si Si and the nude stills taken on the set of Cleopatra, her other film nude scene was in Too Bad She’s Bad. It’s just a quick nip slip that’s partially obstructed by foliage.
Sophia Loren was in Cleopatra?
Two Nights With Cleopatra (1954)
This brought to my mind another curiosity from the 50s. You may not know the name R.G. Armstrong but if you grew up when TV was young you will recognize the face and voice, especially if you watched westerns. His first acting on film role was in “Garden of Eden” a 1954 nudist colony film. The leading lady, Jamie O’Hara, reveals a nice body but thankfully R.G. keeps his bits under water. It’s available on archive.org and Youtube, and Wikipedia has more info.