‘Poor Things’ Sex Scene Re-Edited for U.K. Release

Samantha Bergeson
·2 min read
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“Poor Things” is looking slightly different in U.K. theaters.

The comedy directed by Yorgos Lanthimos caused a ratings stir within the British Board of Film Classification, particularly due to one sex scene involving two young boys watching Bella Baxter (Emma Stone) work as a prostitute. In the film, the boys’ father hires Bella to teach them how to have sex.

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“Poor Things” is currently certified 18 in the U.K., however only after that scene was modified.

“We originally saw this film for advice. We informed the distributor we would be likely to classify the film 18 on condition that changes be made to one short sequence depicting sexual activity in the presence of children,” a statement by the British Board of Film Classification read. “This is in accordance with the Protection of Children Act 1978. When the distributor submitted the film for formal classification, the scene had been re-edited, and we were able to classify the film 18.”

IndieWire reached out to Searchlight Pictures for comment.

“Poor Things” debuted at the Venice Film Festival, where it won the Golden Lion top prize. The feature went on to land seven Golden Globes nominations, including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Screenplay and Best Actress for Stone, who also produces the film. “Poor Things” additionally is among the Oscars shortlists for crafts.

Director Lanthimos said during the Venice Film Festival that the intimate sequences were a “very intrinsic part” of the film which is based on Alasdair Gray’s novel.

“It was very important for me to not make a film which was going to be prude because that would be completely betraying the main character,” Lanthimos explained. “We had to be confident and again, like the character, have no shame.”

Lanthimos continued of collaborating with “The Favourite” Oscar nominee Stone, “We sat down with Emma at some point, especially for the sex scenes, we just sat down and decided, ‘What kind of position would they be in here? What kind of thing would they do there?’ What’s missing from the experience of sex and the different desires that people have that we need to portray to make enough of a representation of human desire and its idiosyncracies?”

In addition to “Poor Things,” fellow buzzy 2023 film “Passages” landed a NC-17 rating by the MPA, with MUBI opting to release the film unrated instead. Cutting the queer so-called controversial sex scene in question was deemed “cultural censorship” by writer-director Ira Sachs.

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