Ridley Scott explains his aversion to sex scenes: “I’m probably a bit prudish”
While Steven Spielberg is undoubtedly the king of the blockbuster, thanks to iconic flicks such as Jaws and Jurassic Park, Ridley Scott is also a master in this field. The filmmaker has produced many influential titles during his time, notably Alien and Blade Runner, and he crossed many genres with success.
Scott is an intriguing figure, having produced globally renowned and celebrated works like Gladiator alongside the aforementioned films. However, much of his 21st-century output has faced significant criticism despite frequently surpassing their substantial budgets, largely due to the draw of his name and the involvement of high-profile stars.
Whether it be the Russell Crowe-starring 2010 flick Robin Hood or 2014’s Biblical epic Exodus: Gods and Kings, which featured Christian Bale as Moses, you get the sense that regardless of these flops, Scott has been able to keep making these pictures and attract masses of viewers because of the immense successes earlier in his career.
To give credit to Scott, 2021’s historical epic The Last Duel is an impressive film. Based on Eric Jager’s book of the same name, it delves into the true story of a trial by combat in medieval France and features Matt Damon, Adam Driver, and Jodie Comer. For a movie of its scale, it is highly engaging, avoiding conventional narrative tropes by structuring the story into three chapters, each told from the viewpoint of one of the main characters.
Significantly, the movie was a critical success for Scott, yet, in a sign of the filmmaking standards that qualify a title as a blockbuster, it only secured $30.6million at the box office against its budget of $100m. Technically, it was a commercial flop, and it showed that Scott was doing something against the grain that the mass market is used to, despite the quality of the movie, which worked against it. On the other hand, 2023’s expansive epic Napoleon performed very well at the box office but was criticised for its pacing and tone.
The director’s flip-flopping on either side of the line of quality begs many questions about his next effort, Gladiator 2, the much-anticipated follow-up to his 2000 original, which he has talked up as being among his very best efforts. That remains to be seen. However, there’s no doubt that Scott has the tools in his locker for it to be a critical and commercial success.
While he has explored various themes and genres, one thing that is common is the absence of sex scenes. If you think about it, nudity and graphic copulation have never been central features of blockbusters, as they’re often family-friendly movies, explore universal themes, and omit the use of profanity or anything offensive that would put the public off spending their hard-earned money on it. They’re blockbusters for a reason: mass appeal. Studios aren’t going to let a nipple, bare buttocks and the loose concept of artistic credibility get in the way of lining their coffers.
Despite not featuring sex scenes, Scott is adept at delivering high-octane violence, evident in works like Gladiator or Kingdom of Heaven. While violence is common in blockbuster films, even in Steven Spielberg’s broadly appealing films—which speaks volumes about the human condition—Scott’s avoidance of sex scenes is not about aiming for accolades. He openly admits he doesn’t find them artistically appealing and considers himself somewhat of a prude. He acknowledges that this is a personal stance, contrasting with his late brother Tony, who frequently included such scenes in his movies.
He told The Guardian in 2002: “I find sex scenes actually – uh – embarrassing. I think I’m probably a bit prudish. I was brought up at a time where parents didn’t talk about it, they just assumed you’d find out. Tony [his younger brother, who directed Top Gun, Enemy of the State and the recent Spy Game] likes sex scenes. But I find when I watch sex scenes in films, it’s like ho-hum or it’s flapping curtains and gauzy pictures, which is kind of boring.”
A leopard can’t change its spots, as the old maxim goes. By this point in time, it’s highly unlikely that Scott will delve into the world of sex scenes in his work; it’s just not him, and he’s never needed them before. He’ll leave it to the A24 and arthouse directors, as he much prefers careful world-building and experimenting with the latest technological developments. I get the feeling that the believability of Gladiator 2 will be critical to its success, sex scenes or not.
