Here’s something to keep in mind. Even though the press tour for Don’t Worry Darling has been bumpy, it’s still possible, even likely, that the movie will absolutely rule. It looks gorgeous with all its 1950s Technicolor vibes, Florence Pugh is a consistent powerhouse, and the trailers make it look like a worthy descendant of The Stepford Wives.
Apparently those trailers weren’t sexy enough for director Olivia Wilde, though. She recently told the AP, “The MPA [ratings agency] came down hard on me and the trailer at the last second and I had to cut some shots, which I was upset about because I thought they it took it up another notch. But of course we still live in a really puritanical society. I do think the lack of eroticism in American film is kind of new. Then when it comes to female pleasure, it’s something that we just don’t see very often unless you’re talking about queer cinema.”
This was in response to the supposition that the initial trailer caused a stir because it shows Harry Styles’ character start to go down on Pugh’s character. It was enough of a thing that Pugh responded to how absurd it was, because it’s truly absurd. Sex is in all sorts of trailers, so it’s beyond strange that anyone would care that it exists in an ad for a [checks notes] R-rated movie. In a way, that response has put Wilde into a corner — having to promise that the film delivers even more provocative stuff than a totally vanilla sex act between consenting, married adult characters. No wonder she’s proclaiming that she tried to get wilder stuff into the ads.
Still, it’s a good thing she didn’t succeed. A little mystery can go a long way. Don’t Worry Darling hits theaters September 23rd.
(via AP)