[Bounci]

This clip is from The Barbarian from 1933, a film that would likely never get shown today for many reasons. It was an attempt to recreate the "Sheik" films of the 1920's, with it's theme of "frigid white woman is kidnapped by randy Arab and made to submit in every way to 'free' her from Western inhibitions" that was popular back then. Think along the lines of Dennis Potter for more 'modern' reference. However, what I didn't expect to see was Myrna Loy - from The Thin Man films, and here playing the lead role - naked in a Arabian bath, with only rose petals to spare her blushes. Needless to say, it leaves very little to the imagination, and she is attended to and then dried and dressed by a number of Arab women.

The scene itself is a precursor to a plot by Jamil (Roman Novarro), the said randy servant who has misdirected her to a Arab Palace out in the desert under false pretentions for a randy prince that also lusts after Loy, and leaving her unable to escape. You don't see what happens - either in this video or the film - but Jamil's conscience is pricked when he hears her screams when she is whipped by the Prince into submission, bursting in to 'save' her before he can have his way with her, but because the only way to escape is with Jamil, Loy has to submit to his orders to do so, and later makes her 'submit' to him before taking her to his tribe to arrange a wedding ceremony. She does escape before the "I do" part, but in one of the most peculiar twists to this film, when she gets ready to marry her own English fiancé she hears Jamil - now wanted by police - singing outside her window, and decides that he is the man she really loves! Add to that the fact that Loy's mother helps in this elopement because she is apparently half Egyptian and she is later there for the honeymoon and you have one of the most peculiar films of the Pre Code era! As I said, they'd never make this stuff today!

One final note, and that is on Loy herself. She started out originally as a model and dancer to make ends meet, and like with Barbara Stanwyck and Ruby Keeler she seems to of done nude modelling too. I've added one of those pics I was able to find at the bottom of the screenshots for you to admire. Anyway, enjoy the video.