# POLL: Best sex scene in a "mainstream" movie \*NOT\* porn **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 9, 2002, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-best-sex-scene-in-a-mainstream-movie-not-porn/141562 "2002-12-09T18:13:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2002, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-best-sex-scene-in-a-mainstream-movie-not-porn/141562/101 "2002-12-22T07:13:03Z")
A great one that hasn’t been mentioned yet: Salma Hayek and Antonio Banderas in _Desperado_. ---
**Author:** ![krazy\_kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b2d939/32.png) [@krazy\_kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/krazy_kat)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2002, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-best-sex-scene-in-a-mainstream-movie-not-porn/141562/102 "2002-12-22T07:53:40Z")
I skimmed this and didn’t see it, if I missed it, apologies. what about Don’t Look Now (1973) - the scene with julie christie and donald sutherland. rumour has it they actually did it. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2002, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-best-sex-scene-in-a-mainstream-movie-not-porn/141562/103 "2002-12-22T11:34:11Z")
Just saw the gym boinking scene in Porky’s. That was memorable. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2002, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-best-sex-scene-in-a-mainstream-movie-not-porn/141562/104 "2002-12-22T16:43:57Z")
I like the William Tell scene from **A Clockwork Orange** … ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-best-sex-scene-in-a-mainstream-movie-not-porn/141562/105 "2002-12-23T03:39:49Z")
Coming Home with Fonda and Voigt(sp) I heard a huge sigh in the movie theatre when it was played. Second on Don’t Look Back ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-best-sex-scene-in-a-mainstream-movie-not-porn/141562/106 "2002-12-24T23:07:55Z")
_Mississippi Masala_. Denzel Washington and Sarita Choudhury. Exquisite. Also the scene in the artist’s hut in another Mira Nair film, _Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love_, was truly hot and lovely. In fact, that one may have been the best ever. ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-best-sex-scene-in-a-mainstream-movie-not-porn/141562/107 "2002-12-24T23:19:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by OpalCat \* > \*\*I like the William Tell scene from **A Clockwork Orange** … \*\* Heh, you’d be accused of being a pervert if it was filmed as it was in the book - the girls were 11. ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2002, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-best-sex-scene-in-a-mainstream-movie-not-porn/141562/108 "2002-12-25T06:09:57Z")
The Flower scene in _The Wall_ ---
**Author:** ![tarragon918](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d26b3c/32.png) [@tarragon918](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tarragon918)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2002, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-best-sex-scene-in-a-mainstream-movie-not-porn/141562/109 "2002-12-25T21:05:53Z")
I’m going to go with Hup and Plnnr (is that right? :)); “Body Heat” has remained, for me, the most singularly sexual, non-porn movie I’ve seen. Back when it first came out in 1981 (I think), there weren’t that many mainstream (i.e. non-porn) movies that dared to show something that explicit. I have to admit, the scene where they’re in the tub, from behind … now that was so hot, that I was feeling uncomfortable about how turned on I was getting in a crowded movie theatre! 😃 And the Michael Douglas/Sharon Stone scenes in “Basic Instinct” sure looked damn real to me. LOL More real than many porn films! Not that I’ve seen that many, mind you! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![raygirvan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ac91a4/32.png) [@raygirvan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raygirvan)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-best-sex-scene-in-a-mainstream-movie-not-porn/141562/110 "2002-12-27T01:48:04Z")
Very difficult: is the criterion that the scene is realistic, physically exciting, visually witty, or what? On balance, I also vote for **Body Heat** , mainly because the scenes were both exciting and realistic, but so in keeping with the wonderful style - you could almost feel the humid heat - permeating the whole movie. I’ll second other previously mentioned choices: Name of the Rose, The Piano, The Hunger, Wild at Heart, Delicatessen, and add … errrm … Sea of Love, Dead Ringers and Cat People. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-best-sex-scene-in-a-mainstream-movie-not-porn/141562/111 "2002-12-27T03:43:27Z")
Anyone seen the movie _Thursday_? There’s one scene where the protagonist (a man) is tied to a chair and raped by Paulina Porizkova. 'Nuff said. ---
**Author:** ![Harry\_Lime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Harry\_Lime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harry_Lime)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-best-sex-scene-in-a-mainstream-movie-not-porn/141562/112 "2002-12-27T04:36:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lamar Mundane \* > Anyone remember a small film from the 80’s called “The Coca-Cola Kid”? Eric Roberts and an Australian actress. I remember some great scenes from that one. Greta Scacchi, who was never, ever shy on screen. ---
**Author:** ![Harry\_Lime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Harry\_Lime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harry_Lime)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-best-sex-scene-in-a-mainstream-movie-not-porn/141562/113 "2002-12-27T04:40:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Obsidian Flutterby \* > One that immediately comes to mind for me is Alyssa Milano and this photographer chick in Embrace of the Vampire. Dunno how mainstream it is and it doesn’t go very far but it makes me hot just thinking on it. That’s probably my favorite nude scene in any film. As far as sex scenes, I like Alyssa’s scene w/ Jonathan Schaech in _Poison Ivy 2_, when he presses her against the shower door. The similar scene with Bruce Willis and Jane March in _Color of Night_ is also a big fave. ---
**Author:** ![alexandria2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f1d935/32.png) [@alexandria2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alexandria2000)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-best-sex-scene-in-a-mainstream-movie-not-porn/141562/114 "2002-12-27T14:12:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Little Nemo \* > \*\*A great one that hasn’t been mentioned yet: Salma Hayek and Antonio Banderas in _Desperado_. \*\* I second this. Dear freaking god, that was a steamy scene that went on forever. -A2K ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-best-sex-scene-in-a-mainstream-movie-not-porn/141562/115 "2002-12-27T16:47:02Z")
One of the best early realistic sex scenes (like Body Heat) was “Rancho Deluxe” with Jeff Bridges and Charlene Dallas. They were out in the wood and going at it full steam, sweating profusely, with her in “cowboy” position. Then while she’s got her eyes closed, Jeff slips a Halloween mask over his face, so that when she opens her eyes again, she screams. Next scene is her chasing him naked through the woods, throwing things at him and calling him names while he laughs and apologizes. Also, a very tender and kinky love scene in the erotic thriller “Over the Wire” with Griffin Drew putting on some handcuffs while makng love to her sherriff hubby. ---
**Author:** ![Ghostwind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ce73a5/32.png) [@Ghostwind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ghostwind)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-best-sex-scene-in-a-mainstream-movie-not-porn/141562/116 "2002-12-27T19:12:59Z")
I’d have to go with **Sea of Love, Body Heat, Basic Instinct, Witness** , and **The Thomas Crown Affair.** All of them possess qualities and scenes worthy of be declared a **“Best”** award. ---
**Author:** ![Fishgoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ebca7d/32.png) [@Fishgoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fishgoat)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-best-sex-scene-in-a-mainstream-movie-not-porn/141562/117 "2002-12-27T22:50:42Z")
\>To round out my top 3, there’s the previously mentioned Enemy \>at the Gate, and Name of the Rose, but I also was to nominate \>Rob Roy. \>Liam Neeson and Jessica Lange went at it fully clothed, and I still couldn’t walk… Ahhhh…Rob Roy…_drool_ I’ll also second Better than Chocolate. I’d also like to mention Velvet Goldmine for the layered “Baby’s on Fire” scene, Ghost for the pottery scene, Pillow Book for just about everything, and the “oooh, that’s just not right!” scene in Galaxy Quest. 🙂 I’d also like to nominate Fire, which may not be that mainstream, but it’s not porn, so what the hey… ---
**Author:** ![Bowron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@Bowron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bowron)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2002, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-best-sex-scene-in-a-mainstream-movie-not-porn/141562/118 "2002-12-28T13:47:08Z")
I vote for Meg Ryan having “sex” in the restaurant in Harry Met Sally… How about Ralph Fiennes and Julianne Moore in The End of the Affair…? ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2002, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-best-sex-scene-in-a-mainstream-movie-not-porn/141562/119 "2002-12-28T16:44:21Z")
Juliette Binoche and John Hurt in **Damage**. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2002, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-best-sex-scene-in-a-mainstream-movie-not-porn/141562/120 "2002-12-28T17:22:39Z")
Oops. I meant Juliette Binoche and _Jeremy Irons_ in **Damage** (a/k/a **Fatale** ). (Obviously, it wasn’t the male lead who got my attention.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-best-sex-scene-in-a-mainstream-movie-not-porn/141562.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-best-sex-scene-in-a-mainstream-movie-not-porn/141562.md?page=7)