‘We almost didn’t do it because it was too dirty’: Doris Day and Rock Hudson on Pillow Talk, the risqué romcom

Pillow Talk, which was released in this week in 1959, was a film that challenged the orthodox morals of Hollywood. It did so by deftly navigating limits on how various bedroom activities might be portrayed. The actors who appeared in the film discussed with the BBC in the 1980s how the movie reflected the mentality of a country that was on the verge of undergoing a sexual revolution.

“It seemed risqué, but isn’t it funny when you think what they’re showing now?”

A picture that once pushed the bounds of what was considered acceptable in Hollywood is well encapsulated by Doris Day’s lighthearted assessment, which was made in a rare interview with the BBC in 1989. Pillow Talk, which was released in 1959, dabbled in the concepts of contemporary passion and desire in ways that, in retrospect, appear almost antiquated. However, at a time when the film industry was constrained by stringent moral regulations, these approaches were considered to be quite adventurous. The romantic comedy genre as a whole was influenced by it, and it was responsible for the establishment of tropes and archetypes that are still utilized in the industry today.

The plot of the film Pillow Talk, which was directed by Michael Gordon, centers on Jan Morrow, played by Doris Day, a successful interior decorator who, against her will, is forced to share a telephone line with Brad Allen, played by Rock Hudson, a charming and womanizing composer. While Jan is attempting to use the line for business purposes, Brad seizes the opportunity to use it for his own purposes by singing serenades to a large number of women. After the end of World War II, there was a significant increase in the demand for telephone services in the United States. As a result, businesses began providing several individuals with shared telephone lines. Despite the fact that they were more cost-effective, these “party lines” frequently resulted in a breach of privacy. In the novel Pillow Talk, the party line functions as a humorous instrument for romantic entanglement and establishes the “meet-cute” between the protagonists. This is analogous to how emails, text messages, and apps would function in the decades that would follow. In a similar vein, the film’s utilization of romantic deception, mistaken identity, and final reunion established essential themes for the genre.

Check out this video: “We would look at each other.” Both of us would spit in each other’s faces. This is a lot of fun.
Doris Day went from being a joyful girl-next-door to a sophisticated sex icon, while Rock Hudson went from being a dramatic leading man to a romcom regular as a result of the film. Both of these actors saw a remarkable transformation as a result of the film. When Day recalled the script, he said, “Ah, I was crazy about that script.” In addition, I adored the garments, and I had a wonderful time working with Rock for the very first time. For a long time, we were really close friends. We had a great time working together. We held one other in high regard. In addition, I believe that was conveyed.” Her only nomination for an Academy Award came from the film Pillow Talk, which was followed by two more romantic comedies starring Hudson: Lover Come Back (1961) and Send Me No Flowers (1964). Both of these films were released after the aforementioned film.

It is possible that the film appears to be relatively clean when viewed through the perspective of current people; but, in the safe and sanitized cinematic world of the 1950s, it was believed to be quite racy. It covered courting, seduction, and pre-marital sex with such a casual attitude that Hudson turned down the screenplay three times because of how obscene it appeared to be. This was during a time when even minor suggestions of sexuality were prohibited. “We almost didn’t do it because it was too dirty,” he admitted on the Wogan talk show that was broadcast on the BBC in the year 1984.

“Were those the days you had to keep a foot on the floor?” The question was posed by Terry Wogan, and the crowd responded with laughter. Just a few decades after the debut of Pillow Talk, the concept of such censorship and delicacy was already considered ludicrous.

The act of pushing the limits
The Hays Code, which was titled “A Code to Govern the Making of Talking, Synchronized, and Silent Motion Pictures,” was the specific document that Wogan was referring to. The Hays Code was a set of stringent moral criteria that governed Hollywood films. It was initially disseminated in 1930 to the public, and it was put into effect in 1934. The code, which was named after William H. Hays, who was serving as president of the Association of Motion Picture Producers at the time, tried to prohibit content that was related to sexuality, violence, and anything else that was deemed to be outside the norms of decency. It also supported conventional values. It is possible for films to be distributed without a certificate of approval; however, this would have a significant influence on the number of theaters that are ready to show them. Even the animated flapper girl Betty Boop had her skirt longer, her curls tamed, and her movements minimized in order to avoid any idea that she was engaging in immoral behavior.

For the sake of adhering to the code, numerous depictions from that era depicted married couples sleeping in single beds that were adjacent to one another. Additionally, in order to avoid depicting them lying down together, one spouse was required to maintain one foot on the floor at all times. Particularly, the code pointed out that “The treatment of bedrooms must be governed by good taste and delicacy,” in addition to warning that “Certain places are so closely and thoroughly associated with sexual life or with sexual sin that their use must be carefully limited” .

Observe: “He was upset about it.” He had never performed comedy before, and he was uncertain about his ability to do so.
The television show Pillow Talk came perilously close to violating these standards of decency, straining the limits of what could be displayed on screen without really infringing the norms of the code. It was a split-screen effect that was utilized to portray both sides of a phone conversation, which gave the appearance that Hudson and Day were sleeping next to one other without any separation. At the same time as it circumvented censorship, the effect was responsible for driving the plot and increasing the sexual tension between the couple.

There were a great number of people who would inquire, “Is Rock Hudson really gay?” According to Doris Day, I responded by saying, “It is something that I will not discuss.”
As the decade of the 1950s came to a close, the Hays Code’s authority had been considerably undermined as a result of the immense popularity of films that were not authorized. On the other hand, it would be nearly ten years after the release of Pillow Talk before the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), which was in existence at the time, decided to totally abandon the system in favor of a four-letter rating system consisting of G, M, R, and X. In order to maintain the impression of conventional morality while quietly addressing the perspectives of a society that is on the verge of a sexual revolution, Pillow Talk nevertheless needs to negotiate a narrow line.

By the time the movie is out, traditional norms have been established, and Hudson’s character, Brad, has ultimately changed his methods of taking advantage of women, falling in love, and looking for a permanent relationship. Despite this, Pillow Talk continues to reflect the shifting sentiments that were prevalent in the late 1950s. Day’s portrayal of Jan as a professional woman who was not defined by her relationship status struck a chord with viewers who were beginning to accept women’s independence in the United States in the subsequent decades following World War Two. Jan is a change from the more domesticated female roles that were seen in some of the older Hollywood films. She is successful, self-assured, and confident in her ability to handle her personal life.

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Pillow Talk was a cultural phenomenon that brought about a change in the way people think about love and relationships. However, it also brought to light the limitations of that advancement. While Hudson was at the pinnacle of his profession, he continued to conceal his sexual orientation, which was a need in an era that did not fully recognize LGBTQ+ identities. “Nothing was ever talked about as far as his private life,” Day revealed in her broadcast appearance from 1989 with the television station. “And I have to tell you that a great number of people would ask me, you know, ‘Is Rock Hudson really gay?'” I responded by saying, “It is something that I will not continue to discuss.”