Maureen O'Sullivan 2: A Pre-Hayes Commision Beautiful Woman
Before nudity in American cinema was banned and eroticized in a weird, perverse way in Budweiser commericals, Maureen O'Sullivan's underwater dance in "Tarzan & His Mate" joined the ranks of the Mona Lisa and Ruben's heifers as the apex of feminine mystery and awe. I colorized these screen captures and hope my presentation of Maureen and Johnny and Cheetah bates your breath!
The year was 1934. I will ask for permission to use these when I am a big enough artist in The Art World to merit an Astounding Yes, and not a Peon No, so you MGM corportate lawyers don't start chewing your cashews just yet....
Two people have emailed me to tell me Josephine McKim actually did the nude scenes in "Tarzan & His Mate." I stand corrected. Ms. McKim won a bronze in the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics and a gold medal in the L. A. Summer Olympics in 1932. My dad was 3 then, and my mom was not around yet. She really nailed those swimming scenes with Johnny Weissmuller, who won five gold medels all told in the 1924 and 1928 Olympics.
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