Call Me By Your Name writer claims Armie Hammer and Timothée Chalamet contracts banned nude sex scenes
Call Me By Your Name. (Twitter/Sony)
Call Me By Your Name writer James Ivory has contradicted the film’s director over his excuses for the film’s lack of nudity and sex scenes.
Director Luca Guadagnino adapted the Oscar-nominated gay film from a screenplay penned by Ivory, based on the original book of the same name.
Guadagnino fielded criticism over the film’s airbrushed depiction of the gay romance, with the film largely skipping past the book’s intimate sex scenes.
While the director has claimed that he never intended for the film to include nudity or sex scenes, Ivory has this week described his excuse as “bulls**t”.
Speaking to the Guardian, Ivory revealed that his screenplay specified that Elio and Oliver would be shown fully naked and included sex scenes.
He alleged that the film was changed because lead actors Armie Hammer and Timothée Chalamet both had clauses included in their contracts that prohibited full-frontal nudity.
The screenwriter told the newspaper: “When Luca says he never thought of putting nudity in, that is totally untrue.
“He sat in this very room where I am sitting now, talking about how he would do it, so when he says that it was a conscious aesthetic decision not to – well, that’s just bullshit.
“When people are wandering around before or after making love, and they’re decorously covered with sheets, it’s always seemed phoney to me. I never liked doing that. And I don’t do it, as you know.”
The newspaper adds that Ivory gave a “derisive snort” over the film’s decision to “pan the camera out of the window toward some trees” during the film’s main sex scene.
The claims that it was the two straight actors who prohibited a more explicit sex scene may fuel further questions about the casting of the film.
Speaking previously about the supposed creative decision to cut sex scenes, Guadagnino said: “I wasn’t interested at all. The tone would’ve been very different from what I was looking for.
“I wanted the audience to completely rely on the emotional travel of these people and feel first love. I didn’t want the audience to find any difference or discrimination toward these characters.
“It was important to me to create this powerful universality, because the whole idea of the movie is that the other person makes you beautiful — enlightens you, elevates you.
“The other is often confronted with rejection, fear or a sense of dread, but the welcoming of the other is a fantastic thing to do, particularly in this historical moment.”
Of his decision to cast two heterosexual actors, he said: “This film is about the blossoming of love and desire, no matter where it comes from and toward what. So I couldn’t have ever thought of casting with any sort of gender agenda.
“I think people are so beautiful and complex as creatures that as much as I am fascinated with gender theory — I’ve studied [American gender theorist] Judith Butler for so long — I prefer much more never to investigate or label my performers in any way.
“I only cast the actors and actresses I fall in love with — truly having an emotion for them, an anticipation and enthusiasm when seeing them — and I believe that my emotional confidence in them blends into chemistry. It’s always been like that, and I hope I won’t be wrong in the future.”
Hammer, who comes from an extremely wealthy family, has previously said some of his “conservative” family members may not see Call Me By Your Name.
Speaking to Mr Porter, Hammer said he doesn’t know what his family’s reaction would have been if he had had a gay relationship like the one portrayed in the film.
He said: “I don’t know. I know what I’d hope, but I don’t know.
“I am excited for my dad to see Call Me By Your Name. I think that he would have the capacity to get it and be proud of me for doing this work”.
The actor revealed that his mother may not even see the film, despite the rave reviews and Oscars buzz.
He said: “It’s always awkward to say, ‘Come to this movie where you can see my ass and watch me give a blow job’.
“My mum is more conservative. I don’t know if she’ll see it.”
Hammer has repeatedly hit back at claims that his Hollywood career is a result of his wealth and “privilege”.
