What was the first realistic sex scene in a mainstream movie?
Once upon a time movies were so subject to censorship that rude words and any hint of sexual activity were impossible to put on screen. Directors could hint, but couldn't show. Go back and watch Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall in the 1946 version of The Big Sleep where plenty is hinted at but nothing much happens.
Now we have censors in some countries relaxed enough to allow real sex to be shown on screen in non-porn movies for mainstream audiences (see Do they really have sex in movies? for discussion of the example Nine Songs).
So what was the first mainstream (non-porn) movie where something like a real sex scene (simulated or not) was shown?
Best Answer
A likely candidate for a non-pornographic movie is Ecstasy, a Czech movie from 1933. Hedy Lamarr (yes, that Hedy Lamarr, an inventor of frequency hopping and spread spectrum for secret radio communication during World War II) is shown nude, a sex scene and an orgasm are depicted but only her face is shown during this scene.
The movie was released in the U.S. in 1940.
Pictures about "What was the first realistic sex scene in a mainstream movie?"
30 Movie Scenes Where Celebs Had Sex In Real, Yes! Actual Sex Scenes in Movies
More answers regarding what was the first realistic sex scene in a mainstream movie?
Answer 2
It's likely that the first "mainstream" film (but not Hollywood release) that showed a couple having sex in what appears (and in some instances was) a realistic manner was 1967's I Am Curious (Yellow).
This film was the first film released in American theaters where the performers are shown in intimate and graphic erotic sexual positions and performing sexual acts which was not limited in its release to theaters which specialized in adult pornographic fare. It caused quite a sensation when it was released in the US market (many protests and an arson of a theater) but would likely be viewed as being rather tame by 21st Century standards.
Reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Am_Curious_Yellow
http://www.allmovie.com/movie/v24002
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=us&vol=396&invol=976
Answer 3
Remark: This answer was written before the restriction to mainstream (non-porn) films.
This question will get a very subjective answer. Depending of the definition of pornographic films, a film with a sexual act will always be a Porno.
You should define better what a mainstream (non-porn) is. (Some criteria may be: Winner of a (international) film price, more the x people as audience, ?)
The first pornographic film with a sexual act was "À l'écu d'or"
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Mikhail Nilov, Tima Miroshnichenko, Ron Lach, Ron Lach