You know, that’s one movie I never have seen. Read the novel by Walker Percy long ago, and I very seldom watch a film version of a book I enjoyed.
As I recall, that scene was not particularly graphic or drawn out in the book. Leave it to Hollywood.
It was not that drawn out. They also did not show anything.
You just heard the grunts being made by Ned Beatty. Plus they showed him in his tighty whites will the hillbilly behind him. It was just the fact that in the previous times I had seen the film, much of that scene was edited out.
It is funny how Ned Beatty was known for that one scene in one of the 160 different movies that he was in over his long career. He was such a good character actor that he was literally in more movies than almost every other actor ever. Yet, he was never a leading man.
James Dickey.
It was similar to watching the edited version of “Blazzing Saddles”. It is just not as funny because they have to edit out all the dirty jokes and references to the sheriff.
“The sheriff is a N...”
“He said the sheriff is near.”
but you really knew what they were saying.