... the movie was almost Dirtier Dancing: according to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the film went through three rounds of edits with the MPAA, the film-ratings agency, before the raters would agree to knock Dirty Dancing from an R to a PG-13, thus allowing teenagers ... to flock to theaters.The deleted too-sexy dance has been transferred from the DVD's extras to YouTube. Because YouTube sometimes deletes videos in order to comply with copyright complaints, I have preserved three screenshots from a currently available YouTube video.
Not everything controversial got cut (the abortion plot cost the film a major advertising sponsor but stayed in) and those scenes that were edited out didn’t disappear. .... recent DVD extras have included at least some of the explicit material.
Now, here is a video currently on YouTube:
After the too-sexy dance was deleted, the passage that the movie audiences watched was this:
The first above video -- the deleted too-sexy dance -- lasts 2:15 minutes. The second above video -- the passage that the audiences watched -- lasts 5:15 minutes. So, more than a third of the original passage was deleted.
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The too-sexy dance was deleted in order to reduce the MPAA rating from R to PG-13.
The PG-rating has been defined unofficially as follows:
PG-13 rated movies stand for Parental Guidance-13, with parents strongly cautioned, as some material may not be suitable for children under 13.The MPAA itself has defined the PG-13 rating officially as follows (emphasis added):
Again, it’s a matter of what isn’t in the film; any nudity has to be non-sexual, any swear words have to be used sparingly, and, in the event of the specific obscenity we politely call the F-word, not used in a sexual context. (You can say “Oh, (BLANK) this!” in a PG-13 film, but not more than once, and never “I’d love to (BLANK) Denise …”)
Violence in PG-13 films may be intense, but must also be bloodless – see Jurassic World or any Marvel Movie, for example – and it is, as per usual, the Ratings Board’s call if the film's content is deemed to be more than PG but less than R.
A PG-13 rating is a sterner warning [than a PG rating] by the Rating Board to parents to determine whether their children under age 13 should view the motion picture, as some material might not be suited for them.========
A PG-13 motion picture may go beyond the PG rating in theme, violence, nudity, sensuality, language, adult activities or other elements, but does not reach the restricted R category. The theme of the motion picture by itself will not result in a rating greater than PG-13, although depictions of activities related to a mature theme may result in a restricted rating for the motion picture.
Any drug use will initially require at least a PG-13 rating. More than brief nudity will require at least a PG-13 rating, but such nudity in a PG-13 rated motion picture generally will not be sexually oriented.
There may be depictions of violence in a PG-13 movie, but generally not both realistic and extreme or persistent violence.
A motion picture's single use of one of the harsher sexually-derived words, though only as an expletive, initially requires at least a PG-13 rating. More than one such expletive requires an R rating, as must even one of those words used in a sexual context. The Rating Board nevertheless may rate such a motion picture PG-13 if, based on a special vote by a two-thirds majority, the Raters fell that most American parents would believe that a PG-13 rating is appropriate because of the context or manner in which the words are used or because the use of those words in the motion picture is inconspicuous.
The MPAA's official definition of the R rating includes this sentence:
Children under 17 are not allowed to attend R-rated motions pictures unaccompanied by a parent or adult guardian.That one sentence caused the Dirty Dancing producers to delete the too-sexy dance. The ticket-purchasing result of reducing a rating from R to PG-13 has been described as follows (emphasis added):
PG-13 - Parental Guidance suggested, with a strong suggestion that the film may be inappropriate for pre-teenagers. This rating is similar to PG, but indicates a greater degree of potentially offensive material. There is, however, no enforcement of it, just as there is no enforcement of the PG rating. If the child can reach the ticket counter to hand over his money, he'll probably be sold a ticket.In other words, the reduction of the MPAA rating for Dirty Dancing from R to PG-13 meant essentially that any teenager could buy a ticket without inhibition.
R - Restricted. No children under the age of 17 admitted without a parent or adult guardian. This rating suggests that there are strong elements of sex, violence, or (less often) profanity in a film. In practice, the restriction simply means the child can't buy his own ticket. If he can find a cooperative adult, even a stranger, who will buy the ticket for him, in he goes. In theory, it's supposed to be the parent or someone else with a strong relationship to the child.
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The producers' effort to make Dirty Dancing a PG-13 movie improved the movie as a work of art for the following reasons:
Deleting the too-sexy dance made time for other scenes.
The deleted too-sexy dance lasted 2:15 minutes. A movie cannot last too long.
* If the dance had remained in the movie, other scenes would have been shortened or deleted.
* When the dance was deleted, other scenes were lengthened or added.
The movie's audiences do not know which scenes were affected. I myself guess, for example, that the scene where Baby is being cut in half by a magician and where a comedian is telling a joke is in the movie because the too-sexy dance was deleted. If the movie's editors were ordered to cut 2:15 minutes from the movie, then that magician-comedian scene would not be in the movie. That's just one example.
Deleting the too-sexy dance improved the movie's proportionality and pace.
Each scene should be sensibly proportional to the entire story. After the two-sexy dance was deleted -- 2:15 minutes -- the remaining scene still lasted more than five minutes. The remaining scene was long enough. The fact that Baby experienced sexual intercourse was only one element of a story that comprised many elements. The movie was also about learning to dance, about responding to Penny's pregnancy, about adjusting a daughter-father relationship, about defending Johnny from a false accusation, and many other issues.
The story should be told at a sensible pace. One scene that is too long can ruin the pace.
The too-sexy dance was not realistic.
Baby was a young, prim virgin. The too-sexy dance would have impressed many people in the audience as artificial, contrived, unrealistic. She is too confident and bold. Her lascivious behavior in this too-sexy dance does not match her behavior in the other dance scenes or match her prim personality.
Of course, many people would think that the too-sexy dance was plausible. I myself do not think so, however, and I am sure that many people would agree with me.
How would Baby really have behaved in her first sexual intercourse with Johnny? Let each person in the audience imagine her behavior. That is better than showing her behaving in a manner that would strike many people as unrealistic.
The movie could not show sexual intercourse and get a PG-13 rating. Showing the too-sexy dance was an attempt to portray sexual intercourse by means of a sexy dance. However, the dance was so lascivious that it mischaracterized Baby.
Many adult activities are hidden from adolescents.
Suppose that the movie had shown Baby accompanying Penny to the abortion and seeing Penny suffer the bloody, painful consequences. Such a scene would have reinforced the movie's message that abortion should be legalized.
However, the dancers helping Penny considered Baby too young to be included in such an activity. Because of her adolescence, Baby was partially included and partially excluded in various activities. Such shifting circumstances caused Baby's adolescent awkwardness that the movie portrayed so charmingly.
Baby was in a hurry to become an adult, and she was frustrated that some adult elements of life still were prohibited and hidden. The adolescents who watch the movie sympathize strongly with that frustration.
Baby did experience sexual intercourse, which no longer was hidden from her. However, the sexual intercourse did remain hidden from the adolescents watching the movie. The only reason they were allowed to watch the movie at all was that it was rated PG-13 -- because of them. This adolescent frustration is ironically exciting -- probably especially for the teenage girls watching the movie.
This idea was called "the discovery of adulthood" in a brilliant essay written by Jason Bellamy and subtitled Oooh Baby, Baby!:
... Many movies are destroyed by their MPAA ratings, as a director's vision is mangled to meet the requirements of an R, or as audiences are kept away by an NC-17, but Dirty Dancing is enhanced by its rating. Most obviously, by stopping short of the R, director Emile Ardolino ensured that teenage girls, the audience most likely to identify with Baby's evolution into young womanhood, could attack the box office.Yes, Baby's relationship with Johnny had ended, and a big reason was that she was too young for him. Their "life phases" were too far apart. The rest of Johnny's life would remain hidden forever from Baby.
But much more importantly, the constraints of a PG-13 prohibited the movie from trying to swim in the strong current of truly adult themes that would certainly have drowned it.
From the get-go, Dirty Dancing is throbbing with sexuality, yes, but its hormones are distinctly adolescent. It taps into a time in our lives when dancing isn't just a stand-in for or a gateway to sex but is a perfectly fulfilling erotic exercise all its own. Seen through Baby's eyes, the movie is dominated not just by experimentations with adulthood, a common theme at the multiplex, but something much rarer: the discovery of adulthood.
* It's there in the beautiful slow-zoom on Baby's face the first time she spots Johnny and Penny (Cynthia Rhodes) showing off at Kellerman's.
* It's there again the next time Baby spots Johnny and Penny in the famous watermelon scene.
* It's there, too, when Johnny first puts his hands on Baby and tries to show her how to dance.
* And it's there again and again in the scenes dealing with Penny's unwanted pregnancy and abortion.
Most movie characters understand something the moment they see it. Baby takes time. Sex, abortion, Baby is aware of these things, but for much of the film everything “adult” takes place behind closed doors in what might as well be some other world.
In an R-rated movie, could we have felt Baby's naïveté? It seems unlikely. Similarly, in an R-rated movie Baby's maturation almost certainly would have been highlighted by the loss of her virginity — an event that Ardolino would've felt compelled to choreograph as if it were a dance scene. Instead, as produced, Baby's sexual activity is almost an afterthought.
Sure, if you're old enough to understand what usually happens when two people take off their clothes and get into bed together, as Johnny and Baby do several times, Bergstein and Ardolino leave no mystery. But here Baby “becomes a woman,” as they say, in the way she grows as a dancer, in the way she starts to exude confidence with her body, in the way she starts to understand the complexities of Penny's predicament, in the way she relates to her sister and, maybe more than anything, in the way she relates to her father. ...
For many, Dirty Dancing was, much like Baby's experience at Kellerman's, a stepping stone toward an enticing yet intimidating new phase of life. .... Johnny is at least one life phase ahead of Baby. It's hard to imagine where they go from Kellerman's, but it's notable that when Johnny and Baby first part, before his surprise return, there are no tearful goodbyes and Johnny's parting words are simply, “I'll see ya.” ...
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The IMDb website includes a Parents' Guide for the movie Dirty Dancing. The Parents' Guide says:
Sex and Nudity
Dancing scenes involve body rubbing, grinding, and dry humping moves while dancing -- thus the name, "Dirty Dancing".
A brief sex scene but no actual sex is shown.
Three love scenes, a brief glance of the backside of the main male characters buttock when he gets out of bed.
In the water scene where the two main characters are learning lifts, the female's shirt is white, and you can see her breasts through it, but all you can see is nipples.
When the female character changes clothes in the back of the car, the male character watches from the rear-view mirror.
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Violence and Gore
Two men fight.
There is a scene where a character gets a back-street abortion (since abortion was illegal in 1963) and she is obviously in a lot of pain, blood is seen on her clothes.
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Profanity
"Shit" is used a few times
At least one "goddamn"
One use of "ass".
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Alcohol/Drugs/Smoking
Some characters are seen drinking and/or smoking.
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Not recommended for under 13.
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Another website, Common Sense Media recommends that parents should allow children only of ages 12+ to watch Dirty Dancing, with this explanation:
Although some parents may find the dancing a little too dirty, teenage viewers will be captivated by the flashy fantasy of star-crossed summer romance. Sexual references abound here beyond the dance moves:The Common Sense Media website enables its readers to respond with their own opinions about the appropriate ages. Responding parents recommended ages 14+, and responding kids recommended ages 12+. Some of the responses follow.
* One character has a botched abortion.
* The main character loses her virginity.
* Another character talks about her plans to go all the way.
* An older married woman propositions younger men on staff at the resort and sleeps with one.
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Opinion of the parent of a 16 and 18+ year-old
17+
Moronic plot, disgusting lack of moral qualms, paying for the murder of an unborn being glorified, vulgar dancing, statutory rape of main character. Barffff
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Opinion of an adult
13+
Great Movie - you can trust your teen!
I loved this movie as a teenager. I'm looking forward to watching it with my girls (when they are old enough). My oldest is 12, so we are almost there.
For the record, I watched this as a teen. It did not cause me to have an abortion or sex or view those options as possibilities in my life. Additionally, I never thought the movie was about "abortion" but more about people -- doing everything they can to help a friend.
And while Baby's romance was exciting, I would never have had an older boyfriend because I knew it was wrong and my parents would have disapproved.
Teens raised in thoughtful, trusting homes can be exposed to life's conundrums without necessarily racing to make movie characters' bad choices.
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Opinion of an adult
10+
... I watched it as a little kid and loved it. I am 28 now.
As far as language I think g-d is said once along with a few others.
As far as sex -- if you can call it that -- it is just to people laying in bed together. Except for one time you see a woman on top of man but all boxy parts are blocked by a cover.
For all you people saying it's not for people under 17 or whatever you do realize that most schools teach sex ed at like 11 or 12 right. Yes the dancing is suggestive but if you're a little kid, you won't notice it.
There is a botched abortion scene But, once again, a little kid won't know what they are talking about.
All in all, it's a great movie with a great story. If you are concerned about any of the subject matter just screen the movie beforehand.
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Opinion of an adult
13+
.... It's fun, campy, and a must-see for teens. Parents should note that although there are no sex scenes, there are steamy, steamy dance moves and LOTS of french kissing.
There is also a scary botched abortion. Bad guys, however, get their dues.
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Opinion of an adult
13+
I love this movie! The music is wonderful and fun, and the dancing is fantastic! It is a very very fun movie! Watch it!
The sexual behavior is a bit iffy, but get over it!
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Opinion of an adult
12+
Funny, romantic movie. It makes a great movie for family nights and stuff.
It's not for younger kids though.
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Opinion of a parent of a 7 and 12 year old
12+
The amount of sexual instances and references is what bothers me the most. I watched it first around 14 and didn't understand the abortion part, but I think my kids would today.
I think it would be a good movie to watch with a young teen daughter.
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Opinion of an adult
14+
I'm surprised and disappointed to see Common Sense Media give this an OK at age 12 rating. There are some fun and memorable parts to this movie, maybe even a few good lessons, but no 12-year-old needs to be exposed to a botched abortion, teens sneaking out and lying to her parents to lose her virginity with an older man, and going all the way with a sleazy frat boy.
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Opinion of an adult
17+
I absolutely LOVE this movie!
I do not think it is appropriate for kids under 17. The themes and subject matter are mature and not appropriate for younger kids.
It seems like themes and subject matter are not taken into consideration by MPAA ratings. An R rating is only granted if there is nudity, of extreme violence.
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Opinion of a teen, 13 years old
12+
This movie is SO amazing I can't even express it! I think the reason why it did so well was because it was modern, it meets up with our dancing now. Watch a music video and you'll see the dancing is barely any different.
This movies 'sexual situations' are ridiculous. Sure, they dance suggestively, sure the characters have sex but it's a movie. We've seen worse on TV now and days. They [i.e. Dirty Dancing] don't show anything.
Younger kids don't understand the references and it's not like we're going to run into the street and yell out 'let's all dance like they did in dirty dancing!' C'mon, give kids some credit. We can handle sexy dancing and sexual gestures.
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Opinion of an adult
18+ [sic]
I have seen this movie many times. I have enjoyed it each time.
I don't view this movie as in bad taste. It does involve some very taboo subjects for a movie of this type. What happens is each of these taboos are in good taste.
OK, so movies such as this would not happen in real life, but the whole idea of this movie is to make you feel good. The dancing is incredible! The whole feeling that is felt at the end of the movie makes you feel good. In the simplest of all terms you leave feeling good!
The title doesn't make the movie trash.
You ask about kids seeing it? Half of the programs that are on TV now might want you to retract the statement is it safe for kids to watch.
My mom loves this movie. The movie we will never see in real life. I just say go see it and you decide. I love this movie!
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Opinion of a teen, 13 years old
10+
I think it's the best movie in the world. It has a little bit of kissing but it's not bad at all.
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Opinion of a teen, 14 years old
12+
Really good movie! other than some brief language and very sexual dancing, this movie is good for 12 and up.
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Opinion of a teen, 13 years old
10+
Very awesome movie! There is some brief sex but there is no nudity whatsoever and it is mostly ''longer'' kissing.
One fistfight. NO VIOLENCE!
Positive messages saying" Stand up for whats right even if your the only one standing, Respect yourself and others, Have fun!
There is a good amount of sexy dancing but its just dancing!
And if your kid is to immature to understand this he/she should not watch this amazing movie or other TV! ....
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Opinion of a teen, 14 years old
13+
Lots of iffy stuff.
My rating: PG-13 for sexuality including sensual/exotic dancing and partial nudity, and for some language.
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Opinion of a teen, 13 years old
13+
There's one racy scene with Baby and Johnny when she sneaks out of the house to go to his [cabin].
Lots of racy dancing, language, violence.
Penny has an abortion go wrong.
Other than that, it's a great movie!
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Opinon of a kid, 10 years old
11+
I liked the dancing but it was a bit too explicit. You could show a 10-year-old but I do not think they would be so impressed. I am not sure about 11-year-olds but I think it would be more appropriate for them.
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Opinion of a kid, 11 years old
11+
Some great messages. Baby stands up for herself and Johnny.
Good chick flick for a sleepover.
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Opinon of a kid, 11 years old
10+
There is one sex scene but no nudity. I just recommend closing eyes, because it is a great movie!
There is a few punches and kicks being thrown but nothing more. There is some drugs and smoking involved in the movie. Just know to never do drugs and smoke.
There is also some cussing but nothing much.
I think this is a great, inspiring movie 10-year-olds would love!
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Opinion of a teen, 14 years old
16+
Dirty Dancing was a movie for a 16-year-old -- for a lot of sex scenes and fighting scenes.
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Opinion of a Parent
17+
It's a great movie and an '80s classic, but its themes are WAY too mature for young teens. Besides the very sexual dancing, the abortion (which is botched and causes major injury) and discussions about sex are so much of the plot. If your child doesn't understand what is happening, it won't just go over her head; she will ask what is going on. It just isn't appropriate for young kids.
That being said, I love the movie and it's a great girls-night thing for us moms!
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Opinion of a parent
13+
As the name says this movie has dirty dancing. Dances moves are sexual. There is also a brief sex scene (nothing shown on screen) and three love scenes.
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Opinion of a teen, 13 years old
12+
Great movie. Lot's of kids want to watch it but it's better if they wait until they are around 13 so that they can actually understand the movie. LOTS of dirty dancing.
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Opinion of a kid, 11 years old
11+
The movie was great and I thought it was a very good chick flick. I think it would be a fabulous movie for sleepovers but make sure all of the parents are ok with it.
There are some iffy scenes but they help give the movie more drama. Although, the characters do give good lessons like how Baby stood up for what she believed in with her and Johnny's love.
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Opinion of a teen, 15 years old
15+
I personally enjoyed this movie, and watched it when I was 13. However, with parental supervision.
I would rather that children of 12 years old at a SLEEPOVER NOT WATCH THIS. It speaks of unprotected sex, there is a sex scene, and of course, dirty dancing. Something that should not be seen by children barely even in middle school!
However, if you are a parent and want to let your kid see this rather touching story, by all means, do it. Just be careful and make sure they understand the errors in this movie.
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Opinion of a teen, 13 years old
11+
Great movie. It has great dancing and a good story line.
A girl gets pregnant and has an abortion, and there are some other sexually-based scenes and references.
Still, it's a great movie for mature tweens who know what's going on and know it isn't the right thing.
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Opinion of a kid, 12 years old
13+
Sex, abortion and lies -- but great acting.
I've known what abortion was since I was 6 and sex since i was 8, but other parents may not tell their kids so soon.
For teens and not young children -- but great intimate acting.
I LUV U, SWAYZE!
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Opinion of a kid, 12 years old
13+
Great movie for girls of any age!!!. I love watching it with my Grandma and Mom, since it's kind of a chick flick. ....
Even though Baby makes some bad choices, she learns from them, and that's the important moral of this movie.
There is some mature dialogue in this film, so you might want to see this wone with your kids if they aren't 13 or over.
Holy cow!! That is quite a naughty scene! I found your blog because I just noticed, for the first time in 30 years, The Fountainhead as being THE BOOK that Robbie Gould presents to Baby. My perspective is a tad different than yours, and I'll write about it, at my blog. Just curious: is it your suspicion that Robbie was carrying the book to present to Lisa? Or is this fact? I think he was just carrying it like a "bible" as I do my copy of Atlas Shrugged.
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