The “absurd, horrible” 1960s moment Jane Fonda called the worst of her career: “I pretended I didn’t understand”
Jane Fonda has described an encounter with a French director as the worst and most “absurd, horrible” moment of her career. While discussing a possible film role, he asked to see what she looked like having an orgasm, using his position to make an inappropriate personal demand.
Fonda said she spoke French fluently but pretended not to understand him, and he did not get his way. She later identified the director as René Clément, who went on to direct her in the 1964 thriller Joy House, her first European film. The account highlights the abuse of power that persisted in film, despite the era’s growing visibility for women’s experiences and sexuality.
In short
- Fonda said a director made an inappropriate demand during a film meeting.
- She pretended not to understand him and avoided complying.
- She later named director René Clément.
Explained simply
Jane Fonda is an American actor whose career began in the early 1960s, when film roles were often controlled by powerful directors and producers. René Clément was a French director who made films in France and abroad.
Fonda later worked with Clément on the 1964 thriller Joy House, her first European film. Her account of their earlier meeting provides context for how a director’s influence over a potential role could be used to make a personal demand, and why questions of power and professional conduct in the film industry matter.