A California judge is preparing to dismiss a lawsuit brought by the stars of the 1968 film Romeo and Juliet, who alleged that director Franco Zeffirelli and Paramount Pictures pressured them to appear nude and that the filming process involved sexual assault. The case has been covered by Fox News.
The reports indicate that Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting, then 17 and 16 years old respectively, argued that the nude scene in the film qualified as child pornography and that the couple endured sexual assault during production.
During the hearing, Supreme Court Justice Alison McKenzie ruled that the film is protected by the First Amendment. She noted that Hussey and Whiting failed to provide authorities showing that the movie could be deemed legally obscene or illegal on sexual grounds.
Sources indicate that the actors practical legal counsel intends to seek a federal court review to reassess or reopen the case.
In previous proceedings, Paramount Studios faced allegations related to the 1968 adaptation, with claims that company employees engaged in inappropriate behavior connected to the nude scene. The discussions around these claims have driven renewed interest in the film and its controversial production choices.