The Bathtub Scene in Saltburn Isn't That Weird (2024)

Warning: Minor spoilers for Saltburn.

From writer and director Emerald Fennell, Saltburn tells the wildly dark, and sometimes comedic, story of Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan) and his seemingly innocuous friendship with Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi). After struggling to fit in with a social group while attending Oxford University, Oliver encounters Felix following a harmless incident involving his bike and a flat tire. As their friendship develops, Oliver quickly finds himself enamored with the alluring, aristocratic world in which Felix lives. When he’s invited to spend the summer with Felix at his family’s sprawling estate, he encounters one of the most unforgettable summers of his entire life.

Fennell’s direction coupled with the cast’s performances makes the film a phenomenal, if not intense, movie experience worthy of praise. That being said, the film isn’t necessarily for everyone. One of its most buzzworthy aspects involves many shocking situations that unfold as the narrative develops. A few scenes in particular have garnered plenty of attention, but the film’s bathtub scene has managed to capture the most outrageous response. Seen by many viewers as a revolting act on Oliver’s part, the scene itself isn’t actually as weird as audiences think. While initial reactions are understandably shocked, the scene itself is on par with the actions of its character as well as its place within such an independent film.

What Happens in the Bathtub Scene?

Saltburn

Release Date

November 24, 2023

Director

Emerald Fennell

Cast

Rosamund Pike , Carey Mulligan , Barry Keoghan , Archie Madekwe , Richard E. Grant , Jacob Elordi

See Also

Saltburn's Bathtub & Grave Scenes Explained: The Real Meaning Of What Oliver DidWhat Happens In The ’Saltburn’ Bathtub Scene And Why It MattersSaltburn Movie's Gross Bathtub Scene ExplainedThe Key To Enjoying 'Saltburn' Lies at the Bottom of a Bathtub

Runtime

2hr 7min

Main Genre

Comedy

While staying at the Saltburn estate, Oliver’s room connects to Felix’s via a bathroom. One evening when Felix is masturbating in the tub, Oliver secretly watches him through the crack in the slightly ajar door. Unaware of the voyeurism, Felix eventually ejacul*tes into the bath water before draining the tub and returning to his bedroom. As the water inches down the drain, Oliver promptly climbs into the tub and passionately begins to rub his face on the bottom of it. He then slurps and drinks the remaining water just before it all disappears. Kissing and licking the bottom of the tub, Oliver exuberantly does his best to savor every drop of water he can. Clearly giving in to his desirous lust for Felix, Oliver then rests his head next to the drain of the empty bathtub. The first of many scandalous moments in the film, the bathtub scene definitely leaves its mark on the audience.

Why Do Some Think It’s Shocking?

For obvious reasons, the bathtub scene stands out. Plus, it’s the first jolting situation the film offers without any real indication that such a provocative moment is bound to take place. Sure, viewers saw Oliver watch Felix hook up with a girl while gazing at him from outside his dorm room window, but that kind of regular voyeurism isn’t vulgar or crass in the same way as the bathtub scene. For run-of-the-mill moviegoers, it’s easy to understand how Oliver drinking Felix’s dirty bathwater is immediately shocking on its surface. Described as disgusting and weird by many who are critical of the film, the scene definitely leaves viewers with an icky feeling.

Furthermore, because such a scene essentially exists in a vacuum, the audience doesn’t necessarily know how to feel. No one ever catches Oliver in the act, nor does he feel any shame about it. He simply acts on a desire he’s possessed since the beginning of the film and viewers watch it unfold. For many, the act itself is shocking, but the lack of inhibitions Oliver must embody to partake in such an act is shocking as well.

Due to the fact that there’s no moral judgment offered regarding what he does, viewers are inevitably shocked. Without explicit direction from the film, the audience is left to decipher for themselves how to feel about the scene, which can be an uncomfortable circ*mstance for many to unpack. Viewers are shocked because the film offers no moral implication that such an act is gross or weird. Because for the sake of the character and the film, it’s not supposed to be.

Is It Really That Shocking?

While Saltburn’s bathtub scene may be perceived as shocking and weird by some, for regular viewers of independent films, such a scene is quite normal for that particular niche of cinema. In fact, the bathtub scene is arguably the least shocking or scandalous aspect of the entire film. When compared to Oliver’s proclamation to Annabel (Sadie Soverall) that he’s a vampire or his unexpected midnight rendezvous with Farleigh (Archie Madekwe), the bathtub scene is merely par for the course, especially for such a character.

Fans of independent filmmakers like David Lynch or Yorgos Lanthimos know all too well the heights at which bizarre movie moments can reach. With films like Blue Velvet and Poor Things, such directors are known for their portrayal of all things quirky, weird, and even gross. As such, when Saltburn is compared to the regular slew of independent films, its bathtub scene ranks low on the shocking meter in comparison.

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