Jack Nicholson’s Outrageous Line Cut From As Good As It Gets

Jack Nicholson, a name synonymous with Hollywood’s most unpredictable talents, has rarely encountered resistance when it comes to his creative impulses. Throughout his illustrious career, he’s been known for pushing boundaries both on and off the screen, often getting his way with directors and co-stars alike. Yet, even Nicholson has acknowledged that sometimes, a line must be drawn—especially when it comes to risqué humour.

Unfiltered On-Screen Antics

Notorious for his penchant for the provocative, Nicholson has made a habit of introducing unexpected props into his performances. Matt Damon, for instance, was left utterly gobsmacked when Nicholson produced a sex toy during a semi-improvised moment in The Departed. This wasn’t a one-off. Director Bob Rafelson once recounted being approached by Nicholson with a rather direct request before filming a scene for The Postman Always Rings Twice:

“Get me a dildo.”

The actor’s insistence on such props became something of a trademark, and during a love scene with Ellen Barkin in Man Trouble, he was so determined to keep his chosen accessory in the final cut that he threatened,

“I’ve got my dildo this time... I’ll kill everyone involved if it’s taken out.”

In the end, the prop remained, though Nicholson lamented that

“nobody noticed the fucking thing.”

The Censored Suggestion

Given this track record, it’s rather telling that Nicholson himself admitted one of his own suggestions for As Good As It Gets was a step too far. The film, a romantic comedy-drama, sees Nicholson’s character, Melvin Udall, form an unlikely bond with Helen Hunt’s Carol Connelly. During production, Hunt asked Nicholson to say something off-camera to prompt her laughter in a particular scene. He obliged with a single word:

“Tits.”

According to Nicholson,

“She went higher than a kite.”

But it was the film’s ending where Nicholson truly tested the limits. He proposed an alternative conclusion for the final scene, set in a bakery, that would have injected a rather bold innuendo into the otherwise sweet moment. As he explained,

“I also wanted another ending for the picture, and she agreed. I hope Jim doesn’t shoot me for saying this. When they walk to the bakery, I wanted to turn to Helen and say, ‘Warm rolls’. And she would say, ‘Wet pants’. Of course, they correctly censored me on that, but I mean, she liked it. They were looking for unpredictability, and I thought that would cover it.”

Why the Line Was Left Out

In the end, the filmmakers opted for a more restrained approach, leaving Nicholson’s suggestion on the cutting room floor. The decision, he admitted, was the right one. Dropping such a blatant double entendre into the closing moments would have been jarring, undermining the film’s tone and leaving audiences with a rather peculiar final impression. Even for someone as famously unrestrained as Nicholson, there are times when a little self-censorship is in order.