The Crazy Daisy: Sexuality and Pull My Daisy

Robert Frank and Alfred Leslie's 1959 short film Pull My Daisy captures the Beat Generation through its spontaneous shots, improvised narration, and the inclusion of various artists, writers, and performers. In a particularly conservative time in American history, Pull My Daisy speaks to the many issues that were opposed or swept under the rug during the 50s-60s, especially questions of sexuality.

One explicit example of Pull My Daisy's comment on sexuality can be found in the opening title sequence. Prior to the film's opening, there is a title card for the production company. That title card reads: "A G-String Enterprise. Copyright 1959. By G-String Enterprises." G-String, huh? A skillful way to introduce the sexually driven force behind the film's narrative by naming the production company (the way the film is made) after the type of underwear often associated with sex appeal and scandalous performances, such as burlesque and exotic dancing. 

Following the title card, there are shots that pan across the various areas that introduce the loft in which the film takes place, but it is the lyrics of the song that plays during the sequence that introduces the film's position on sexuality strongly.

The jazz tune that was produced for the film has lyrics that were written by Jack Kerouac,who also narrates the film. The lyrics heard are: 
                              "Pull my daisy
                               Tip my cup
                               All my doors are open
                               Cut my thoughts for coconuts
                               All my eggs are broken
                               Hop my heart on
                               Harp my height
                               Seraphs hold me steady
                               Hip my angel
                               Hype my light
                               Lay it on the needy."

Seems relatively mild right? Well through research, I found the complete lyrics for the song, and it is explicitly expressing sexuality. There are various lines throughout the song that suggest pleasure and climaxing, for example: "Bone my shadow, Dove my dream, Start my halo bleeding. Milk my mind and make me cream. Drink me when you`re ready." It is evident that this is referencing sex and the explicit description of sexual intercourse from the woman's perspective.

Jack Kerouac's influence on the film extends further than just writing the lyrics to the catchy song in the beginning. He serves as one of the writers of the poem in which the title of the film gets its name from and his play "The Beat Generation", influence Robert Frank and Alfred Leslie to make the film. Kerouac's major influence comes from his position as the narrator of the film. The narration was improvised in a sound room following the film. The chaotic nature of Kerouac's rambling and seemingly unsynchronized dialogue is fundamental for the cinema of the Beat Generation. However, it is the various overlapping of dialogue with images that sexualize his words. There a multiple shots of mouths. Mouths speaking, drinking, blowing on instruments, smoking, etc. These shots may correlate to the idea of oral fixations which are often linked to infant and childhood sexuality (Freud). Also, these shots are often matched or followed by the close-ups of legs and hands interacting with the legs/lap regions. An example can be seen at [11:15-11:20] and again at [13:19-13:26] where conversation is occurring and sexual tension is very present within the scene. The latter of the two is paired with the narration ""It's a kinda strange and interesting evening", says the Bishop."

The film also hints at homosexuality with the close proximity shots of the men often sitting together or on one another, laying together, and touching one another.Referencing back to oral fixations and its link to sexuality, I find it interesting that there are various close-ups that accompany the men playing instruments that require them to blow into the mouthpiece or onto phallic shaped instruments such as a flute. This is another characteristic of the Beat Generation and I believe correlates with the sexual exploration through the cinema that Frank and Leslie wanted to accomplish.


Pull My Daisy explores sexuality in various ways, although not always explicitly displayed on the screen. The writers and other Beat Generation participants worked to produce a film that is traditional in aesthetics and formal techniques, but unorthodox in content and appeal. The various issues of the 50s-60s that were challenged by the members of the Beat Generation are the foundation for Pull My Daisy, and can be justified by the work involved in making the film.