There are all kinds of films that reference, or stage in the story, or explicitly discuss sex but have little to none onscreen. These are films that felt the romance, sexual identity, gender identity, or sex scenes had to go because they would hurt the storyline, not help it. (Or for other reasons.)

Sometimes, Hollywood flinches. Sometimes a performer says “no thanks.” And sometimes, these decisions work — while at others, they leave something missing. We take a look back at five films from the last several decades and ask why.

• The Color Purple (1985)
• Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)
• The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
• A Few Good Men (1992)
• 300 (2006)