Wait, Star Wars was at one point going to be R-rated? Was it just that Leia scene, or were there other brutal aspects that got toned down? Apparently I’m Jon Snow in the world of Star Wars script drafts.
That was indeed the idea. Leia was going to be running around with some nasty facial bruises, and possibly no clothing above the waist, from the moment Luke enters her prison cell to the arrival at the Rebel base.
Leia’s injuries are mentioned in the text of the 3rd draft, and several sketches by McQuarrie and John Mollo show her in various states of clothing damage.
There was also some additional violence that was cut – for instance, Alex Tavoularis’ storyboards show Vader literally ripping a Rebel soldier’s arm off during the opening battle.
Density said:
I don’t know if it’s true, but I actually heard once it would have been rated G if not for the graphic image of Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru’s corpses.
Which just shows how far GL went in the other direction in his quest to get a PG rating so as to maximize the profit margins.