IMDb > Portnoy's Complaint (1972)

Portnoy's Complaint (1972) More at IMDbPro »

Overview

User Rating:
4.7/10   160 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 9% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Ernest Lehman
Writers:
Philip Roth (novel)
Ernest Lehman (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for Portnoy's Complaint on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
15 September 1972 (Finland) more
Genre:
Comedy more
Plot Keywords:
more
NewsDesk:
(4 articles)
Hump Day Hotness: Marital Bliss
 (From FilmExperience. 13 May 2009, 3:33 PM, PDT)
Movie Review: Elegy
 (From MovieRetriever. 21 August 2008, 9:01 PM, PDT)
User Comments:
THIS was considered obscene? more (8 total)

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)
Richard Benjamin ... Alexander Portnoy
Karen Black ... Mary Jane Reid (The Monkey)
Lee Grant ... Sophie Portnoy
Jack Somack ... Jack Portnoy
Renée Lippin ... Hannah Portnoy
Jeannie Berlin ... Bubbles Girardi

Kevin Conway ... Smolka
Lewis J. Stadlen ... Mandel (as Lewis Stadlen)
Jill Clayburgh ... Naomi
Jessica Rains ... Opening Girl
Francesca De Sapio ... Lina
William Pabst ... Clerk at Inn
Eleanor Zee ... Woman in Hospital Bed
Tony Brande ... Cab Driver
D.P. Barnes ... Dr. Spielvogel
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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents
Runtime:
101 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
Iceland:16 | Norway:18 | West Germany:18 | Australia:R | Finland:K-18 | Sweden:15 | USA:R | Ireland:(Banned) | UK:X (original rating) (cut) | UK:18 (video rating)
Company:
Chenault Productions more

Fun Stuff

Movie Connections:
Referenced in The Killing Floor (2007) more

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User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
2 out of 9 people found the following comment useful.
THIS was considered obscene?, 8 August 2007
3/10
Author: Wayne Malin (wwaayynnee51@hotmail.com) from United States

Boring, pointless movie about a neurotic man (Richard Benjamin) and his relationship with his overbearing mother (Lee Grant) and with a pretty strange woman (Karen Black).

I heard this was considered a very dirty movie back in 1972 for its language and subject matter (especially all the talk about masturbation). It's hard to believe that now--most of the material here is done on TV today with no problem! This is very much a product of its time--the sexual politics and issues dealt with here are done in a very 1970s manner. When you have John Carradine play the voice of God you KNOW you're in trouble!

I've never read the book this was based on so I can't say how faithful this is--but what remains is a pointless, boring and stupid movie. Benjamin's nonstop whining gets annoying pretty quick and he's completely miscast. Grant is (surprisingly) not that good either and is also miscast. There's a dinner table sequence that (I suppose) is supposed to be funny involving them but it comes off as being pretty sick. The only actor that is any good here is Karen Black as "Monkey". She single-handedly saves this movie from being totally unbearable. She's the only reason I give this a 3.

This is a dated, pointless 1970s movie that's rightfully forgotten. You might like it if you're into 70s movies that deal with sexual politics. I give this a 3.

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