Kinsey (2004)

Director:

Bill Condon

Writer (WGA):

Bill Condon (written by)

Release Date:

13 January 2005 (Australia)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

Let's talk about sex.

Plot:

A look at the life of Alfred Kinsey (Neeson), a pioneer in the area of human sexuality research, whose 1948 publication "Sexual Behavior in the Human Male" was one of the first recorded works that saw science address sexual behavior.

Plot Keywords:

Sex | Student | Interview | Sexuality | Indiana University

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 11 wins & 26 nominations

Cast

Liam Neeson	...	Alfred Kinsey
Laura Linney	...	Clara McMillen
Chris O'Donnell	...	Wardell Pomeroy
Peter Sarsgaard	...	Clyde Martin
Timothy Hutton	...	Paul Gebhard
John Lithgow	...	Alfred Seguine Kinsey
Tim Curry	...	Thurman Rice
Oliver Platt	...	Herman Wells
Dylan Baker	...	Alan Gregg
Julianne Nicholson	...	Alice Martin
William Sadler	...	Kenneth Braun
John McMartin	...	Huntington Hartford
Veronica Cartwright	...	Sara Kinsey
Kathleen Chalfant	...	Barbara Merkle
Heather Goldenhersh	...	Martha Pomeroy
Dagmara Dominczyk	...	Agnes Gebhard
Harley Cross	...	Young Man in Gay Bar
Susan Blommaert	...	Staff Secretary
Benjamin Walker	...	Kinsey at 19
Matthew Fahey	...	Kinsey at 14
Will Denton	...	Kinsey at 10
John Krasinski	...	Ben
Arden Myrin	...	Emily
Romulus Linney	...	Rep B. Carroll Reece
Katharine Houghton	...	Mrs. Spaulding
David Harbour	...	Robert Kinsey
Judith J.K. Polson	...	Mildred Kinsey
Leigh Spofford	...	Anne Kinsey
Jenna Gavigan	...	Joan Kinsey
Luke Macfarlane	...	Bruce Kinsey (as Luke MacFarlane)
Mike Thurstlic	...	Kenneth Hand
Jarlath Conroy	...	Grocer
Bill Buell	...	Dr. Thomas Lattimore
Michelle Federer	...	Gall Wasp Class Coed (as Michele Federer)
Alvin Keith	...	Black Student
Amy Wilson	...	Marriage Class Coed
Maryellen Owens	...	Female Assistant Professor
Roderick Hill	...	Clerical Worker
Peg Small	...	Retired Teacher
Don Sparks	...	Middle-aged Businessman
Joe Zaloom	...	Janitor
Kate Reinders	...	Female Student #1
Mara Hobel	...	Female Student #2
Lindsay Schmidt	...	Female Student #3
Jason Patrick Sands	...	Male Student #1
Marcel Simoneau	...	Male Student #2
Bobby Steggert	...	Male Student #3
Johnny Pruitt	...	Male Student #4
John Epperson	...	Effete Man in Gay Bar
Jefferson Mays	...	Effete Man's Friend
Mark Mineart	...	Slavic Man
Martin Murphy	...	Bartender
Kate Jennings Grant	...	Marjorie Hartford
Barry Del Sherman	...	IU Reporter #1
Fred Burrell	...	IU Reporter #2
Michael Arkin	...	NYC Reporter #1
Dan Ziskie	...	NYC Reporter #2 (as Daniel Ziskie)
Tuck Milligan	...	NYC Reporter #3
Edwin McDonough	...	Mr. Morrissey
John Ellison Conlee	...	Bookstore Clerk
Arthur French	...	Sharecropper
Chandler Williams	...	Prison Inmate
Jaime Roman Tirelli	...	Hispanic Man
Draper Shreeve	...	Ballet Teacher
Philip Kushner	...	Bellhop (as Phillip Kushner)
Joseph Badalucco Jr.	...	Radio Repairman (as Joe Badalucco)
Henrietta Mantooth	...	Poet
Doris Smith	...	Old Woman
Reno	...	Male Impersonator
Pascale Armand	...	Young Black Woman
Sean Skelton	...	Staff Photographer
Steven Edward Hart	...	Reverend
Clifford David	...	Professor Smithson
Randy Redd	...	Student
Lynn Redgrave	...	Final Interview Subject
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Michael L. Bash	...	Student (uncredited)
Maria Bianco	...	College Student (uncredited)
David E. Fischer	...	Interview Student (uncredited)
Brute Force	...	Himself (uncredited)
Christy Lee Hughes	...	Interview Subject (uncredited)
Deric McNish	...	Sex-Ed Student (uncredited)
Katherine O'Sullivan	...	Woman Leaving Lecture (uncredited)
Beth Ellen Patrick	...	40s Housewife (uncredited)
Amber Paul	...	Fiance of Clyde Martin (uncredited)
Dina Plotch	...	Student (uncredited)
Richard Preshong	...	University Guide (uncredited)
Cameron Stevens	...	Student (uncredited)
Alexander Wraith	...	Patient (uncredited)

Directed by
Bill Condon

Writing credits (WGA)
Bill Condon		(written by)

Produced by
Francis Ford Coppola	....	executive producer
Kirk D'Amico	....	executive producer
Valerie Dean	....	associate producer
Richard Guay	....	co-producer
Michael Kuhn	....	executive producer
Gail Mutrux	....	producer
Bobby Rock	....	executive producer
Adam Shulman	....	associate producer
Joel Hatch	....	line producer: reshoots (uncredited)

Original Music by
Carter Burwell

Cinematography by
Frederick Elmes		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Virginia Katz

Casting by
Douglas Aibel
Cindy Tolan

Production Design by
Richard Sherman

Art Direction by
Nicholas Lundy

Set Decoration by
Andrew Baseman

Costume Design by
Bruce Finlayson

Makeup Department
Roy Bryson	....	key hair stylist
Mindy Hall	....	makeup artist: Ms. Linney
Wayne Herndon	....	hair stylist
Todd Kleitsch	....	special effects makeup artist
Michael Laudati	....	makeup artist: Mr. Neeson
Jeffrey Sacino	....	key hair stylist
James Sarzotti	....	additional makeup artist
Carla White	....	key makeup artist
Donna Marie Fischetto	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Paula Kelly	....	additional makeup artist (uncredited)
Mary Anne Spano	....	additional makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Steven Kaminsky	....	post-production supervisor
Tim Pedegana	....	post-production supervisor
Diana Schmidt	....	unit production manager
Mark Wolfe	....	executive in charge of production: N1
Linda Sophie Chiu	....	executive in charge: Myriad Pictures (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jude Gorjanc	....	first assistant director
Linda Perkins	....	second assistant director
Amanda Taylor	....	second second assistant director
Dennis T. Benatar	....	first assistant director: second unit, additional photography (uncredited)

Art Department
JoAnn Atwood	....	set dresser (as Joann Atwood)
Joseph Badalucco Jr.	....	assistant property master (as Joe Badalucco)
Peter Bundrick	....	construction foreman
Anthony Dimeo	....	property master
Justine Dolan-Coates	....	assistant property master (as Justine Dolan-Cote)
Joni Finlay	....	set dresser
Richard Hebrank	....	construction coordinator
Jon Ringbom	....	scenic foreman
Amy Safhay	....	greensperson
Jennifer Santucci	....	art department coordinator
Francesco Sciarrone	....	scenic foreman
Steven Shellooe	....	set scenic
Dick Tice	....	leadman (as Richard J. Tice)
Gary Cergol	....	art department coordinator (uncredited)
David Cooney	....	illustrator (uncredited)
Dan DeTitta	....	props buyer (uncredited)
Daniel Geary	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Lisa Kent	....	set buyer (uncredited)
Rebecca Meis DeMarco	....	assistant set decorator (uncredited)
Gifford Meyer	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Gregg Barbanell	....	foley artist
Nancy Barker	....	first assistant sound editor
Lance Brown	....	sound re-recording mixer
Harriet Fidlow	....	adr editor: New York
Michael Geisler	....	foley supervisor
Paul Hackner	....	dialogue editor
Ann Hadsell	....	adr mixer: Los Angeles
Kenton Jakub	....	adr editor: New York
Eric Lindemann	....	supervising sound editor (as Eric Warren Lindemann)
David Lott	....	foley editor
Trillby Kim Lowe	....	supervising adr editor (as Kimberly Lowe Voigt)
Trillby Kim Lowe	....	supervising dialogue editor (as Kimberly Lowe Voigt)
Kim Maitland	....	cable person
Chris Navarro	....	adr recordist: Los Angeles
T.J. O'Mara	....	sound mixer
Dan Paikin	....	cable person (as Daniel Paiken)
Steve Pederson	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Stephen Pederson)
Jason Piatt	....	foley mixer
Alex Raspa	....	adr recordist: New York
Gary Ritchie	....	sound recordist
Michael Scott	....	boom person
Nathan Whitehead	....	apprentice sound editor
Richard E. Yawn	....	supervising sound editor
Paul J. Zydel	....	adr mixer: New York
Todd Niesen	....	dialogue denoising (uncredited)
Dan Paikin	....	sound recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Connie Brink	....	special effects (as Connie Brink Sr.)

Visual Effects by
Michael Adkisson	....	senior digital compositor: Title House Digital (as Mike Adkisson)
Martin Avitia	....	digital editor: Title House Digital
Joshua D. Comen	....	visual effects producer: Title House Digital (as Josh Comen)
Rob Englin	....	digital compositor: Title House Digital (as Robb Englin)
Elton Garcia	....	visual effects designer
Mike Ocoboc	....	digital compositor: Title House Digital
Marlo Pabon	....	visual effects supervisor
Clay Sparks	....	digital editor: Title House Digital
Randall Balsmeyer	....	visual effects (uncredited)
Derek Bird	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Randy Brown	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Elton Garcia	....	digital effects artist (uncredited)
Holly Gregory Horter	....	visual effects (uncredited)

Stunts
G.A. Aguilar	....	stunt coordinator (as George Aguilar)
Blaise Corrigan	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Bill Almeida	....	rigging gaffer (as William Almeida)
Robert M. Andres	....	key grip (as Robert A. Andres)
Alison Barton	....	best boy grip
Angela Bellisio	....	loader
Braden Belmonte	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Keith Bunting	....	company grip (as Keith Bunting Jr.)
Tony Campenni	....	dolly grip
Mel Cannon	....	company grip
Patrick Capone	....	camera operator
Stephen Consentino	....	Steadicam operator
Lamont Crawford	....	company grip
Ralph G. Crowley	....	best boy electric (as Ralph Crowley)
Peter J. Donoghue	....	company grip (as Peter Donahue)
Samuel G. Friedman	....	company electric (as Sam Friedman)
Jamie Gallagher	....	generator operator
Dennis Green	....	video playback
Carlos Omar Guerra	....	first assistant camera (as Carlos Guerra)
Scott Kincaid	....	company electric
Christopher Liscinsky	....	company electric (as Chris Liscinsky)
Clay Liversidge	....	generator operator
Tommy Lohmann	....	Steadicam operator
Jonathan Lumley	....	gaffer
Michael Papadapolous	....	rigging best boy (as Michael Papadopoulos)
Ken Regan	....	still photographer
Tom Shinn	....	company electric
Chris Skutch	....	rigging grip
Patrick Taistra	....	company grip (as Pat Taistra)
Mark van Rossen	....	rigging best boy (as Mark Van Rossen)
Sebastián Almeida	....	camera intern (uncredited)
Donald M. Angst	....	electrician (uncredited)
Dennis T. Benatar	....	additional photographer (uncredited)
Chris Drechsler	....	electrician (uncredited)
Stanley Fernandez Jr.	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
Timothy Healy	....	key construction electric (uncredited)
Jesse Mather	....	lighting technician (uncredited)
Tom Vulliez	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Laura Cass	....	casting assistant
Barbara Harris	....	voice casting
Meredith Jacobson	....	extras casting (as Meredith Jacobson Marciano)
Matt Schreiber	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Kevin Draves	....	costume supervisor: men (as J. Kevin Draves)
Kelly Gregson	....	set costumer (as Kelly Lee Gregson)
Hilary Niederer	....	assistant costume designer
Deirdre N. Williams	....	costume supervisor: women (as Deirdre Williams)
Alethea McElroy	....	additional costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Aina Abiodun	....	editorial production assistant
Kenny Becker	....	color timer
Jim Bruce	....	assistant editor
Laura Congleton	....	assistant editor
Steve Harrow	....	post-production consultant: N1
Mo Henry	....	negative cutter: D. Bassett & Assoc.
Todd Schechter	....	editorial production assistant (as Todd Daniel Schechter)

Music Department
Nadine Asin	....	musician
Ken Bichel	....	musician
Carter Burwell	....	conductor
Carter Burwell	....	orchestrator
Michael Farrow	....	music scoring mixer
Tony Finno	....	music preparation
Brian Godshall	....	music clearances
Todd Kasow	....	music editor
Lisa E. Kim	....	musician (as Lisa Kim)
Jon Manasse	....	musician
Barbara McDermott	....	music editor
John Palatucci	....	musician (as John Patatucci)
Dean Parker	....	score production manager
Sandra Park	....	musician contractor
Frankie Pine	....	music supervisor
Robert Rinehart	....	musician
Tom Sevcofic	....	musician
Stacy Shames	....	musician (as Stacey Shames)
Alan Silverman	....	score recordist
Alan J. Stepansky	....	musician (as Alan Stepansky)
Shelley Woodworth	....	musician (as Shelly Woodworth)
Sharon Yamada	....	musician
Seth Boggess	....	assistant score engineer (uncredited)
Jason Stasium	....	digital score recordist (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Maurice Fitzgerald	....	transportation co-captain
Kevin Keefe	....	transportation captain
Doug Dovichi	....	transportation coordinator (uncredited)

Other crew
Thomas Ahlers	....	production assistant
Alexandra Arlango	....	assistant: Mr. Kuhn, Qwerty Films
Jonathan Bernier	....	production assistant (as Jon Bernier)
Susan H. Bodine	....	production legal counsel (as Sue Bodine)
Ciara Bresnihan	....	production assistant
Andrea F. Cannistraci	....	production legal counsel (as Andrea Cannistraci)
Andrew Cesana	....	production assistant (as Andy Cesana)
Felix Chen	....	payroll accountant
Kathy Ciric	....	location manager
Annabel Clark	....	intern
Adam Cook	....	assistant: Mr. Condon
Kathryn Craig	....	head of legal affairs: Qwerty Films
John 'JR' Craigmile	....	production accountant (as J.R. Craigmile)
Jennifer Crammer	....	assistant production coordinator (as Jen Crammer)
Sara Curran	....	production legal counsel
Mary Cybulski	....	script supervisor
Nina Fiore	....	production assistant
Julie Hansen	....	post-production accountant: Film Auditors, Inc.
Steve Harrow	....	pre-production consultant: N1
Deborah Hecht	....	dialect coach
Andrew Hildebrand	....	head of commercial and business affairs: Qwerty Films
Steven Jacobson	....	assistant: Ms. Mutrux
Kim Kraftsky	....	animal trainer (as Kim Krafsky)
Robert A. Levine	....	unit publicist (as Robert Levine)
Eli Lichter-Marck	....	intern
Laura Lim	....	production assistant
Peter Lüke	....	production executive: N1
Steve McAuliff	....	animal trainer
Caitlin McGinty	....	production secretary
Kati Meister	....	film researcher
Hillary Meyer	....	first accountant
Bruno Michels	....	production assistant
Montez A. Monroe	....	production coordinator
Melissa Mugavero	....	production assistant
Sarah Nuttall	....	production coordinator: Qwerty Films
Emre Ozpirincci	....	production assistant
Justin Pandolfino	....	intern (as Justin M. Pandolfino)
Deborah Ricketts	....	film researcher
Guadalupe Rilova	....	assistant: Ms. Mutrux
Malcolm Ritchie	....	production executive: N1 and Qwerty Films
Cara Rosenbloom	....	assistant: Mr. Guay
Henri Sann	....	production assistant
Mollie A.J. Smith	....	production assistant (as Mollie Smith)
Jill Tandy	....	production executive: N1 and Qwerty Films
Nick Vanderpool	....	production assistant (as Nicholas Vanderpool)
Kristen von Hoffman	....	intern (as Kristen Von Hoffman)
Mark Woolley	....	chief financial officer: Qwerty Films
Alexa Alden	....	additional script supervisor (uncredited)
Peter Bobrow	....	location assistant (uncredited)
Kofi Burke	....	production accountant: Qwerty Films (uncredited)
Elena Calvo	....	set intern (uncredited)
Jared Cauliffe	....	set production assistant (uncredited)
Linda Sophie Chiu	....	assistant: Mr. D'Amico, Myriad Pictures (uncredited)
Alison S. Cohen	....	production counsel (uncredited)
Frank Covino	....	location scout (uncredited)
Steve Faughnan	....	location assistant (uncredited)
John J. Fitzgerald	....	additional set production assistant (uncredited)
Elton Garcia	....	title designer (uncredited)
Gary Giudice	....	location scout (uncredited)
Bobby Guay	....	office production assistant (uncredited)
Kenny Guay	....	production assistant intern (uncredited)
Shannon Lail	....	production executive: Zoetrope (uncredited)
Julie Landholt	....	graphic artist: titles (uncredited)
Jessica Lichtner	....	script supervisor: second unit (uncredited)
Susan Orga	....	location production assistant (uncredited)
Jurgen Proschinger	....	finance manager: Qwerty Films (uncredited)
Jonathan Roumie	....	location scout (uncredited)
Doyle Smith	....	effects artist (uncredited)
Anita Sum	....	production coordinator (uncredited)

Thanks
L. Wayne Alexander	....	the producers wish to thank
Alan Brunswick	....	the producers wish to thank
Keith Clark	....	the producers wish to thank
Maureen Duffy	....	the producers wish to thank
Jonathan Gathorne-Hardy	....	the producers wish to thank: "Sex/the Measure of All Things"
Charles Moore	....	the producers wish to thank
Jack Morrissey	....	the producers wish to thank
Richard Phillips	....	the producers wish to thank
David Shoner	....	the producers wish to thank: NYPD
Greg Trattner	....	the producers wish to thank
Bart Walker	....	the producers wish to thank
Diane Ward	....	the producers wish to thank

Production Companies

• Fox Searchlight Pictures (presents)
• Qwerty Films (in association with)
• N1 European Film Produktions GmbH & Co. KG
• Pretty Pictures
• American Zoetrope (uncredited)
• Myriad Pictures (uncredited)

Distributors

• Fox Searchlight Pictures (2004) (USA) (theatrical) (A News Corporation company)
• 20th Century Fox Italia (2005) (Italy) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2005) (UK) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox de Argentina (2005) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox of Germany (2005) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Filmax S.A. (2005) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Fox-Warner (2005) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Hollywood Classic Entertainment (2005) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• LNK Audiovisuais (2005) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Paradiso Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Shaw Organisation (2005) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Shochiku Company (2005) (Japan) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• 20th Television (????) (USA) (TV)
• Paradiso Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD) (rental)
• Paradiso Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD) (retail)
• RTL Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (TV) (RTL7) (first national airing)

Special Effects

• Title House Digital (digital visual effects)

Other Companies

• American Humane Association, The  animal action monitored by
• Animal Actors  animals supplied by (as Animal Actors International Inc.)
• Brigham Young University Museum of Art  acknowledgement: "Portrait of Fay Bainter" by Robert Henri, courtesy of
• Bronx Community College  the producers wish to thank
• By Dawn's Early Light  craft service
• CSC  cameras and lighting equipment (an ARRI Group company)
• Coast to Coast Catering  catering
• Corbis Motion  stock footage provided by
• D. Bassett & Associates  negative cutting (as D. Bassett & Assoc.)
• Danetracks  sound design & editorial
• DeLuxe Laboratories  color prints
• Duart  film dailies
• Epstein, Levinsohn, Bodine, Hurwitz & Weinstein  legal services
• Film Auditors  post-production accountants
• Fintage House  collection account management
• Footage Bank  stock footage provided by (as Footagebank)
• Fordham University  the producers wish to thank
• Getty Images  stock footage provided by
• Helen Uffner Vintage Clothing  vintage clothing rentals
• Henry Holt and Company  acknowledgement: "The Naked and the Dead" by Norman Mailer, courtesy of
• Historic Films Archive  stock footage provided by
• Indiana University  the producers wish to thank (as University of Indiana)
• Indianapolis Star, The  reprinted by permission
• Joe Dunton Cameras America  anamorphic lenses provided by (as Joe Dunton Cameras)
• John E. Allen Inc.  stock footage provided by
• Kinsey Institute of Sexual Research  animal footage courtesy of (as The Kinsey Institute)
• Kinsey Institute of Sexual Research  the producers wish to thank (as The Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction)
• New Jersey Film Commission  the producers wish to thank
• New York City Mayor's Office of Film, Theater & Broadcasting, The  the producers wish to thank (as New York City Mayor's Office of Film, Broadcast and Theater)
• New Yorker Magazine, The  acknowledgement: "Is There a Mrs. Kinsey?" by Peter Arno (as The New Yorker Collection)
• Post Factory NY  post-production facilities
• Producer's Library Service  stock footage provided by
• Right Track Recording  score recording (as Right Track Recording, New York)
• Sound One  adr stage: New York (as SoundOne)
• Streamline Films  stock footage provided by
• TV / Movie Unit City of Plainfield, New Jersey  the producers wish to thank
• Teamsters Local 817  the producers wish to thank (as Local 817)
• Time Magazine  acknowledgement: Time Magazine reprinted by permission (as Time Inc.)
• Title House Digital  titles
• Universal Studios  stock footage provided by (as Universal City Studios)
• WPA Film Library  stock footage provided by
• Wilshire Stages, The  adr stage: Los Angeles (as Wilshire Stages)

MPAA:

Rated R for pervasive sexual content, including some graphic images and descriptions.

Runtime:

118 min

Country:

USA | Germany

Language:

English | Slovenian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Japan:R-15 | Iceland:12 (video rating) | Iceland:14 | USA:R (certificate #40544) | Spain:18 | USA:TV-MA (TV rating) | New Zealand:R16 | Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | Brazil:16 | Canada:13+ (Québec) | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Canada:18A (Manitoba) | Chile:14 | Finland:K-15 | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:III | Ireland:16 | Malaysia:(Banned) | Netherlands:16 | Norway:11 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:R21 | South Korea:18 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Zurich) | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Bloomfield, New Jersey, USA

Company:

Fox Searchlight Pictures

Trivia:

Bill Condon interviewed many of Dr. Alfred Kinsey's colleagues before he started writing the script.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: About 25 minutes into film someone plays Chopin Etude #1 in A flat. The notes do not match what is being played. Only part of the keyboard is seen but the right hand seems to be playing an octave lower than the notes.

Quotes:

Alfred Kinsey: The doctors say my heart sounds like a cement mixer.
Clyde Martin: At least they found one.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards (2009) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Lindy Hop

Sex, sex, sex, sex, sex and, oh yeah, sex....

"We've got a couple of hours before dinner; time for a couple of sex surveys. Who wants to go first?"

This line from KINSEY is a great representation of the movie. It illustrates the film's offhanded sense of humor and shows that the otherwise taboo topic of sex is tossed about in a way that can be seen as being either casually shocking or mundanely trivial. And, logically enough, numerous scenes do happen at the dining table: sex researcher Alfred Kinsey, as played by Liam Neeson, chatters about sexual statistics over family backyard cookouts with his teenaged children, regales guests with graphic details of sexual minutiae at elegant affairs and ultimately ends up becoming a crashing bore at dinner parties as his compulsion to ramble on about all things sexual dominates his every conversation and waking thought.

What begins as a healthy interest and a professional curiosity becomes a tiresome obsession. In a way, Kinsey becomes a sex addict, but in a scholarly, detached sort of way. He's like a sports nut who's neither a player nor a spectator, but loves to collect the memorabilia and obsessively keep track of trivial statistics. He measures his sexual conquests less by the number of his bed partners than by how many people he seduces into answering his probing sex surveys. Research itself becomes a sexual fetish.

A disturbing, or at least revealing, aspect of the film is the implication that Kinsey seemed to blur the line separating the personal and professional in his pursuit of carnal knowledge. There is a scene where Kinsey and his assistant Clyde Martin (Peter Sarsgaard) go to a gay bar to round up people to interview and various men treat his request to answer questions as a joke, assuming that the survey is really a cheesy come on. And they might not be entirely wrong. Watching the film, one gets the feeling that Kinsey had a substantial sexual appetite, both physically and intellectually. The film suggests more than it reveals, but it hints that the lingering concerns over Kinsey's moral and ethical behavior might reflect more than just a germ of suspicion.

Though the film tries to memorialize Kinsey as a social pioneer, it doesn't shy away from (nor does it condemn) his dubious breaches of ethical standards, such as encouraging intramural sexual activities among his staff and their wives. At one point, Kinsey interviews a creepy subject played by William Sadler who has maintained a detailed record of all of the thousands of people he has had sex with (including children) and the implication is clear that he and Kinsey are two sides of the same coin -- both justifying their amoral pursuits in the name of intellectual enrichment.

Throughout the movie all things sexual are treated comically and seriously, trivially and ponderously, casually and obsessively. But only fleetingly is sex treated erotically. The film is graphic about sex, but in a textbook sort of way, not a pornographic way. Even the few sexual scenes involving Kinsey and his wife (Laura Linney) seem designed to illustrate an academic point, coming off as being more like classroom visual aids rather than moments of passion. The film delves into the good doctor's bisexuality, but gingerly treats it with equal reticence. Indeed, though a bit of full frontal nudity is supplied by Sarsgaard, he ends up putting his pajamas on before sharing an intimate kiss with Neeson. Perhaps the film's only moment of real sexual tension comes from two Boy Scouts discussing the sins of self gratification. (And they end up praying!)

The film is mostly all X-rated talk, with only a bit of PG-13 action. And the talk isn't even all that graphic, it just seems that way compared to the traditional -- skittish -- way films always approach the subject. If the film has any point it is that even though we have come a long way in dealing with sexuality, we still haven't gone all that far: political correctness having joined religious piety as a form of censorship. Kinsey worked to bring the most private of all human endeavors into public discourse, not realizing, or caring, that most people would still rather have it continue being -- literally -- private intercourse. As such, KINSEY still carries a certain shock value and the ability to milk much of its humor from its often embarrassingly blunt approach.

And humor may be the film's saving grace. Though, towards the end, the story takes on the usual air of self-importance that plagues most film biographies, writer-director Bill Condon refuses to let the film become too heavy-handed. Some of the humor is a bit obvious, such as picking John Lithgow to play Kinsey's pompous father, a fundamentalist preacher, in a performance that echoes the actor's similar role in FOOTLOOSE. But, for the most part the humor humanize the characters and doesn't present them as crusading icons or symbols of enlightenment. Like most film biographies, the honesty of KINSEY as history is debatable, as are the doctor's contribution to the health and welfare of the society. But as a film, KINSEY is like good sex, a briefly satisfying mix of passion and amusement.