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Tout ce que vous avez toujours voulu savoir sur le sexe... sans jamais oser le demander (1972)

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask (original title)
16 | | Comedy | 31 May 1973 (France)
Seven stories are trying to answer the question: what is sex? Or maybe they are not trying.

Director:

Woody Allen

Writers:

David Reuben (from the book "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask" by) (as Dr. David Reuben), Woody Allen (written for the screen by)
1 win & 1 nomination. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Woody Allen ... Victor / Fabrizio / The Fool / Sperm
John Carradine ... Doctor Bernardo
Lou Jacobi ... Sam
Louise Lasser ... Gina
Anthony Quayle ... The King
Tony Randall ... The Operator
Lynn Redgrave ... The Queen
Burt Reynolds ... Switchboard
Gene Wilder ... Doctor Ross
Jack Barry ... Jack Barry
Erin Fleming Erin Fleming ... The Girl
Elaine Giftos ... Mrs. Ross
Toni Holt Kramer Toni Holt Kramer ... Toni Holt (as Toni Holt)
Robert Q. Lewis ... Robert Q. Lewis
Heather MacRae ... Helen Lacey (as Heather Macrae)
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In czarist Russia, a neurotic soldier and his distant cousin formulate a plot to assassinate Napoleon.

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Storyline

Seven segments related to one another only in that they all purport to be based on sections of the book by David Reuben. The segments range from "Do Aphrodisiacs Work?" in which a court jester gives an aphrodisiac to the Queen and is, in the end, beheaded to "What Happens During Ejaculation?" in which we watch "control central" during a successful seduction. Written by Scott R. Vaughn <scott@vaughn.hon.msu.edu>

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

If you want to know how this man made a movie out of this book... "Everything you always wanted to know about sex* - *But Were Afraid to Ask" you'll have to see the movie! See more »

Genres:

Comedy

Certificate:

16 | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Elliott Gould and Producer Jack Brodsky were the first people to option David Reuben's book, but opted to sell it to United Artists once they determined that the text was too hard to film. The TCMDb suggests that the reason was due to when "Gould and Brodsky dissolved their partnership". See more »

Goofs

When the policeman comes to see about the transvestite's stolen purse, he says "I'll have to fill out a report, sir", while the transvestite was still in women's clothes. The word "sir" is not in the subtitles. See more »

Quotes

The Queen: Cheers!
The Fool: And Roebuck.
See more »

Crazy Credits

Opening and closing credits shown over footage of rabbits. See more »

Alternate Versions

After being banned in Ireland on March 20 1973, a cut version was passed in 1979 and theatrically released in 1980. This edited:
  • the scene in which a shepherd goes to see a doctor and tells him how he has fallen in love with a sheep. The line, "the greatest lay I ever had" was removed.
  • The bread intercourse scene was removed entirely.
Modern video releases are uncut with an 18 certificate. See more »

Connections

Referenced in American Dad! (2005) See more »

Soundtracks

Battle Hymn of the Republic
(circa 1856) (uncredited)
Music by William Steffe
Lyrics by Julia Ward Howe (1862)
Sung by the sexual organs crew
See more »

User Reviews

Rabbits, sperm, giant breasts and a woody!
28 January 2003 | by NriksSee all my reviews

Representing something of an early high point in Woody Allen's career, this scattershot spoof of David Rueben's highly popular sex-manual has become somewhat sadly overlooked in favour of the more mature and whimsical charms of 'Annie Hall' and 'Manhattan', but 'Everything you always wanted to know about sex' is just as enjoyable as his later works, if not more so.

Although the overt intellectualism that many of Allen's detractors criticize in his subsequent work is already beginning to take form here, not only in the concept (seriously, who'd adapt a sex-manual?) but also in execution, which owes more to the high-brow Fellini and Godard than the low-brow Mel Brooks or John Waters, includes a great deal of metaphysical surrealism, bizarre camera angles and deliberately self-indulgent dialog. Here Allen's filmmaking approach is more self-serving than ever before, casting himself as a medieval stand-up comedian, a heroic leading man and a sperm, yet still finding time to feature in a lengthy satire on early-seventies European cinema. The reason it all comes together without succumbing to self-importance is down to the simplicity and stupidity of most of the set pieces.

The more interesting segments come at the beginning of the film, and if seeing Woody trying hopelessly to unlock Lynn Redgrave's chastity belt and miss-quoting Shakespeare to form a condemnation of T.B. doesn't bring a smile to your face, then the sight of Gene Wilder in the throws of foreplay with a sheep will probably do little to convert you. Humour for the most is juvenile, puerile and immature, but carried off with such hilarious comedic style, that the Farrelly brothers should really reassess their careers. Allen is as likable as ever in his many surreal incarnations -- appearing in fifty percent of the sketches -- his ultimate triumph being the oily, Italian play-boy causing a stir when he and his frigid girlfriend par-take of a little outdoor nookie. And even if he is less confident when trying to be socio-satirical, as in the molestation game show, Woody still manages to inject a wit and ingenuity to the proceedings, always carrying off the gags to his trademark self-deprecating style.

However, despite technical assuredness, the finished product borders on the same hit and miss territory that befalls most anthology films, however, it has to be handed to Allen for making a genuinely intelligent movie that basically celebrates boob-gags and outbursts of rampant misogyny. The best policy with 'Everything you always wanted to know...' is to ignore the false starts of the later segments, and howl at the sight of Woody fighting a giant breast ("Don't worry, I know how to handle tits"). Nevertheless, if your idea of sophisticated humour doesn't include bestiality, orgasms, transvestism, homosexuality, ejaculation, perversion or Burt Reynolds, then feel free to give it a miss.


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Frequently Asked Questions

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian

Release Date:

31 May 1973 (France) See more »

Also Known As:

Tout ce que vous avez toujours voulu savoir sur le sexe... sans jamais oser le demander See more »

Filming Locations:

Agoura, California, USA See more »

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Box Office

Budget:

$2,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$18,016,290

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$18,090,065
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

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Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Mono

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
See full technical specs »

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