Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask (1972)

Genre

Comedy

Director

Woody Allen

Country

USA

Cast

Woody Allen, Jack Barry, John Carradine, Erin Fleming, Elaine Giftos, Toni Holt, Lou Jacobi, Louise Lasser, Robert Q. Lewis, Heather MacRae, Pamela Mason, Sidney Miller, Regis Philbin, Anthony Quayle, Tony Randall, Lynn Redgrave, Burt Reynolds, Ref Sanchez, Gene Wilder, Titos Vandis, Baruch Lumet

Storyline

Seven segments related to one another only in that they all are about sex. They range from "Do Aphrodisiacs Work?" in which a court fool (Woody Allen) gives an aphrodisiac to the Queen (Lynn Redgrave) and is, in the end, beheaded to "What Happens During Ejaculation?", in which we watch control central during a successful seduction.

Opinion

While I've found all the early Woody Allen's films hilarious and worthwhile, this was not up to my expectations.

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask is a quite funny, but uneven collection of sketches.

Based on the book of the same name by David Reuben, published in 1969, Woody Allen made a film in seven episodes that teases the viewer and plays down the sexual psychosis of the average American with an ironic approach.

The idea is very interesting, and it work, at least in part, since the sketches are not treated equally, and therefore we have some purely brilliant parts that everyone remembers, and some other parts that almost go unnoticed.

The best segment is undoubtedly "What Is Sodomy?" that follows Doctor Ross having an affair with Daisy, a sheep. This fragment is strange but hilarious, and features a terrific performance from Gene Wilder - one of his funniest - and the cutest and most adorable sheep ever.

But the highlight of the film, the segment everyone remember is "What Happens During Ejaculation?", definitely the most consistently funny of the seven. It takes a look at a man's body like a NASA operation with many people controlling him. Also nothing can beat sperm-Woody, insecure and unwilling to take action.

Overall it is quite enjoyable to watch.