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

Featured Audience Ratings

• Jon J

  
  Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Sex, But Were Afraid To Ask is bizarre not only in name (it will henceforth be called EB for simplicity). It's probably the most purely comedic of Woody Allen's movies, being little more than a collection of sketches with various… More
  Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Sex, But Were Afraid To Ask is bizarre not only in name (it will henceforth be called EB for simplicity). It's probably the most purely comedic of Woody Allen's movies, being little more than a collection of sketches with various sexual matters in the spotlight. It lacks the subtle edge of Allen's greatest, and many of the jokes are hit and miss. It's still not even a mediocre film, because when EB is good, it's fantastic, and will surely cause some laughter though it may be sporadic. At its most basic, EB is a parody of the common questions asked about sex, relationships and overall ethics. A single question is discussed in one sketch, and it is then followed by another. These questions range from being about orgasm problems to sodomy, so there's much to take. So yes, it is a sketch show. And as with any sketch show, the quality of each one is inconsistent. There are seven of them in total, which both differ in style and type of humor. Some of them are darkly humorous (the sodomy one is this reviewer's favorite for that reason) while some are on the more silly side, specifically the very ambitious final act. It really is the simplicity of the film that is its biggest flaw. The short nature of each sketch leads to the actors not being able to fully express themselves. Gene Wilder is wonderful as a sheep-loving doctor, and Woody Allen can always make his personae work. They just don't get enough screentime. EB is an entertaining, often hilarious film but lacks a key element to make it truly great: consistency. It's therefore a worthwhile, but not so memorable comedy experience.

• Spencer S

  
  A mix between the brilliant Woody Allen and the style of a Mel Brooks film, Everything...is amazingly original and funny. Every scene is stylized, the script flawless, the punchline inches away from your nose, but you don't dare sneeze. Just plain wonderful.

• Randy T

  
  It's tough to be cerebral about low-brow humor.

• Anthony L

  
  7 skits, but only 2 and a half are funny!

• Pierluigi P

  
  Allen tries hard on a bit more edgier comedy based on some curious sexual habits. Some moments are outrageous, but not all of them work, none its hysterically funny except from the last one. despite that, all the episodes have their own "charm", in a quirky way.

• Tsubaki S

  
  Dated, but still fun.

• Daniel P

  
  A fun and interesting series of sketches (seven in all) in which we see many sides of Woody Allen's odd-ball humour, some much better than others. Of particular interest are the sketches featuring Gene Wilder ("What is Sodomy?") and Burt Reynolds ("What Happens… More
  A fun and interesting series of sketches (seven in all) in which we see many sides of Woody Allen's odd-ball humour, some much better than others. Of particular interest are the sketches featuring Gene Wilder ("What is Sodomy?") and Burt Reynolds ("What Happens During Ejaculation?"), which are really the two winners out of the lot. A fun and inventive collection worth checking out... and for the record, the first Woody Allen film I ever watched (I read his book, Side Effects, before ever watching his films... that's weird, right?).

• Jennifer X

  
  That last little sperm skit was THE the cutest thing I've seen in a while. But all in all, this was slightly disappointing because I liked maybe just half of them. But yeah, the end skit made up for everything, almost.

• xGary X

  
  Very hit and miss collection of skits about Woody's favourite subject. Sometimes funny, often lame.

• Megan S

  
  I think I've seen this movie. I definitely remember the reluctant sperm and a giant breast but I don't know if I've seen it all.

• Cindy I

  
  Not a Woody fan, but this was kinda fun. Gene Wilder in love with a sheep named Daisy is the best part.

• Michael G

  
  The funniest Woody Allen movie ever. The giant tit scene is a riot.

• Byron B

  
  Aphrodisiacs- I liked this segment. Allen as a fool trying to do stand up comedy before the medieval court is ready to hear his jokes was funny. The slapstick and verbal jabs were enjoyable. Sodomy- Uncomfortable! A much longer dramatic story greatly condensed. At times made me… More
  Aphrodisiacs- I liked this segment. Allen as a fool trying to do stand up comedy before the medieval court is ready to hear his jokes was funny. The slapstick and verbal jabs were enjoyable. Sodomy- Uncomfortable! A much longer dramatic story greatly condensed. At times made me laugh a little, but this was as I turned my head and tried to cover my eyes. Women's Orgasms- Copying an Italian Art picture. Wow, never seen Woody Allen play this cool Italian sort of character, he can play something besides the nebish neurotic New Yorker. It is funny that Americans have always been more accepting of sexual themes in foreign films, as long as we can't understand the words, Europe can talk about or show us anything. Transvestites- Actually the guy is a crossdresser, not a transvestite. This one was not very funny. Perversion- A fake TV gameshow with a young Regis Philbin as one of the guest celebrity panelists. I didn't understand the rules of the game cause I don't think it was developed enough. Again not very funny. Sexual Research- A science fiction B-movie. Complete with man and woman strangers meeting and by coincidence having the same destination, a creepy old mansion run by a mad scientist with humped back servant, the mad scientist's laboratory going haywire allowing a giant monster experiment to escape, and the man and woman turned heroes finding hick sheriff and working together to capture the rampaging killer experiment. Now, the scientist is researching sex and the escaped monster experiment is a single giant boob! There are so many BAD jokes and the milk is gross! Still I laughed a few times in spite of myself when I wasn't cringing. Ejaculation- I don't have any desire to see Eddie Murphy's Meet Dave. This is much funnier especially since it deals with the male body in preparation for having sex. Tony Randall, Burt Reynolds, and many others work the brain control room sending out orders for different body parts to respond when necessary. Hilarious!! The short circuit, the pleasure center, the priest tying up the conscience and making guilt keep the gears in the erection room from working properly, and of course all the sperm getting ready to "fertilize an ovum or die trying" is genius. Woody Allen as the one sperm who is afraid and doubting his purpose in life is worth seeing.

• Daniel P

  
  Allen's low-brow sketch comedy on sex and sexuality isn't one of my favorites; the hit/miss ratio is about 50/50 and the "Giant Tit" chapter goes on f-a-r too long, but there are some undeniably very funny scenes too. Best Gene Wilder's infatuation with a… More
  Allen's low-brow sketch comedy on sex and sexuality isn't one of my favorites; the hit/miss ratio is about 50/50 and the "Giant Tit" chapter goes on f-a-r too long, but there are some undeniably very funny scenes too. Best Gene Wilder's infatuation with a sheep and the Tony Randall/Burt Reynolds/Woody Allen sperm chapter. I found the film more interesting for the inventive camerawork - surprising in what is essentially a quick fire comedy - than the script or performances, as I think the film as a whole has dated a little (and the target audience definitely seems more biased towards heterosexual men, which therefore excludes me). As an Allen aficionado, this works more as a curio than something with re-watch value.

• Mike T

  
  A hysterically funny, innovative and intelligent comedy. As is the case with all of Allen's work, this one is sparked with originality and can be construed as a landmark of the genre. Definitely one of the funniest movies I've ever seen.

• Tom S

  
  I saw all the sketches, but the first one, but I'd still like to see it again.

• Marion R

  
  Best part is Gene Wilder with the sheep. lol

• Lee K

  
  as all Woody Allen films are this is weird!

• Laurence C

  
  Not among Allen's very best but hugely enjoyable nonetheless.

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