Information for Parents
Common Sense Media says Iffy for 16+
Dated '70s sex comedy is decidedly not for kids.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that even in this age of raunchy, Apatow-ian humor, this Blake Edwards comedy is decidedly adult. Its themes -- mid-life crises, commitment issues, and the like -- won’t likely appeal to teens. But there’s plenty of nudity -- naked breasts and backsides -- and numerous sexual situations, including the depiction of a sex party. Participants wander around naked and are briefly shown hooking up in twos and sometimes threes. Expect some mild swearing, too (including the occasional "f--k"). More troubling, however, is the downright objectification of women. They're there to star in male fantasies, and though one woman stands up for herself, it hardly makes up for the rest of the movie.
- Families can talk about how things have changed since this movie was made. Can you think of any modern movies with similar themes? What are the differences between these films? Do movies reflect society or vice versa?
- Is there really such a thing as a mid-life crisis? Or is it a false concept used in media? Talk about how men and women supposedly respond to these crises? What are the storytelling advantages of creating a concept like this?
The good stuff
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Positive messages: Men rate women on the scale of 1 to 10 -- just one of many chauvinistic
behaviors they display in this movie. Women are pretty much objectified
throughout the film. An elderly woman is made fun of in one scene.
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Positive role models: The main character is going through a mid-life crisis. He spies on his neighbor’s sexual activities; he calls women “broads.”
And he is disrespectful to his girlfriend; he thinks there’s nothing
wrong with checking out other women.
What to watch for
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Violence: Not an issue
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Sex: Women in bikinis and skimpy shorts parade on the streets of a beachside enclave, catching the eye of a 40-year-old man. He spies a woman playing pool half-naked with his neighbor through his telescope; her breasts are visible. He watches his neighbor sleep with different women, sometimes two at the same time. He even joins in a sex party and flirts with naked women (their breasts and backsides are shown). Lingering shots of a woman applying sunscreen and running on the beach in slow motion. A woman seduces another man while her husband's recuperating.
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Language: “S--t” and “sonofabitch” and "damn." (A teenager says "s--t" once.) Also, the F-word, though sparingly. A character calls women “broads,” “dames” and “crumpets.” He also calls his friend a homophobic slur. A woman gives a man the finger.
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Consumerism: No brazen name-brand dropping, though there are some obvious uses of symbols of success, including a Rolls Royce.
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Drinking, drugs and smoking: One character gets drunk at a party. He and guests are often seen with a cocktail in hand. He also downs a few after dental surgery and mixes them with medication. Men drink cocktails on the beach. A woman smokes pot.