Both filmmakers claim that once nudity turned up in American movies, circa 1970, the American audience's patience with European cinema ended.
American movies are rankly, unforgivably unsexy right now.
Moreover, those who are truly into just seeing some sex can skulk into the part of the video store that's behind the curtain. Thus, there's no real pressure to make films hotter than, say, the throbbing uncontrollable passion of Richard Gere looking sideways in the general direction of Winona Ryder. The acrid couplings and quadruplings all take place in Leopold's apartment, with no outside world seen, during the course of a year. The natural pressure of this film, a play without exteriors, adds to the keen, bitter comedy. Farce is built to reinforce monogamy.