Orville’s possessiveness is portrayed as toxic rather than romantic.
The film received a "C" (Condemned) rating, the first major Hollywood film to do so since Baby Doll (1956). Kiss Me, Stupid
The film’s failure marked a turning point where the Hays Code was losing its grip, but the public wasn't yet ready for Wilder’s brand of "dirty" realism. Legacy and Re-evaluation Orville’s possessiveness is portrayed as toxic rather than
Martin’s self-parody was seen as too "on the nose," depicting a star who was drunken, lecherous, and cynical. Kiss Me, Stupid
The transactional nature of every relationship in the film mirrors the commercialization of the 1960s. Gender and Domesticity Wilder deconstructs the "perfect" 1960s marriage: