When the film came to the United States, it was seized by the authorities as pornography. The years have melted away its controversy and the uncut version was released to DVD in 2004.
This was filmed simultaneously with another Henry Miller adaptation, Tropic of Cancer (1970). Both were filmed (at least partly) in Paris and Miller himself would drop by the sets of both films. At times, filming locations were only a quick walk away.
Owing to the subject matter and strong language the film was rejected for UK cinema by the BBFC in 1970. It was eventually released fully uncut on DVD by Arrow in 2002.
Feminists protested some of the lyrics of Country Joe McDonald's "Quiet Days in Clichy Theme". He claims that the song was often booed and cursed when he played it on college campus demonstrations.