What Do You Say to a Naked Lady?

What Do You Say to a Naked Lady?, a film that hit the screens in 1970, is a provocative and boundary-pushing documentary-style social experiment.

The breezy and unconventional flick is directed by Allen Funt, known for producing and hosting the television series Candid Camera. Funt ingeniously translates the spirit of this hidden-camera show to the silver screen with What Do You Say to a Naked Lady? Here, Funt deals with the theme of society's attitudes and responses towards nudity and sex, breaching the conventional documentary genre's limits in the process.

Joie Addison, Laura Huston, and Martin Meyers headline the film, each displaying an uninhibited and authentic performance. Addison and Huston are presented as unabashed and candid in their nudity embracing the challenge the film presents. In contrast, Meyers demonstrates a rich balance of surprise, hesitation, and introspection, reflecting an everyday man's reactions to the situations crafted by Funt.

The plot of What Do You Say to a Naked Lady? is loosely structured around various scenarios designed to provoke reactions. Each of these situations confronts people in public with unexpected nudity or explicitly sexual situations. The responses to these unexpected encounters are caught on hidden cameras, propelling forward a fun, light-hearted, and at times awkward look at people's views towards sexuality and nudity during that era.

The reaction ranges from embarrassment, amusement, shock, and indifference by people of different ages and backgrounds. Both sides of human nature are laid bare; one, which seeks to adhere to societal norms and propriety, and another that is titillated and intrigued by the erotic and unexpected. The film maintains a broad perspective in displaying the public reactions, capturing a broad human spectrum that ranged from shock to acceptance when it comes to public nudity or provocative situations.

The movie does not restrict itself to documenting reactions but also conducts interviews, which furnish an insightful peek into the society of the time. Random people from diverse walks of life are engaged in conversations, encouraged to share their unfiltered thoughts and feelings about sex, love, and societal norms.

Funt also cleverly plays with varying levels of exposure to nudity in his attempts to evaluate reactions. From a naked woman trying to hitch a ride to an unclad model in an art class, the reactions caught on camera are genuinely fascinating. Funt transforms the film from a mere documentation of reactions to an insightful study of societal values, consent and the human capacity for embarrassment and denial.

Moreover, What Do You Say to a Naked Lady? pushes the envelope when it comes to hidden camera antics — not fluffy, easy-to-digest social awkwardness, but bold, unvarnished examinations of our most private selves. Well apart from its popular-label as an X-rated Candid Camera-style comedy, the film lightly but definitely pokes at cultural norms, the breadth of individual reactions, and ingrained biases, making it a truly thought-provoking watch.

The soundtrack accompanying the movie, composed by Doug Goodwin, stirs an eery yet comical atmosphere allowing the story to unfold with a unique charm. Each scene is crafted with underlying humor, teasing out various feelings from an unknowing public, their reactions a captivating study of human nature, dress codes and sexuality.

Watching What Do You Say to a Naked Lady? is not just about witnessing people reacting to surprising and provocative situations. Instead, it's about understanding how intricately beliefs, attitudes, and societal norms influence our behaviour when confronted by the unexpected. It's about chuckling at the absurdity and awkwardness of situations while pondering how one would react under similar circumstances. It's quintessential Allen Funt, a testament to his unorthodox style and audacity, and a must-watch for anyone interested in social experiments, documented responses, and a fair bit of audacious fun.