3 Versions???

The first time I saw this movie I saw it on TV. I've heard that there are several versions of this movie out...and the TV version is quite different from the Theatrical release. I once had a VHS copy of this film, and it was different from the TV version. There were scenes with Carrie Snodgress and Frank Langella that featured nudity...that was cut from the version on TV. Unfortunately my VHS version was destroyed when our basement flooded, and I only saw the full version twice, but I have heard that the beginning is quite different on the TV version, (I can't remember what happens on the VHS tape), and that there were scenes put in the TV version to make up for the scenes that were cut from the theatrical version that couldn't make it onto TV.

Never actually heard of a third version, just theatrical and TV. I don't think the original was 104 minutes. The VHS should be the original theatrical release.

There were several alternate takes, and entirely different scenes, shot for the TV version.

Someone could probably make a 104-minute cut by combining the material that is unique to the theatrical and TV versions.

I watched the TV version first. After hunting down the theatrical version, I really wished I had started there first! It's a better version, as to be expected. But there were some scenes unique to the TV version that would have helped flesh out the story if they had been included in the theatrical cut.

EDIT: OK, now I see that the VHS was actually cut too! My guess is because what got rated R in 1970 might have actually rated higher in the '80s when the VHS came out. On another thread here on this board, someone has posted a link to a YouTube vid that combines all known footage, and it actually runs closer to 2 hours, not 104 minutes (which must have actually been the original theatrical run time, meaning 9 minutes was cut from the VHS). I've downloaded the YouTube version and am excited to check out all the footage edited together.

I saw the TV version first and was shocked when I subsequently saw the full version as the TV version has some great scenes that are not included in the full. For instance, Tina's has several session with a psychiatrist that shows his face from her perspective lying down-that is to say the camera shows his face upside down! And he continually berates her for not being the doting housewife to such a masculine, loving husband.

There are more scenes with the laundress (Ja'net Dubois) she hires to wash Jonathan's shirts.

I kind of like it been than the full version.

And why has this movie not been aired since like the 1980's!!??

"I told you a million times not to talk to me when I'm doing my lashes"!