led ▁out ▁for ▁his ▁performance ▁as ▁Martin , ▁a ▁v icious ▁sexual ▁devi ant ▁who ▁uses ▁his ▁am oral ▁app et ites ▁to ▁his ▁own ▁tw isted ▁ends . ▁The ▁film ▁was ▁the ▁t enth - most ▁popular ▁movie ▁at ▁the ▁French ▁box ▁office ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 0 . ▁ ▁The ▁film ▁has ▁appeared ▁on ▁critics ' ▁lists ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁Best ▁ 1 0 0 0 ▁Mov ies ▁Ever ▁Made ▁and ▁Hal li well ' s ▁Top ▁ 1 0 0 0 : ▁The ▁Ult imate ▁Movie ▁Count down . ▁ ▁The ▁film ' s ▁entry ▁in ▁the ▁Lexikon ▁des ▁International en ▁Films ▁pra ises ▁it ▁for ▁its ▁presentation ▁of ▁the ▁connection ▁of ▁" m oral ▁dec ad ence , ▁sexual ▁neu ros is , ▁a eth etic ist ▁death ▁wish , ▁nar cis ist ▁self - center ed ness ▁and ▁political ▁opportun ism ", ▁also ▁saying ▁that ▁the ▁effect ▁is ▁partially ▁weak ened ▁by ▁the ▁film ' s ▁" decor ative ▁circuit ous ness ▁and ▁artificial ▁st yl isation ." ▁ ▁The ▁film ▁was ▁given ▁an ▁" X " ▁rating ▁by ▁the ▁MP AA ▁and ▁was ▁heavily ▁edited ▁when ▁shown ▁on ▁CBS ▁television ▁late ▁at ▁night . ▁Warner ▁B ros . ▁submitted ▁the ▁film ▁for ▁re - class ification ▁for ▁its ▁DVD ▁release ▁of ▁the ▁film ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁The ▁film ' s ▁rating ▁was ▁changed ▁from ▁an ▁" X " ▁to ▁an ▁" R ". ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁▁▁