Oliver Reed and Sir Alan Bates were initially apprehensive about filming the legendary nude wrestling scene, due to insecurity over who might have the larger 'member'. To 'prepare', both consumed a bottle of vodka each, and subsequently realized there was little difference between the two. Filming continued with relative ease.
Considered, along with Haskell Wexler's Objectif vérité (1969), to be amongst the first mainstream movies to feature male frontal nudity.
Glenda Jackson was pregnant with her son Dan Hodges throughout the shoot. In referring to her nude scenes, she said she'd never had such a "wonderful bosom".
The nude wrestling scene posed problems for U.K. censor John Trevelyan, and this movie was only passed after director Ken Russell made some edits to the original print to reduce full-length shots of Rupert and Gerald standing motionless before the wrestling begins and to darken shots of sunlight streaming into the room. The sex scenes between Gerald and Gudrun were also reduced at the censor's request. After the edits were made, this movie was granted an "X" certificate.
In 1971, United Artists successfully re-issued this movie in the U.S. on a double bill with the similarly steamy Macadam cowboy (1969).