When pressed about the tricky subject of pornography, the late
One of the big questions in adapting E.L. James' massively popular erotic novel about an S&M-inclined billionaire (
Director
In international markets, the movie has met with a range of ratings, from laissez-faire to strictly verboten.
In France, children as young as 12 can see "Fifty Shades," as the country's film board chose not to give it an adult certificate.
France's classification president, Jean-Francois Mary, said the erotic drama "isn't a film that … can shock a lot of people," according to the Associated Press. He added that it's "a romance, you could even say schmaltzy."
The British Board of Film Classification was more prudish, slapping the film with an 18 certificate, meaning anyone younger will not be permitted to see it.
Some socially conservative nations, including Kenya and Malaysia, have banned the film outright.
According to the Malaysian newspaper the Star, the chairman of the country's film board said the group found "Fifty Shades" to be more like "pornography than a movie."
Follow @ogettell for movie news