The Telephone Book

Alice is a young woman in New York who answers an anonymous obscene phone call and finds the experience thrilling rather than shocking. Fueled by curiosity and desire, she sets out through the city to track down the stranger who spoke to her, chasing leads, odd encounters, and a string of surreal interludes. The film follows her assorted meetings and fantasies as she pieces together a picture of the caller, shifting between comic episodes and moments of frank sexuality. The narrative stays focused on her pursuit and the atmosphere of early 1970s Manhattan, without resolving every mystery about motives or consequences.

Released in 1971, The Telephone Book was written and directed by Nelson Lyon as an independent, offbeat feature. The cast includes Sarah Kennedy as Alice, Norman Rose, James Harder, a young Jill Clayburgh in a supporting role, and Ondine providing narration, giving the film a mix of stagey performances and experimental touches.

The movie never aimed for mainstream ticket sales and had a limited theatrical life, screened mostly at art houses and midnight shows. It did not generate notable box office numbers, instead finding intermittent circulation on specialty reissues and in underground film circles rather than broad commercial success.

Critical reaction has been mixed, reflected by modest audience scores. Viewers divide over its tonal leaps, with some appreciating the comic and surreal elements while others find the explicit material and looseness of structure off-putting. The film foregrounds themes of sexual freedom, voyeurism through technology, and urban solitude, often shifting from light comedy to unsettling moments without warning.

Over time the picture has attracted a small cult following among fans of 1970s countercultural cinema. People remember its bold telephone erotica premise, Ondine's distinctive voiceover, and the curiosity of seeing Jill Clayburgh early in her career. It remains a conversation piece for those interested in how sex, media, and city life were depicted in the era.