Imagine a world where Mother Goose is a cross-dressing old man on trial for obscenity. He’s standing in a courtroom, yelling at a judge that the fairy tales we tell kids are all lies. To prove it, he plays "tapes" of the real stories—except these tapes are filthy, X-rated animated shorts featuring Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Little Red Riding Hood. This isn't some weird fever dream. It’s the actual premise of the 1976 film Once Upon a Girl.
Finding the once upon a girl full movie today is like hunting for a ghost of the "Porno-Chic" era. It’s a bizarre relic from a time when the lines between Saturday morning cartoons and adult theaters were dangerously thin.
The Disney Connection: Why the Animation Looks So Familiar
If you watch even five minutes of this movie, you'll feel a weird sense of déjà vu. The characters move like they belong in The Flintstones or a classic Disney feature. There’s a good reason for that.
The film was directed by Don Jurwich. If that name doesn't ring a bell, his resume definitely will. He was a veteran animator and producer who worked on Scooby-Doo, The Pink Panther, and even G.I. Joe: The Movie. Jurwich didn't work alone, either. He reportedly recruited a group of "frustrated" animators from Walt Disney Productions and Hanna-Barbera to help him create this project.
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Basically, you have some of the most talented artists in the industry using their world-class skills to draw the most vulgar things imaginable. It’s the ultimate act of artistic rebellion.
What Actually Happens in the Movie?
The structure is pretty simple. It uses a live-action "wraparound" story to connect three animated segments.
The Courtroom Drama
Hal Smith—who played Otis the Drunk on The Andy Griffith Show—stars as Mother Goose. He’s in full drag, sporting a bonnet and a shawl, defending his "true" versions of fairy tales in court. As he tells his stories, the film cuts to the animation. Interestingly, legendary voice actor Frank Welker (the voice of Fred from Scooby-Doo and Megatron) provides voices for the animated characters. Yes, really.
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The Three Twisted Tales
- Jack and the Beanstalk: In this version, Jack is a sex-obsessed teen who sells his cow to a perverted dwarf in exchange for "magic beans" and a night with a gypsy. When he climbs the beanstalk, he doesn't find a giant's treasure—he finds the giant's wife, and things get... complicated.
- Cinderella: This segment follows a Prince who is on a literal quest to find the woman he slept with at the ball. He doesn't use a glass slipper. Instead, he checks the "anatomical measurements" of every woman in the kingdom. It’s as crude as it sounds.
- Little Red Riding Hood: This is arguably the most controversial part. It portrays Red as a ditzy, frequently naked character who encounters various characters in the woods.
Why is it so hard to find today?
Back in 1976, Once Upon a Girl had a limited theatrical run in adult cinemas. It was a "hit" in its very specific niche, but it didn't exactly have the staying power of Snow White.
For decades, it existed only on bootleg VHS tapes and in the memories of cult cinema nerds. It wasn't until Severin Films did a proper DVD/Blu-ray restoration that people could see it in high quality. They even tracked down an interview with the executive producer, William Silberkleit, who explained that the goal was to capitalize on the success of films like Fritz the Cat.
Even with a modern release, the once upon a girl full movie isn't exactly streaming on Netflix. You usually have to dig into specialty boutique labels or "gray market" video sites to see the whole thing.
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The Weird Legacy of Animated Porn
Is it a good movie? Honestly, no. Most critics agree the animation is "limited" (think low-budget 70s TV quality) and the humor is pretty bottom-of-the-barrel.
However, its existence is a fascinating piece of film history. It represents a moment when animation was trying to "grow up" and shed its reputation as "just for kids," even if that meant leaning into the most extreme adult content possible.
Actionable Insights for Cult Film Hunters
If you're looking to dive into the world of "adult animation history," here’s how to do it right:
- Check the Source: If you find a version of Once Upon a Girl online, it’s often censored or heavily edited. For the true experience, the Severin Films physical release is the only way to see the restored colors and hear the original audio.
- Know the Context: Watch it alongside Fritz the Cat (1972) or Tarzoon: Shame of the Jungle (1975) to understand how the "X-rated cartoon" trend actually worked in the 70s.
- Don't Expect Disney: Despite the animators' pedigree, this was a low-budget production. The movement is choppy, and the backgrounds are simple. It’s a curiosity, not a masterpiece.
Whether you find it hilarious or just plain gross, you can't deny that Once Upon a Girl is one of the strangest things to ever come out of a Hollywood animation studio. It’s a reminder that behind every "wholesome" cartoon, there might be a bored animator just waiting to draw something they shouldn't.
If you are a fan of obscure cinema, look for the Severin Films catalog specifically. They specialize in preserving these kinds of "lost" exploitation films that otherwise would have rotted away in a basement somewhere.