- The Story of O was initially banned in the UK in 1975, but cinema and video/DVD releases were passed by the British Board of Film Classification in 2000. The censors themselves did not make any cuts to this dubbed version, but around 8 minutes of non-sexual narrative scenes were removed by the director for pacing reasons. The fully uncut, subtitled version has played in the UK on the subscription channel FilmFour.
- The U.S. English-dubbed print is missing 6 scenes and runs approximately 8 minutes shorter than the original French version. However, the missing footage appears to have been removed for pacing reasons rather than any risqué content. The edited scenes are as follows:
- After Rene picks up O from the chateau, the U.S. print cuts directly to O's first photo shoot, whereas in the French version, Rene brings her back to his apartment and shows her around, then expresses dissatisfaction with her training and behavior.
- Immediatley following the above mentioned scene, O is left alone in the apartment. Rene phones and tells her to get undressed and wait for his arrival. She strips and is kneeling on the floor as he enters. Note: a few frames of the shot with her kneeling can be seen in the U.S. print just before it cuts to O's photo shoot.
- After O's first whipping at Anne-Marie's house, the U.S. print cuts directly to the scene with Therese fixing O's hair next to a vase of red roses. In the French version, O's first whipping is followed by a scene in which the women have lunch in the garden.
- Immediately following the above mentioned scene, the French version also contains a scene of O waking up in the middle of the night when she hears crying in the stairwell. She gets up to investigate, as do some of the other women, and they find a distraught Therese, who wants to leave their submissive environment.
- After O and Jacqueline go for a walk on the beach, the U.S. print cuts directly to the scene where O meets Sir Stephen before their boating trip. In the French version, the walk on the beach is longer as O spots Therese climbing out of a fishing boat. She rushes over to greet her and Jacqueline immediately becomes jealous and asks O if she ever slept with Therese.
- Immediately following the above mentioned scene, O, Therese and Jacqueline have lunch together. Jacqueline is still feeling jealous and makes a few snide remarks at Therese, who retaliates by purposely spilling tea on Jacqueline's lap.
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