The film's history is defined by censorship and legal battles. When "Maladolescenza" was first released in West German cinemas, public outcry over the underage sex scenes led to a severe cut. The theatrical version was reduced to 77 minutes, removing virtually all nude shots. The original, uncut version is 91 minutes. Even the "uncut" version in circulation is suspected to be missing footage, as original sources list the film's length as 124 or 127 minutes.