An X-Rated Movie Is The Most Profitable Film Of All Time (Relative To Its Budget)

It doesn't always take a million dollar budget to be a million dollar hit. Sometimes, all it takes is the right campaign, the right visual hook — or, in the case of the film that's the most profitable in the world compared to its budget, something that gets the country's pulse racing. The highest grossing film that's the most profitable, based on return on investment, is the "porno chic" classic "Deep Throat" — and no, it has nothing to do with that famous White House informant played by Liam Neeson. Made for $25,000, it became a blockbuster that grossed an estimated $22,528,467 worldwide. There have been debates over what the movie's actual take was, with numbers as large as $600 million bandied about. With the $22+ million figure, "Deep Throat" has a ROI of 90,014% — putting it atop movies like "The Blair Witch Project" and "Paranormal Activity," two movies that became unexpected blockbusters.

The film follows a young woman (Linda Lovelace) who cannot find sexual satisfaction and doesn't know how to fix the situation. A visit to Dr. Young (Harry Reems) reveals that a certain sensitive part of her anatomy exists in the depths of her throat. The rest of the runtime features Lovelace working as Young's therapist, searching for the right guy to marry and accept her, um, therapeutic measures. But while "Deep Throat" became a cultural landmark, the woman who starred in it soon wished she hadn't.

Linda Lovelace had already starred in a number of adult loops before appearing in "Deep Throat" – against her will, she would later state, and at the behest of her allegedly physically and sexually abusive then-husband Chuck Traynor. After the success of "Deep Throat," she tried to start a mainstream acting career — first in the R-rated "Deep Throat II," then in "Linda Lovelace for President." But that type of fame did not materialize for her. She tried a theatrical career and wrote several autobiographies.

Lovelace eventually retired from the screen, becoming a mother and housewife. She later became an anti-pornography activist, stating at the Attorney General's Commission on Pornography in 1986, "when you see the movie 'Deep Throat,' you are watching me being raped." She lectured on college campuses about her experiences, but eventually faded from the limelight again. She contracted hepatitis from a post-car accident blood transfusion, which eventually resulted in a liver transplant and kidney failure. Involved in another car wreck on April 3, 2002, she was taken off life support and passed away on April 22. 

Since then, "Deep Throat" has been the subject of the documentary "Inside Deep Throat," and Lovelace has been the center of the biopic "Lovelace," starring Amanda Seyfried of "Mean Girls" fame. Lovelace herself has passed into legend, but her memory lingers on.

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).