This has been strongly suggested to me personally by several people, and by Jove, they did not lead me astray! The story and the humor kick up in no time at all and to put it very simply, the picture is a total blast from top to bottom. An outrageously farcical comedy of errors flies swiftly with some of the sharpest and most fluid dialogue and banter I've ever heard in a movie - anchored with characters of vibrant personality, leading to stupendous dynamics and wonderfully animated performances in some of the most outstanding, robust scene writing I've ever seen. It's no wonder that Buck Henry, David Newman, and Robert Benton's screenplay has been so highly esteemed, and I'm rather aghast that this flick isn't even more widely known and highly celebrated. I don't know if 94 minutes have ever passed by so (too) quickly; have I ever had as much fun watching something as I have with 'What's up, doc?' Maybe, but other examples are precious few and far between! Drop whatever other plans you had for tonight, because this should be your next priority!
That brilliant, effervescent screenplay is really all the fuel that the film needs to be a rip-roaring good time - from that foundation, it's hard to imagine that the end result could have been anything other than a riotous success no matter who else was involved - yet it is far from alone. Filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich keeps the proceedings running smoothly, and at a steady clip, while unfailingly maintaining marvelous high energy, and he is to be commended for commanding such a proverbial "tight ship." In fairness, his task was probably easier with a phenomenal cast that nimbly meets every need of the script. The acting is outright flawless as each and every player embraces their role with wholehearted vitality and enviable zest and vigor. There's unmistakable Madeline Kahn, channeling high-strung Eunice as no one else could; Ryan O'Neal, cute, hapless, and put-upon as smart but absent-minded and flummoxed Howard; thirty-year old Barbra Streisand, truly stunning with the charm and confidence of clever troublemaker Judy; to say nothing of all others involved, too many to name as they round out the tale and the merriment with boisterous, self-sacrificing gusto.
I sat to watch with no meaningful foreknowledge and was blown away time and again by the superbly funny rancor to greet me. At pretty much every turn, just when I thought the viewing experience couldn't get more silly and outlandish, it does! All along the way cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs very smartly keeps up with the shenanigans, and all those behind the scenes from costume design, hair, and makeup to production design and art direction lend magnificent flavor and individuality to the look for each character and each setting. Why, the filming locations themselves are just grand, with San Francisco taking center stage in a manner quite unlike most other titles. Wherever stunts and effects are employed - and to my delight, they are employed in abundance - they are completely fantastic, and never more so than in the extended climactic sequence that gives any other point of comparison, in comedy or in action fare, an earnest run for its money. It's noteworthy, furthermore, that all this transpires and succeeds with flying colors without any embellishment of musical accompaniment. Some features feel flat without a score or soundtrack to complement or foster the mood, yet this is an instance in which it gets along perfectly fine without. As small touches of diegetic selections round out choice moments, the exceptional ingenuity of the whole is only confirmed.
I had every reason to expect I would enjoy this, and those expectations were far exceeded. I altogether, unquestioningly love 'What's up, doc?' The writing is stellar, the direction is impeccable, the cast is flawless, and every little contribution that went into crafting this 1972 romp is a minor joy unto itself. What more is there to say? I cannot overstate how incredibly entertaining this is, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. Forget that other movie you were going to watch - seek out this treasure, however you must, and get ready to have a ball!
That brilliant, effervescent screenplay is really all the fuel that the film needs to be a rip-roaring good time - from that foundation, it's hard to imagine that the end result could have been anything other than a riotous success no matter who else was involved - yet it is far from alone. Filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich keeps the proceedings running smoothly, and at a steady clip, while unfailingly maintaining marvelous high energy, and he is to be commended for commanding such a proverbial "tight ship." In fairness, his task was probably easier with a phenomenal cast that nimbly meets every need of the script. The acting is outright flawless as each and every player embraces their role with wholehearted vitality and enviable zest and vigor. There's unmistakable Madeline Kahn, channeling high-strung Eunice as no one else could; Ryan O'Neal, cute, hapless, and put-upon as smart but absent-minded and flummoxed Howard; thirty-year old Barbra Streisand, truly stunning with the charm and confidence of clever troublemaker Judy; to say nothing of all others involved, too many to name as they round out the tale and the merriment with boisterous, self-sacrificing gusto.
I sat to watch with no meaningful foreknowledge and was blown away time and again by the superbly funny rancor to greet me. At pretty much every turn, just when I thought the viewing experience couldn't get more silly and outlandish, it does! All along the way cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs very smartly keeps up with the shenanigans, and all those behind the scenes from costume design, hair, and makeup to production design and art direction lend magnificent flavor and individuality to the look for each character and each setting. Why, the filming locations themselves are just grand, with San Francisco taking center stage in a manner quite unlike most other titles. Wherever stunts and effects are employed - and to my delight, they are employed in abundance - they are completely fantastic, and never more so than in the extended climactic sequence that gives any other point of comparison, in comedy or in action fare, an earnest run for its money. It's noteworthy, furthermore, that all this transpires and succeeds with flying colors without any embellishment of musical accompaniment. Some features feel flat without a score or soundtrack to complement or foster the mood, yet this is an instance in which it gets along perfectly fine without. As small touches of diegetic selections round out choice moments, the exceptional ingenuity of the whole is only confirmed.
I had every reason to expect I would enjoy this, and those expectations were far exceeded. I altogether, unquestioningly love 'What's up, doc?' The writing is stellar, the direction is impeccable, the cast is flawless, and every little contribution that went into crafting this 1972 romp is a minor joy unto itself. What more is there to say? I cannot overstate how incredibly entertaining this is, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. Forget that other movie you were going to watch - seek out this treasure, however you must, and get ready to have a ball!