What's Up, Doc?
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Movie Reviews of What's Up, Doc?
Movie Review: Really Fun
Summary: 5 Stars
I think this film is pretty good overall. It's a seventies version of a thirties screwball comedy like "Bringing Up Baby" that stars Barbra Streisand and Ryan O'Neal and is directed by Peter Bogdonavich.Babs plays a brillant yet unfocused coed named Judy Maxwell who falls head over heals for stuffy yet handsome professor, Howard Bannister (Ryan O'Neal). Set primarily in San Francisco, the movie offers a series of interlocking plots in which a diverse group of characters end up on an extended chase involving the old convention of identical, switched luggage and contraband. To give the story the energy that it needs, director Bogdonavich spins the story around some really well-choreographed and executed slap stick and chase scenes through a parade in Chinatown, and a bicycle ride up and down San Francisco's winding streets.
The film is definitely a formula, but it really is fun and it really works! I don't think that Barbra Streisand has ever been funnier or prettier on screen than in this film. She has real chemistry with O'Neal, and works well with the sterling supporting cast including Kenneth Mars and Austin Pendleton. Especially notable is the late, great Madeline Kahn cast as Howard's nerdy girlfriend Eunice. She is as funny as Barbra, and really fabulous in what was her film debut. I remember reading that Madeline had commented that Barbra was very closed and distant to her during the making of the film. Maybe Barbra didn't like the competition?
For Barbra fans in particular, at one point, she sings a line or two of "As Time Goes By" and she and O'Neal sing a version of "You're the Top" by Cole Porter over the closing credits.
Movie Review: Great movie, but why the cut???
Summary: 5 Stars
I've been scratching me head over this: In the final scene of the movie where Ryan O'Neal and Barbra Streisand are on the plane, a noticeable cut has been made in this DVD version.
In the scene, O'Neal apologizes to Streisand to which Streisand replies: "Let me tell ya, love is never having to say you're sorry" (a funny play from O'Neal's film "Love Story") then bats her eyes at O'Neal. In the original cut of the film, the camera then cuts to O'Neal who has a hilarious, stupified look on his face. The camera goes back to Streisand, who has even more hilarious slightly "special" look on her face, then back to O'Neal who replies, "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard."
In this version, the back and forth cuts between O'Neal and Streisand have been cut. It goes from Streisand line/eye batting to O'Neal saying "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard." The cut makes the exchange not as funny, which is why I'm dumbfounded by the decision.
I thought maybe I was losing my mind and remembered the original film differently, but in the commentary by Streisand (which, by the way, was a complete and utter waste with no insight or entertainment value. Talk about phoning it in) the scene is replayed...IN IT'S ORIGINAL UNCUT FORM. In Bogdanovich's commentary, the same scene is shown in the cut version with no explaination for the change. It's too bad, it's one of the funniest exchanges in the film.
Movie Review: STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS
Summary: 5 Stars
WHAT'S UP DOC is one of the finest screwball comedies ever made. Peter Bogdanovich lovingly embraced the genre with this 1972 film, and even viewing it today, it has all the charm and buoyancy one would expect from a romantic comedy, with all the zany slapstick.
The focus of course is the plaid suitcase: one has top secret documents; one has a collection of igneous rocks; one has millions of dollars worth of jewelry, and one has Barbra's undies. How these cases get mixed up and the ensuing chaos is only the tip of the iceberg. We have mistaken identities, a great chase scene through San Francisco; a crazy shootout, and so much more.
Barbra Streisand, a true star of any generation, is perfectly cast as the mischievous Judy, who has been in and out of more colleges than she can count; Ryan O'Neal, who at this time was a heartthrob, shines as the rather goofy musicology professor; Madeline Kahn is hilarious as the whiny and annoying Eunice---in her first role, her star was firmly set; The rest of the cast, most notably Stefan Gierash, Mabel Albertson, Liam Dunn and Kenneth Mars, are great in their outlandishly caricaturish roles. But this is a fun movie, one that makes you laugh and without any foul language or unnecessary sexual hiatuses.
It's a classic, and one you will enjoy for years to come.
Movie Review: Best Streisand movie ever
Summary: 5 Stars
At 7.3, "What's Up, Doc?" is the highest rated Streisand movie on the Internet Movie Database web site. And, as I've read, it's among la Streisand's least favorite movies. Ironic, but typical for Barbra.In my opinion, "What's Up, Doc?" is the best comedy Streisand ever did. (One might make a case for "The Way We Were" as her best drama, but it won't be me.)
If I remember correctly, "What's Up, Doc?" was on DVD before but without captions or anything of significance in the way of special features.
The current incarnation includes captions, which I never watch a movie without, and a director's commentary by Peter Bogdanovich. (There's also a brief, selected-scenes, commentary by Streisand that provides next to nothing in the way of insight.) The director's commentary is comprehensive, entertaining and informative.
For example, the fact that Judy calls Howard by the name Steve is a private joke for the benefit of director Howard Hawks, whose wife called him Steve. Or so sayeth Bogdanovich in his commentary.
Also, Bogdanovich says he asked Ryan O'Neal to consult with Cary Grant on how to play Howard Bannister, seeing as how "What's Up, Doc?" was inspired by Grant's movie "Bringing Up Baby." Grant's advice to O'Neal... Wear silk underwear.
Movie Review: One of the funniest movies ever!
Summary: 5 Stars
What's up duck provides the right chemistry to cure the soul. We have a friend who is recuperating from a broken leg, Martha Oliva, and Alessandra Prado, Alex Ariano and myself, went to the rescue. We took a bucket of Chinese Rice for dinner and this DVD, because we knew that watching this film would provide laughter and a distraction from any ailment.
This movie is a classic comedy, delighting audiences of all ages, and surviving the test of time, for it was filmed in 1972 and today, in 2007 we still watch it to find it one of the funniest movies ever!
Barbra Streisand plays a young woman who falls in love at first sight with a distracted, self-absorbed musicologist, played by Ryan O'Neal. He is engaged to be married to Eunice, played by Madeline Kahn, but this does not seem to be an impediment for the character played by Barbra Streisand.
The plot is simply too good to explain, you must watch and enjoy the film. It all centers around plaid suit-cases, one containing top secret documents, another containing precious jewels, a third containing rocks and a fourth simply containing the wardrobe of our heroine.
As these get mixed up... we encounter some of the best sequences ever filmed.