Sunday 24 August 2014

What's Up Doc? (1972 Peter Bogdanovich)

Bogdanovich pulls off a thirties screwball comedy - no mean feat (not as easy as it looks).

Ryan O'Neal and Barbara Streisand essentially are Grant and Hepburn in Bringing Up Baby. This film though may be funnier than the old ones, incorporating as many silent gags as mad moments of dialogue. In particular, the car chase with ladder and plate glass is inspired. And "Use your charm" one of the crooks is told, to distract the old improbably-dressed lady - so he kicks her in the shin!

With Austin Pendleton, Madeline Kahn, Michael Murphy.

Written by Buck Henry (The Graduate, Catch 22 ), David Newman and Robert Benton (both Bonnie and Clyde ), shot by Laszlo Kovacs, edited by Verna Fields. Has a proper credits sequence with shots of actors identified by name. Also terrific stunt work (Barbara hanging outside of hotel; crash into the bay).

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