What's Up, Doc?

source: What's Up, Doc?

Trailer—What's Up, Doc?

What's Up, Doc?

Too often, when they remake movies, they only succeed in creating a caricature. "What's Up, Doc?" avoids that, even as a loose remake of "Bringing Up Baby". A tribute to the screwball comedies of the '30s, it keeps you laughing the whole way through. Ryan O'Neal plays Howard Bannister, a nerdy musicologist who attends a conference in San Francisco with his wife Eunice Burns (Madeleine Kahn). In San Francisco, he is constantly pursued by kooky Judy Maxwell (Barbra Streisand). The movie's plot actually centers on several suitcases and how some people are going after them, but you barely notice that; you focus on Judy turning Howard's life upside down. It's the sort of situation where you think: "Oh no...oh yes." Having seen "What's Up, Doc" and "Meet the Fockers", I believe that it is now safe to say that Barbra Streisand works best in comedy.

This film is very funny and stays so even after repeated viewings. The plot is silly, but it doesn't matter - the film is not about plot, so much as its about how this oddball bunch of characters interact - and the situations and dialog carry the film along effortlessly. Streisand and O'Neil are wonderful - surprisingly so. A much underseen and underappreciated film.

I won't give away too much of the plot, but let's just say 5 identical bags get mixed up in San Francisco. Barbra Streisand hasn't been in a lot of films and after seeing this, I have to say, more's the pity. She sparkles in this film! Of course, the film itself is a madcap adventure and she just fit right in. Ryan O'Neal and the always-hilarious (unfortunately, late) Madeline Kahn also make this movie just a hoot to watch! Watch a lot of comedy before you watch this one so your laughing muscles will be in shape - that way you won't hurt yourself! This is a funny funny movie!

I think this film is the funniest movie I have ever seen. No matter how many times I see it, I always find surprisingly fresh and completely hilarious. Barbra Streisand's performance is the centerpiece of the whole film. She simply glows with warmth, sexiness, and humor. There isn't a moment when we don't find her completely believable. Ryan O'Neal adds a great physical presence and is gloriously restrained. The film also contains some great supporting turns from Ken Mars, Liam Dunn, and especially Madeline Kahn, who nearly steals the movie in her film debut. On a scale of 10, WHAT'S UP, DOC? receives a perfect 10!

This film really does make the equivalent Carry On movies extremely juvenile. Very rarely, if at all does this film delve into lavatorial/innuendo humour. All of its humour is based on slapstick and a terrific script full of one-liners that you never tire of viewing. They could have made a sequel, but then the humour would have soured in the same way that the Naked Gun or Airplane films did. All the characterisations are spot on, everyone except Striesand is portrayed as being bumbling unsubtle fools including the CIA and Russian spys. It's basically a change to see the Americans not taking themselves seriously for once. Kenneth Mars is very amusing as O'Neal's opponent for the music grant. Of particular note is the car chase in San Francisco in an exaggerated Bullitt style. Granted, it is very dated - it's 1972 and chequered flares and velvet is much in evidence, but this adds to the film's charm. It is one of the few films that I was sad to see ending...

A Vibrant comedy that successfully captures the quality of those wonderful 1930's screwball classics. Director Bogdanovich makes the viewing and the homage worthwhile with an energetic performance from Streisand as a crazy coed who manages to disrupt the life styles of a square musicologist and his fiancee (O'Neal and Kahn, lovely in her film debut). There is great support from Mars, Murphy and a young Randy Quaid.

Well here it is, a real gem from Peter Bogdanovich. What's Up Doc? is a hilarious homage to the screwball comedies of the 1930s by Howard Hawks and Preston Sturges, with great writing and performances especially. It has great direction too, with some terrific production values and photography. I love the wacky title, which refers to the scene where Streisand and O'Neal meet for the first time with she chomping on a carrot a la Bugs Bunny. The script is wonderful, with hilarious lines and cartoonish wit, and the acting is great. Streisand is great as the zany drop-out, and Ryan O'Neal gives one of his better performances as the absent-minded professor who Streisand has set her eyes on. My favourite performance comes from Madeline Kahn, who is simply brilliant as O'Neal's fiancée and provides some of the funniest moments. In conclusion, yet another comedy classic. 10/10 Bethany Cox