Petulia (1968)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Richard Lester

Writers:

Lawrence B. Marcus (screenplay)
John Haase (novel)

Release Date:

10 June 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

...the uncommon movie.

Plot:

An unhappily married socialite finds solace in the company of a recently divorced doctor.

Plot Keywords:

Socialite | Doctor | San Francisco California | Divorce | Flash Forward

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Julie Christie	...	Petulia
George C. Scott	...	Archie
Richard Chamberlain	...	David
Arthur Hill	...	Barney
Shirley Knight	...	Polo
Pippa Scott	...	May
Kathleen Widdoes	...	Wilma
Roger Bowen	...	Warren
Richard Dysart	...	Motel Receptionist
Ruth Kobart	...	Nun
Ellen Geer	...	Nun
Lou Gilbert	...	Mr. Howard
Nate Esformes	...	Mr. Mendoza (as Nat Esformes)
Maria Val	...	Mrs. Mendoza
Vincent Arias	...	Oliver

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Canada:14+ (Ontario) | West Germany:18 | UK:15 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved | USA:R

Filming Locations:

2417 Franklin Street, San Francisco, California, USA

Company:

Petersham Pictures

Trivia:

Austin Pendleton's first film.

Goofs:

Continuity: Archie folds his arms when Petulia shows up with the tuba, but in next cut, arms are down.

Quotes:

Wilma: [to Archie, regarding his divorce] I'll let you in on a little secret; I wish I had your courage.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Sinister Saga of Making 'The Stunt Man' (2000) (V)

Richard Lester's Masterpiece

Lester's "serious" film is a stylistic and cinematic masterpiece that -like much of Lester's work- has been underrated for decades. "Petulia" features the performance of a lifetime for Julie Christie and stunning work by George C. Scott and Richard Chamberlain.

This film is amazingly shot by Nicholas Roeg (!) and is a riveting piece of timeless cinema. A must-see.