S.O.B. (1981)

A movie producer who made a huge flop tries to salvage his career by revamping his film as an erotic production, where its family-friendly star takes her top off.

Director:

Blake Edwards

Writer:

Blake Edwards

Stars:

Julie Andrews, William Holden, Marisa Berenson

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Julie Andrews	...	Sally Miles
William Holden	...	Tim Culley
Marisa Berenson	...	Mavis
Larry Hagman	...	Dick Benson
Robert Loggia	...	Herb Maskowitz
Stuart Margolin	...	Gary Murdock
Richard Mulligan	...	Felix Farmer
Robert Preston	...	Dr. Irving Finegarten
Craig Stevens	...	Willard
Loretta Swit	...	Polly Reed
Robert Vaughn	...	David Blackman
Robert Webber	...	Ben Coogan
Shelley Winters	...	Eva Brown
Jennifer Edwards	...	Lila
Rosanna Arquette	...	Babs

Storyline

Felix Farmer is an extremely successful Hollywood producer, whose movies for Capitol Pictures have never lost money,... until now, with his latest, most expensive film to date, Night Wind, ending up being a major flop. The film, starring his popular Academy Award winning actress wife, Sally Miles, who has a G-rated screen image, almost bankrupts the studio. As such, the studio execs turn on Felix, who want to take over creative control of the movie and re-edit it to lessen the damage. It also turns Felix suicidal, his mental state which in turn leads to Sally leaving him and taking their two children with her. As Felix tries and tries again unsuccessfully to kill himself, he finally stumbles upon an idea which gets him out of his depression. He plans to use his and Sally's money to purchase the movie back from the studio, and re-imagine it by adding a few new scenes, to drastically altar it from the G-rated fantasy film it is, to an R-rated sex romp, complete with Sally baring her ...

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Plot Keywords:

star | scheme | film within a film | reference to liv ullmann | reference to shirley maclaine | 

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Taglines:

The man who painted the panther pink, and taught you how to count to "10" now gives you Hollywood bull... at it's funniest and sexiest.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 July 1981 (USA)

Also Known As:

The S.O.B.

Filming Locations:

Santa Monica, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Artista Management, Geoffrey Productions, Lorimar Film Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

122 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of seventeen Blake Edwards films (out of nineteen total) films with an appearance by Herb Tanney (as Stiffe Tanney), whose day job was as a medical doctor. Tanney was the medical doctor for Blake Edwards, and his roles were all credited to a first name beginning was an "S" followed by his own last name, such as in this film, with the character of Burgess Webster (the dead man, with a dog, on the beach), portrayed by Herb Tanney (as Stiffe Tanney). The same is true of Tanney's other two film roles, except those films were not directed by Edwards.

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Goofs

When Felix is in the Cadillac in the garage the car has a TV antenna on the trunk. When the car goes through the wall of the garage, it's missing the antenna and indeed is a different (fewer options) model of Cadillac.

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Quotes

Dr. Irving Finegarten: Ben, do you realize that in a matter of a few hours you have demonstrated most of your excremental bodily functions.
Ben Coogan: I haven't sneezed.
Dr. Irving Finegarten: A sneeze is expiratory, not excremental.

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Connections

Referenced in Arrested Development: S.O.B.s (2006)

User Reviews

A biting comedy for adults.

How rare it is to see a terrific comedy meant for adults. "S.O.B." is Blake Edwards dark look at life in Hollywood. And believe me he pulls no punches. Everyone and everything is a target and he hits it almost every time.

"S.O.B." tells the story of a big director whose latest film is the biggest flop in movie history. Despondent he spends the first half of the film trying to kill himself and the second half trying to save the film by re-shooting it as an arty porno film complete with a nude scene by the virginal female lead (played by the virginal Julie Andrews).

As I said no stone goes unturned. We get hints of drugs, death, murder, suicide, sex, homosexuality (both men and women), transvestism, back stabbing, grave robbing, and much more. But it is done in a tone that is dark but extremely funny. Watching William Holden, Robert Preston, and Robert Webber in their scenes in the third act is worth the time alone. And, yes, we do get to see Julie Andrews in a brief topless shot. It's nice if you like her but nothing special.

The only complaint is that the film runs a bit too long. Edwards would have benefited the film with a trimming of about 15 minutes. But if you like your comedy dark, this is a must see.