What's New Pussycat (1965)

A playboy who refuses to give up his hedonistic lifestyle to settle down and marry his true love seeks help from a demented psychoanalyst who is having romantic problems of his own.

Director:

Clive Donner

Writer:

Woody Allen (original screenplay)

Stars:

Peter Sellers, Peter O'Toole, Romy Schneider

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Peter Sellers	...	Dr. Fritz Fassbender
Peter O'Toole	...	Michael James (as Peter O'toole)
Romy Schneider	...	Carole Werner
Capucine	...	Renée Lefevre
Paula Prentiss	...	Liz Bien
Woody Allen	...	Victor Shakapopulis
Ursula Andress	...	Rita
Eddra Gale	...	Anna Fassbender (as Edra Gale)
Katrin Schaake	...	Jacqueline
Eléonore Hirt	...	Mrs. Werner (as Eleonor Hirt)
Jean Parédès	...	Marcel (as Jean Paredes)
Jacques Balutin	...	Etienne
Jess Hahn	...	Mr. Werner
Howard Vernon	...	Doctor
Michel Subor	...	Philippe

Storyline

Michael James, a notorious womanizer, desperately wants to be faithful to his fiancée Carole, but runs into serious problems since every woman he meets seems to fall in love with him. His psychoanalyst Dr. Fassbender can't help him either since he's busy courting one of his patients who in turn longs for Michael. A catastrophe appears on the horizon as all the characters check into the Chateau Chantelle hotel for the weekend not knowing of each other's presence.

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Plot Keywords:

chateau | hotel | title based on song | angel wings | psychiatrist | 

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Taglines:

[under cast listing] They're all together again! (for the first time!)

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

France USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

22 June 1965 (USA)

Also Known As:

Was gibt's Neues, Pussy?

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Box Office

Gross USA:

$18,820,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Famous Artists Productions, Famartists Productions S.A.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film's "What's New Pussycat" title song sung by Tom Jones was a hit, received an Academy Award nomination for Best Song, and stayed on the charts for at least ten weeks peaking at No. #2.

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Goofs

In the first visit Michael has with Liz, she goes into the bathroom, and while he is contemplating some fuzz pulled from her outfit there's a shadow of a stagehand (probably) briefly crossing in the background.

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Quotes

[James is drunk and Carole has taken his car keys]
Michael James: Give me the key.
Carole Werner: No. Take a cab.
Michael James: I don't wish to take a key, I want my car cabs!

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Crazy Credits

The opening and closing credits feature a host of Cupid cherubs in cat masks performing various gags.

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Connections

Featured in Die Unverbesserlichen: Nichts dazugelernt (1966)

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Soundtracks

My Little Red Book
(1965)
(Onscreen as "Little Red Book")
Music by Burt Bacharach (uncredited)
Lyrics by Hal David (uncredited)
Played by Manfred Mann
Sung by Paul Jones

User Reviews

A farce of a farce (except for the song)

Even for a budding great movie writer and producer such as Woody Allen, this film fails to measure up to the lowest level of entertainment. Heavy, plodding script, patchwork scenes, a very loose plot. Generally, not worth the time spent in watching it. HOWEVER, the Oscar-nominated title song, by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, and as performed by the incomparable Tom Jones, makes it all worthwhile.