What's Up, Doc? (1972)

The accidental mix-up of four identical plaid overnight bags leads to a series of increasingly wild and wacky situations.

Director:

Peter Bogdanovich

Writers:

Buck Henry (screenplay), David Newman (screenplay)

Stars:

Barbra Streisand, Ryan O'Neal, Madeline Kahn

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Barbra Streisand	...	Judy Maxwell
Ryan O'Neal	...	Howard Bannister
Madeline Kahn	...	Eunice Burns
Kenneth Mars	...	Hugh Simon
Austin Pendleton	...	Frederick Larrabee
Michael Murphy	...	Mr. Smith
Philip Roth	...	Mr. Jones (as Phil Roth)
Sorrell Booke	...	Harry
Stefan Gierasch	...	Fritz
Mabel Albertson	...	Mrs. Van Hoskins
Liam Dunn	...	Judge Maxwell
John Hillerman	...	Hotel Manager
George Morfogen	...	Headwaiter
Graham Jarvis	...	Bailiff
Randy Quaid	...	Professor Hosquith

Storyline

Two researchers have come to San Francisco to compete for a research grant in Music. One seems a bit distracted, and that was before he meets her. A strange woman seems to have devoted her life to confusing and embarassing him. At the same time a woman has her jewels stolen and a government whistle blower arrives with his stolen top secret papers. All, of course have the same style and color overnight bag.

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Plot Keywords:

hotel | neo screwball comedy | punctuation in title | eating carrot | 17th floor | 

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Taglines:

A screwball comedy. Remember them?

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 March 1972 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Glimpse of Tiger

Filming Locations:

1000 Bush St. San Francisco, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$4,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$66,000,000, 31 December 1972

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., Saticoy Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

An early film role of actor Randy Quaid playing Professor Hosquith. Quaid had previously worked with director Peter Bogdanovich in his debut movie in The Last Picture Show (1971).

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Goofs

When Judy and Howard are coming out of the drug store and getting on the escalators, Judy rips Howard blazer. It's obvious that there is a Velcro strip inside the left side of the back of his jacket.

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Quotes

Howard: What am I gonna tell Eunice?
Judy: That's the easy part. You go up to her room. She answers the door; now she will have been crying so her eyes will be all bloodshot and her nose will be all red and runny, but you look past all that. You stare purposefully into those red-rimmed, swollen eyes, and you say, "Eunice, my dear, there's been a terrible mistake. I've behaved like a cad, a bounder! But now I see everything clearly and I've decided that Judy and I are gonna put you into a home."
Howard: That is not ...

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Connections

Featured in AFI's 100 Years... 100 Laughs: America's Funniest Movies (2000)

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Soundtracks

Santa Lucia
(uncredited)
Written by Teodoro Cottrau
Performed by Peter Bogdanovich

User Reviews

The most fun I've ever had in front of the TV set!

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!