What's Up Doc?

Peter Bogdanovich, USA 1972, 94 minutes

What's Up Doc? is a film so hysterically funny that it should be made freely available to everyone on the National Health Service. So should basic health care you might well retort. This cinematic anti-depressant - the filmic equivalent to Prozac - is one of the most skilful updates of thirties screwball comedy, particularly of Howard Hawks and especially Bringing Up Baby.

The plot revolves around four identical tartan suitcases containing secret government papers, a cache of jewels, a rock collection, and some personal items; and the ensuing entanglement of spies and thieves intent on stealing the contents of the suitcases but inevitably picking the wrong one. Caught up in the mandatory mayhem are absent minded musicologist Ryan O'Neal and wild eccentric Barbara Streisand (whom one unkind critic compared to a cross between an albino rat and an aardvark). The fast paced verbal wit and visual slapstick crescendoes into an incredible car chase through San Francisco, a mixture of Buster Keaton, Mack Sennett and the Road Runner cartoons with a dig at the jumping cars in Bullitt thrown in for good measure.

The pace of the film is quicker than a fast thing in a hurry but Bogdanovich balances out the screwball antics with some nicely understated character comedy: the hotel manager, and the judge in the final reel for example. The acting of the two leads is exemplary, especially O'Neal as the academic who's away with the fairies, but Streisand too is unusually likeable though at one point she bears an uncanny resemblance to Bugs Bunny. Although not as mind-bogglingly perfect as, say, Raising Arizona or Bringing Up Baby (the original and best) What's Up Doc? is guaranteed to have you in stitches.

"The script and cast are excellent, the direction and comedy staging are outstanding, and there are literally reels of pure, unadulterated and sustained laughs" - Variety

Review by Stephen Cox
Taken from EUFS Programme 1996-97