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What's Up, Doc? (1972) ✦ Full-Length Watchalong Reaction (Patreon)

Published:
2024-09-01 16:15:01
Edited:
2025-05-21 00:44:18
Imported:
2026-08
Tags:

Content

I think this is one of the funniest movies I've ever watched. 😂 Thank you to @sterow for requesting this through my Reactr page. Please enjoy and thank you so much for watching with me! [Direct link here.]

✦ KL

Files

What's Up Doc (1972) ✦ Full-Length Watchalong Reaction

Comments

Tyler Foster

Oh man, amazing: it is actually the obscure one I would've liked even more than The Godfather. Once I'm back from getting my updated flu/COVID shots I know what I'm doing.

Movies with KL

I figured this movie was the one you were referring to, but I def didn't want to spoil that reveal for you!

Tyler Foster

Also, Sterow might've joined or is using the free version because I think they replied to me yesterday on here, back on this week's schedule post!

Tyler Foster

While I wait for the pharmacist, a couple of quick fun facts: This was the first American film to credit stunt people. Quite a few of these cast members, including Madeline Kahn (who you previously saw in Clue), John Hilleman (playing the hotel manager), Kenneth Mars (competing musicologist Hugh Simon), and Liam Dunn (as the judge) either had and/or would go onto appear in some of Mel Brooks' movies.

Movies with KL

They just joined today, right before they left the comment for you. Thanks for pointing that out!

Richard Flores

Ok, now I want a replica of the "opening credits book". And also, so glad that you caught this is a live-action cartoon.

Nathan Jasper

One of the funniest, most chaotic slapstick comedies I've ever seen. I didn't expect this to be as hilarious as it was! Comedy was so much richer back in the day, wasn't it? It hadn't been remade every week for 30 years yet. It had heart, it had romance, and it had just good old fashioned madness! It didn't go out of its way to make some social or political statement nor did it attempt to be any more than it was. It was just pure fun. I HAVE to find out how they planned and choreographed the chase scene. That was extensive and incredible! The courtroom scene at the end, however, is probably my favorite part of the whole movie just for how crazed and fed up the judge looked only to collapse in anguish after finding out who was behind it all along. This was a great way to start the day. Thank you @sterow for requesting this. Side note, now I know why Lady Gaga was chosen for 2018's a Star is Born - she and young Barbra look strikingly similar, they're both a little kooky, and they're extremely talented individuals. More Barbra and more Ryan please! Loved, loved, loved it.

Tyler Foster

A couple more fun facts now that I've seen the reaction: The film is a homage to the screwball comedies of the 1930s and 1940s, many of which starred Cary Grant. While I find many of these comedies charming and would love to see some of them on the channel, I also admit I have never found one to be quite as funny as this one, even when they are very good. Speaking of the 1940s, one film I am anxious for you to see would be Casablanca. Judy's line in the piano scene and the performance of "As Time Goes By" is a homage to Casablanca. If you listen to the 21st century Warner Bros. logo, the music quotes "As Time Goes By" in recognition of how important the film is both to movie history and Warner Bros. in particular. Co-writer Buck Henry is fairly famous as well. He was one of the two writers who adapted the screenplay for the landmark comedy The Graduate, and he went onto co-direct the great Heaven Can Wait (1978) alongside Warren Beatty, a remake of an older movie called Here Comes Mr. Jordan. He also co-created the spy spoof TV show "Get Smart" with Mel Brooks. Given you enjoyed this movie, I think Brooks' classic Blazing Saddles would be a great fit for you, as well as the spoof movies by the team of Zucker, Abrahams, and Zucker, namely Airplane!. When Judy crosses the street to enter the hotel for the first time and the cars crash into each other in front of the doors, that was a joke they came up with on the day. Writer/director Peter Bogdanovich called the Warner motor pool to see if they had any cars available for the joke. They did not, so he told someone to run out and rent two cars and get accident insurance, after which they returned the cars and said they'd gotten into a small fender-bender. The production got permission to shoot in San Francisco without actually outlining what they were going to do, and when they go down those steps in the cars you can actually see one of them damaging the stairs. Apparently that damage can still be seen to this day. The city then changed their policies so that film productions must provide an outline of what they're going to film before they film it. The curved street they go down during the chase is a famous San Francisco landmark called Lombard Street, and I think its appearance in the chase scene in Ant-Man and the Wasp is a reference to this movie. I have actually never seen Love Story, but what I've heard from many people is that while it was a big hit and an Oscar winner, it is generally thought of as one of the ones that was sort of schmaltzy and undeserving of its attention. That said, I've liked some of those movies, so I also wouldn't write it off. However, if you want another Ryan O'Neal recommendation, there are two that come to mind. The first one is pretty obvious: One year after this, he reteamed with Bogdanovich to make another masterpiece, Paper Moon. It's much different than What's Up, Doc?, but it is also a delight and ultimately quite moving as well, and more than a couple of the other cast members from this pop up there too. The other one is a much newer movie (albeit one that is now approaching its 30th birthday), which I myself may put in as a Reactr request at some point. I believe I've already submitted it in your form, but while I won't give the name away, I will say it's a great, underrated detective movie. Also, for yet one more laugh, look up the original trailer for What's Up, Doc?. In it, you can see a filmed rehearsal of the "As Time Goes By" piano scene, with Bogdanovich filling in for Streisand.

LaserLamb

Hey K, my name's Daniel. One of my fave movies ever! Back in '73, when I was 11, I was in a rarified circumstance that provided me to see this movie about 10 times. I think Barbra Streisand really jump-started my hormones that year. ☺️ I fantasized being Howard Bannister quite a bit. Anyway....I don't know if you've seen alot of Bugs Bunny cartoons, but Judy Maxwell was the gorgeous female human embodiment of Bugs Bunny, who is, if nothing else, a professional troll. The movie is somewhere in between a farce & a screwball comedy, & Peter Bogdanovich did a great job with it. One fun fact I know about is he did not get permission to have the car chase go down those steps, located in Alta Plaza Park. The cars did some damage to the steps & the city decided to leave it as is, to commemorate the movie. Ryan O'Neal, who passed on this past December at 82, had a rocky career & a rocky life. He had a few popular movies but an awful lot of flops too. Here's a short list of his better movies: ✨️"Love Story"(1970) was what made him a star, it was a huge success. ✨️"Paper Moon"(1973) came right after "What's Up, Doc?", & he stars alongside his daughter Tatum. ✨️"Barry Lyndon"(1975) is a Kubrick directed, 18th century period piece. ✨️"The Main Event"(1979) is a team-up with Streisand again. ✨️"Irreconcilable Differences"(1984) is a dramady w/ Drew Barrymore playing a young girl who divorces her parents. I've also heard good things about "Tough Guys Don't Dance"(1987) & "Faithful"(1996). "Vocal reverberation under spinal pressure?" 😂

LaserLamb

"Love Story" is a little schmaltzy, but it's very much of its time. It's one of the original 'generation gap' rebellious movies. I saw it way back when. But yes, alot of the box office draw was because both leads were gorgeous male & female specimens. Ali McGraw! 🔥Hooooo!🔥Smokin'!🔥

sterow

Just curious Nathan, this sounds like it was new to you? If so glad to have helped spread the love for this one, which has always been a favourite.

sterow

Yes, had to join to see the dcisussion. :) I impulsively requested this one, as I just always want to see more people discover it.

Nathan Jasper

Yeah! It was new to me! I had seen Barbra in her musical stuff but never seen this one!

sterow

A couple of thoughts from me having lodged the request... I was interested that Kaielle didn't like Eunice. It's funny because that's a really grating and misogynistic character on paper but I think Kahn is *so good*, I think she salvages it just by being so funny. Having watched it countless times - and I realise this is taking the characters way too seriously for such a wacky film - I also really like that at the end, despite everything, Eunice is still fiercely loyal to Howard: "What on Earth are you doing with Howard Bannister's rocks!" Kaielle described Judy as a troll, and as Tyler has noted above, a key precedent for the character is 30s screwball comedy heroines. But the other - not referred to very often despite the very overt reference in the title - is Bugs Bunny. She has a very similar chaotic, mischievous energy to the Bugs of early 40s WB cartoons, and of course the carrot and catchphrase is a very direct reference. This was a big hit when it came out, and still has a really fervent following amongst people my age (I'm 48) who know the dialogue back to front. There are about 20 bits of dialogue from this that I think of all the time - I reckon "I don't know, they're afraid to tell me" pops into my head every time I take a pill; and the "can you fix a hi fi?" exchange always occurs to me when someone is being pompous about their qualifications, for example. Finally - one little scene that always boggles my mind is the bit with Judy and Howard on the bike. The way O'Neal is delivering dialogue while doing a very difficult / risky jump onto the box on the front is incredible. Glad you enjoyed it Kaielle!

sterow

Ah thanks - I just added a comment pointing out the Bugs Bunny similarity but you had already pointed it out.

LaserLamb

Hey no worries, it bears repeating! 😄 So many great lines & situations! One that I think is the most bizarre is the guy who thinks, "Use your charm" & comes up with tripping the lady over & over! 🤣But then they get on the elevator together! What was that elevator ride like?? As soon as they get off he keeps on tripping her! I mean, what the hell?!? 😅🤣😂 🙃You're upside-down.🙃 😃👍🏻

Tyler Foster

Oh boy. Tough Guys Don't Dance is certainly something. "Good" is not necessarily one of them.

Tyler Foster

Grating, yes. Misogynistic? I don't know. Eunice is clearly a good fit for Mr. Larrabee. Don't think there's anything particularly wrong with her if she has a partner who is comfortable with her by-the-book attitude.

Tyler Foster

Don't know if you watch Ashleigh Burton's channel but she's got a great video for it as well (which I may or may not be mentioned in...).

sterow

I guess I just mean that there's a bit of a "nagging woman / wife" archetype that in other films, or in other hands, has some pretty bad connotations. But I think we're on the same page. As I said, I think she is really redeemed as the film progresses (and Howard needs someone to take charge of him, whether it's Eunice or Judy). And I agree, I think the fact that they go out of their way to make sure she has a happy ending is a nice touch. Kahn, of course, was one of the great comic actresses here and elsewhere.

Nathan Jasper

Almost thought you said a different name there for a second and had a brief heart attack 😂 no I have not watched it but I'll look it up!

sterow

LOL ,I love “you’re upside down” - the way Howard seems to just passively absorb it and adopt it, like he thinks it’s some sort of code phrase or something.

sterow

Ha, Tyler, I saw you wondering about the 1972 film and it rang a bell that a Tyler was mentioned in that reaction. It had stuck in my mind because that’s one of a very few reactions to this. Ashleigh’s belly laugh at “gentleman, you should feel it” in that reaction is one of the great reactor moments.

Tyler Foster

Also, I'll add some of my favorite jokes: • "Well, how much is it without buffering?" • "And I'm your head waiter, Rudy." • "Waiter...what kind of wine are you serving at table one?" • "The staff of the hotel has a message for you...goodbye." and "We would appreciate it if you would check out. Yesterday." • "What were you trying to become?" "A graduate." • Everyone hitting that poor van. But I think my favorite ridiculous joke in the whole movie is the giant picture of the foot swinging off the wall and kicking a guy.

sterow

John Hillerman’s whole scene as the manager is gold.

LaserLamb

"How much is it without buffering?" is comedy genius!!🤣🤣🤣

Nick Stark

Fun bit of trivia. The production staff made a running gag of saying, “Your not Eunice!” This was Madeline Kahn’s first film and she delivered her lines hilariously. I totally agree with you that Barbra and Ryan were great together. Another bit of trivia. This was the very first film to give Stunt performers credit by name at the end of a film.

nouvelle_vague

I was young when I saw Love Story (12 or 13) and it is absolutely schmaltzy and it absolutely worked for me. Would it be the same if I saw it for the first time now? Maybe not. But Ryan O’Neal is very charming and he and Ali MacGraw made it work IMO. But I think Paper Moon is a pretty logical next step if KL wants to see more Ryan O’Neal. I still marvel that Peter Bogdanovich made two black-and-white period pieces that got nominated for numerous Oscars and in between made maybe the greatest screwball comedy of all time. I can’t think of too many directors that got so wildly out of their lane so effectively. He tried again to make a great screwball comedy in 1988 with Illegally Yours and made one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen. Which only makes me appreciate What's Up Doc even more.

Nick Stark

I was 9 years old when this film came out and have watched it multiple times since. It’s by far my most favorite screwball comedy of all time.

Vincent Hollow

That guy with the golf clubs had me dying, oh my GAWD! 😂 Never seen someone so dedicated to the bit... that is until I saw that guy trying so hard to trip that old lady in the hotel bwahahahaha 😭😭😭 This movie really did feel like an episode of Looney Tunes. What a hoot!