What's Up, Doc? (1972 film)
| What's Up, Doc? | |
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What's Up, Doc? poster
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| Directed by | Peter Bogdanovich |
| Produced by | Peter Bogdanovich |
| Written by | Peter Bogdanovich Buck Henry David Newman Robert Benton |
| Starring |
Barbra Streisand Ryan O'Neal Madeline Kahn Austin Pendleton Michael Murphy Kenneth Mars |
| Music by | Artie Butler (uncredited) |
| Cinematography | Laszlo Kovacs |
| Edited by | Verna Fields |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
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Release date
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Running time
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94 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $4 million |
| Box office | $66,000,000 |
What's Up, Doc? is a 1972 American screwball comedy film released by Warner Bros., directed by Peter Bogdanovich and starring Barbra Streisand, Ryan O'Neal, and Madeline Kahn in her first feature film role (for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe). It was intended to pay homage to comedy films of the 1930s, especially Bringing Up Baby, as well as old Bugs Bunny cartoons (another WB product).
The film was a success, and became the third-highest grossing film of 1972. The film won the Writers Guild of America 1973 "Best Comedy Written Directly for the Screen" award for writers Buck Henry, David Newman and Robert Benton. It was ranked number 61 on the list of the 100 greatest American comedies published by the American Film Institute (AFI), and ranked number 68 on the AFI's list of 100 greatest love stories in American cinema. It was also ranked number 58 on the list of the WGA's 101 Funniest Screenplays published by the Writers Guild of America.
The story, which takes place in San Francisco, centers on four identical plaid overnight bags and the people who own them.
Howard, Eunice, Mrs. Van Hoskins, and Mr. Smith all happen to check into the Hotel Bristol at the same time, whereupon Judy lodges herself there without paying and begins pursuing Howard (to his bewilderment). Two hotel employees (Sorrell Booke and Stefan Gierasch) attempt to steal the jewels belonging to Mrs. Van Hoskins, while Mr. Jones attempts to get the bag belonging to Mr. Smith. Over the course of the evening, the bags get switched haphazardly from room to room as the four parties unwittingly take one another's suitcases. Without realizing it, Howard ends up with the jewels, Judy with the documents, Mr. Smith with the clothes, and the thieves with the rocks. Meanwhile, Judy manages to secure the grant for Howard while masquerading as Eunice, and then accidentally destroys his hotel room. The following day, everyone makes their way to Mr. Larrabee's home where a major fight scene occurs. Howard and Judy take all the bags and flee through San Francisco pursued by the thieves, Mr. Smith, Mr. Jones, Eunice, Simon, Larabee and a few roped-in bystanders. They go through Chinatown, down Lombard Street, and eventually into San Francisco Bay. All the protagonists finally end up in court, under the gavel of a world-weary and curmudgeonly judge (Liam Dunn) who, improbably, turns out to be Judy's father. At the shock of seeing his daughter in the middle of the trouble (she's been hiding in a blanket during the proceeding), he collapses along with his desk.
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