By INDIA DAVID
Growing up with a movie fanatic as a father, I was forced to sit down and watch all of his favorites, and I developed impeccable taste because of it. One of those movies, which has become a classic with my family, is the 1972 screwball comedy “What’s Up Doc?” starring Barbara Streisand and Ryan O’Neal.
This warm and captivating romance is the definition of a screwball comedy, a genre that dramatizes comedic catastrophes accompanying a romance story. However, this form of the romance genre has been forgotten in the recent onslaught of rom-coms on streaming services.
A screwball comedy leans into the more physical forms of comedy and usually involves the female lead challenging the male lead and making him uncomfortable with his masculinity. These themes are constantly seen as Judy Maxwell (Streisand) and Howard Bannister (O’Neal) are placed into ridiculous situations that escalate to extreme heights. For example, when Howard
tries to hide Judy in his hotel room from his fiance, he breaks a TV and sets the room on fire while Judy hangs from the window ledge outside, wearing nothing but a towel. Nowadays, there are very few screwball comedies. Romantic comedies tend to be more realistic, with some dramatized situations, but none reach the heights of outlandish adventures “What’s Up Doc?” does.
If I were to compare it to a modern rom-com to offer it as a recommendation, I would say it is similar to “Anyone But You,” the 2023 movie starring Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell. Though the stories follow different plots regarding comedies in the romance genre, they are very similar.
Both movies are filled with fast-paced and witty dialogue, two powerhouse actors with impeccable chemistry, and outlandish situations ending with characters having to be fished out of a harbor. The movies also both have an iconic song that the characters sing. “What’s Up Doc?” has the Broadway classic “You’re the Top” from the musical “Anything Goes,” allowing Streisand to showcase her famous voice. “Anyone But You” has “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield, which is brought up multiple times and sung by many characters.
Even today, “What’s Up Doc?” remains fresh in its comedy. While it has excellent shenanigans and physical comedy, what’s most impressive is the quick dialogue, specifically when performed by Streisand. She delivers her lines with such precision and charm that they shock the other characters and the audience as they take in her brilliant punch lines.
Streisand carries this movie with her impeccable comedic timing and remarkable charisma. Her character, Judy, is grander than life and untouchable. Streisand’s talent makes it easy to ignore how dubious her character’s actions are. Judy is trying to seduce a man away from his fiance. The two leads never had a moment of connection before Judy starts to flirt and finagle her way into his life.
O’Neal, as Howard Bannister, is the lost puppy beside Judy. He accurately represents the audience as he can’t help but be pulled into Streisand’s charm and flounder through the situations she gets him stuck in.
One of the movie’s genuine stars is Judy’s rival, Eunice Burns (Madeline Kahn). Eunice is Howard’s fiance, and she is shrewd, opinionated, and annoyingly controlling of Howard,
whereas Judy is shrewd, opinionated, and not as annoyingly controlling of Howard. It seems the man has a type.
Kahn’s performance is brilliant, especially her comedic timing and how she makes her voice more shrill with each line of outrage. She is there to make Judy look like a better partner for Howard, and Kahn’s comedic genius makes her an aggravating presence on screen.
The movie takes place in San Francisco, and with its warm seventies aesthetic, it offers a haven for all the mayhem that ensues.
Beyond the romance, there is an underlying story involving four identical overnight bags filled with clothes, jewelry, government files, and igneous “tambula” rocks with musical properties. The plotline of the bags can be a bit confusing to follow at times, but the comedy that comes from the bags being misplaced among characters is delightful. It all culminates in a shooting at a house party for musicologists, which leads to a bizarre car chase.
“What’s Up Doc?” is known for its eleven-minute car chase through San Francisco. The scene moves through famous spots in San Francisco, including Lombard Street and the grand staircase in Alta Plaza Park, which you can see get damaged in the chase and still is to this day.
The props alone for this scene are ingenious. They include a three-wheel delivery bike, a Chinese dragon, and four cars, one of which is a bright blue Volkswagen Beetle that floats in the San Francisco Bay.
Judy and Howard speed through the streets throughout this scene and get into bizarre and hilarious scenarios. There are a few close-up shots with the characters that give some quick-witted dialogue, but for the most part, it is filled with sweeping wide shots of the vehicles being expertly maneuvered through the San Francisco streets. While entertaining to watch, at some point, you ask yourself, when will this end?
The scene is iconic, but it makes it clear how dated the film is—seeing a character smash through a pane of glass or watching the four cars cause more destruction than the last as they drive over cement or run into a parked camper are comedic tropes that have been done to death now. The only way to appreciate them is by acknowledging the age of the film.
Beyond some aged comedy bits, “What’s Up Doc?” stands the test of time compared to similar movies of that age.
Featured Image: A clip from “What’s Up Doc”; New York Times
Leave a Reply