Review of What`s New, Pussycat

Introduction

The plot such as it is concerns the problem of a playboy editor,Michael James(Peter O`Toole) of a womans magazine who just can`t keep his hands off women, or rather they can`t keep their hands off him.He consults a batty psychiatristDR Fritz Fassbender(Peter Sellers) who takes him on as a pateint so he can discover the secret of his magnetics attraction. Meanwhile Michael`s friend Victor (Woody Allen)has designs on his girlfriend who really wants marriage from this non-monogamist.

This is the first foray into writing for films by an American stand-up comedian called Woody Allen who got hooked and went on to make rather a lot of movies himself.

Peter O`Toole is the main star which sounds impressive until you see that he had only made a few films before this; one of them being Lawrence of Arabia (ahem) but this is part of a chequered and uneven approach to projects.

Above the titles goes Peter Sellers who had made a lot more, using the persona originally developed on radio.

Add a couple of girls more famous for their looks than their acting abilities and you have the makings of a movie, just not a very good one.

Cue lots of running about and screaming and women falling for O`Toole`s looks-at least that part was probably true although a woman likes someone to make her laugh so don`t rent this film for a night in with your girlfriend.

Video

This is another MGM pay and play so there is nothing to be said about the quality of the picture other than it is showing its age as are we all.

Audio

Much to be said for the sound-the best thing about it is the title track by Tom Jones Thankfully they didn`t ask him to be in it After Mars Attacks it was confirmed that Tom as an actor makes a good singer.

Script-by Woody Allen, a special version with no laughs-I don`t think that was intentional either.

Features

A trailer for your special enjoyment.

Conclusion

This is a comedy and I have no hesitation in saying despite my life long(nearly ) worship of Woody Allen that this is not funny The character of Peter Sellers is awful, Peter O`Toole is only there to look pretty and so are the females, I hesitate to call them characters and although this film thinks its funny it rapidly becomes dull. A supposed classic battle of the sexes story it has no depth, ok I wans`t really expecting depth but it has no characters to become attached too and is a series of unrelaised jokes about sex-addicts. It sags at all points and just collapses in a heap of giggles at the end-it finds itself funny even if I don`t.

There is one tiny scene with Woody Allen that gives a smidgen of a glimpse of what he has to offer but the rest is smothered in un-funny and rather pathetic Carry-On type antics.

Still the large blond wife of Sellers is funny as in her Valkrie-like way she tracks him down. I think they were having fun but it`s a different era and I just don`t get it and I don`t want it.