Review of What's New Pussycat? (1965) by Justin M — 09 Oct 2011

I only saw this because it was woody allen's first movie. was disappointed overall. peter sellers had some moments, and there were a few flashes of the typical, surreal, allen wit in the screenplay, but it was disjointed, all over the place, and in most places as shallow as the plot itself.

I had no empathy or connection at all to a guy whose only real "problem" was that he was too busy screwing every girl he met to appreciate his loyal, pretty fiance. NOBODY in this movie appreciated the person they were with.

all of them "loved" people who were in love with someone else, couldn't be faithful to them, or both. at the very least, they were all SLEEPING with someone else. and judging by how quickly woody's character seemed to forget the girl he loved (who was in love with the guy who was screwing every girl in paris)so he could get laid the "love" in this film was very fickle and shallow indeed.

but then that is a recurring theme in the films of the man who once said, "love fades." in woody's films, love often DOES fade, and his characters, much like their real-life counterparts, usually wonder if the grass is greener somewhere else.

but in his later, more mature films, at least the love is genunine to begin with. it might fade, but at the beginning it was real, and his characters didn't start out looking for a superficial and ultimately unsatisfying fling.

they really were looking for an honest, deep connection. in this one, it seemed the only "connection" any of the people here were looking for was sex with as many partners as possible. no wonder none of them were happy with what they had.

anybody as shallow as these characters were wouldn't be happy. as evidenced by peter o'tool's calling every single female in the film pussycat, it was obvious that he didn't really look at women as individuals.

they were interchangeable body parts to screw, entirely indistinguishable from one another, and he was monumentally bored with them outside of bed. it is unclear whether or not his relationship with his fiance was any better.

but enough. unless you are a real woody or peter seller's fan, you can pretty much skip this.