Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		3.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

What's New Pussycat? Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf August 25, 2014

I’m sure at the time it all seemed foolproof. Team one of the most respected actors in the industry with a powerhouse comedian, working from a script by an up and coming talent just beginning his film career. With Peter O’Toole, Peter Sellers, and Woody Allen participating in 1965’s “What’s New Pussycat?,” there was little room for doubt. However, such beaming intentions don’t always secure an ideal movie, and while Allen’s screenplay is bedazzled with his distinct sense of humor, actual laughs are buried under layers of chaotic behavior, with director Clive Donner unable to control the whiz-bang energy of the effort, often mistaking noise for timing. “What’s New Pussycat” offers a few bursts of insanity worth paying attention to, but as a farce, it never finds its footing, missing a golden opportunity to make iconic mischief with a trio of determined leading men.

Michael James (Peter O’Toole) is a habitual womanizer who can’t get a grip on his problem. Faced with a loving girlfriend in Carole (Romy Schneider), who’s ready for marriage, Michael is caught between a woman he dearly loves and a planet of females he’s compelled to sample, engaging with suicidal stripper Liz (Paula Prentiss) and Renee (Capucine), a fellow patient in a therapy group run by Dr. Fritz Fassbender (Peter Sellers). Also attracted to Renee, Dr. Fritz looks to Michael for advice in the ways of seduction, trying to treat and learn from his patient at the same time, which doesn’t please his opera singer wife, Anna (Edra Gale). As Michael strives to juggle his conquests, desperate to decode their neuroses, he risks losing Carole, who attempts to live the same freewheeling lifestyle, flirting with Michael’s artist pal, Victor (Woody Allen). Another unlucky man in love with any female who’ll give him the time of day, Victor struggles with his physical limitations, watching Michael sink deeper into his quandary.

In his first produced screenplay, Allen dreams up a wild comedy about infidelity, treating Michael as a lovable cad with a crippling case of commitment phobia. Being the 1960s, the character isn’t challenged over his ability to humiliate Carole with his insistent flirtation, addressing those targeted for conquest as “pussycat” to set the tone of the conversation. However, Michael isn’t a confident lothario, but one seeking help for his actions, forging a strangely unprofessional relationship with Dr. Fritz with hopes that the mental health professional will provide clarity in a clouded time, and perhaps find a way to turn down the volume on his libido. Of course, “What’s New Pussycat” isn’t a customary assemblage of self-improvement sequences, with Michael confronted by his cruelties. Instead, the screenplay throws a wild party, with Allen laboring to balance the emotional needs of the story with his impish, toned sense of humor. Early scenes suggest Donner is capable of such a tonal juggling act, but the rest dissolves into a puddle of half-realized gags and noise.

“What’s New Pussycat,” which opens with the world-famous Tom Jones title tune, quickly loses interest in any sense of order. It transforms into an episodic adventure for Michael, who bounces around Swinging Europe on the prowl for cheap thrills, welcoming a most eager pupil in Dr. Fritz, who’s desperately trying to shed his suffocating domestic life and sidle up to Renee, who’s already in love with Michael. The script becomes a series of encounters for the men as they struggle to manage female interest, finding Victor less skilled when it comes to the art of seduction. There are a few compelling distractions, including a visit to the famed Crazy Horse cabaret to size up the local selections and entertain a brief cameo from Richard Burton. As Michael embarks on a “gradual disengagement” to cool himself, “What’s New Pussycat” grows impatient, often tossing in dismal displays of physical comedy to simply remain in motion (to Donner, stasis is death), failing to secure a consistency that would bring out Allen’s subtle ways with a punchline. There are a few chuckles that break through the often leaden atmosphere of the picture, but nothing cracks open the potential of the material, making even a casual viewing of the effort surprisingly frustrating.

Perhaps the bottom line on “What’s New Pussycat?” is that O’Toole is simply miscast as Michael. Obviously gifted, the actor’s talents aren’t built for this type of madcap event, leaving O’Toole bewildered as he searches for a way to preserve his approach while Donner summons a tornado of screen antics. Cool and credible as a ladykiller, O’Toole comes across a tad thunderstruck, especially when dueling with Sellers, who’s swimming upstream as Dr. Fritz, challenged to make a silly wig and broad German accent hilarious. His heart just isn’t in the work, eventually abandoning interest by the end of the picture, where he blends into the background. Allen doesn’t feature predominately in the movie, but his contributions, his thick Allen-isms, are terrific. However, “What’s New Pussycat?” is a rare event where the filmmaker has no control over the production, and his hesitance shows, simply working to be seen instead of fully understood.

What's New Pussycat? Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.66:1 aspect ratio) presentation has the benefit of working with a brightly lit, exhaustively colorful feature, easing its transition to HD. Still, limitations are noticeable, with some minor damage, noise, judder, and flicker, while the sides of the frame show signs of print fatigue. Grain is managed adequately, offering a filmic appearance, while slight softness dilutes fine detail without washing it completely away. Hues are communicative, finding life in costuming, O'Toole's blue eyes, and the opening title sequence, without suffering any overt fade. Skintones are appropriate. Contrast is thrown a tad out of whack during low-lit encounters.

What's New Pussycat? Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix doesn't hit the ears as crisply as desired, offering more of a sludgy sound that's immediately introduced with the title track, which fails to carry much sonic power. Dialogue is understood, with nothing clouded, but precision is lacking, leaving highs sharp and shrill, which doesn't benefit a picture that thrives on chaos. Soundtrack cuts only register adequately, and hiss and pops vary in intensity. The track shows its age and limitation often, missing a freshness that could aid the manic visuals.

What's New Pussycat? Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• A Theatrical Trailer (2:54, HD) is included.

What's New Pussycat? Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The final act of "What's New Pussycat?" goes bonkers, watching Ursula Andress slide into O'Toole's lap as Rita, an amorous parachutist, and there's a whole showdown in a remote French town, home to the Chateau Chantell, where the characters frantically evade one another, wield bombs, and hop into go-karts for a final chase. There's a threat of whiplash when viewing this finale, but Donner's commotion doesn't equal laughs. While "What's New Pussycat?" has all the adrenaline it needs, rarely does anything click as intended, with one-liners drowned out, facial reactions obscured, and timing lost to the tsunami-style execution of what appears to be a simple tale of a conflicted man who can't keep it in his pants.