What’s New Pussycat? (1965)

My Review

“What’s New Pussycat?” is a screwball comedy about a man determined to be faithful to his fiancee, but is distracted by several attractive women coming in and out of his life. Director Clive Donner (“Nothing But the Best” 1964) and screenwriter Woody Allen (in his first major motion picture credit) put together a vapid comedy which is disorganized, cluttered, and neurotic. The picture is just not humorous on any level.

Most of the actors deliver terrible performances including Peter Sellers, Peter O’Toole, Paula Prentiss, Romy Schneider, Capucine, Ursula Andress, Eddra Gale, Woody Allen (also his acting debut), and Richard Burton in an uncredited cameo. Burt Bacharach was in charge of the musical score, the film’s only real positive attribute. It’s sole Academy Award nod went for Best Song, “What’s New Pussycat?”, music by Bacharach, lyrics by Hal David, performed by Tom Jones. It was a big hit on the music charts for Jones.

The unwatchable “What’s New Pussycat?” was a box office bomb for Famous Artists Productions, Famartists Productions S. A., and United Artists. It was filmed in and around Paris, France.