What's New Pussycat (1965)

40% of critics liked it
(10 reviews)
55% of users liked it
(5,423 ratings)

A notorious womanizer, fashion editor Michael James (Peter O'Toole) decides to seek the help of a psychiatrist when he begins to feel that his inability to commit to a relationship is adversely affecting his personal life. Desperate to remain faithful to his fiancée Carole (Romy Schneider), Michael… More A notorious womanizer, fashion editor Michael James (Peter O'Toole) decides to seek the help of a psychiatrist when he begins to feel that his inability to commit to a relationship is adversely affecting his personal life. Desperate to remain faithful to his fiancée Carole (Romy Schneider), Michael enlists the help of Dr. Fassbinder (Peter Sellers), blissfully unaware that as Dr. Fassbinder is making the moves on a patient who secretly longs for the seemingly irresistible Michael. As Michael and Carole check into the Chateau Chantelle in hopes of patching up their relationship, Dr. Fassbinder has also arrived at the Chateau in hopes of finally cementing his relationship with the comely patient. As the two couples check into the hotel, disaster looms just beyond the bend in a series of hilarious mishaps that will test both Michael's faithfulness and Dr. Fassbinder's sanity. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 48 min.
Directed By: Clive Donner, Richard Talmadge
Written By: Woody Allen
Genres: Art House & International, Classics, Comedy

In Theaters: Jun 22, 1965 Wide
On DVD: Jun 7, 2005

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff, Variety
It goes overboard in pressing for its goal and consequently suffers from over-contrived treatment.
Don Druker, Chicago Reader
Clive Donner's stylish direction harmonizes well with Woody Allen's inspired screenplay to yield an elegant entertainment, proving once again that Allen is a better scenarist than a director.
Bosley Crowther, New York Times
Somewhere in the proceedings there were sane and skillful artisans at work.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Better scripted (by Woody Allen) than dirceted (by Clive Donner), this psychiatrist farce is intermittently funny; too bad that the role Allen wrote for himself instead went to Peter Sellers who's over the top.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
A classic comedy of its time and captures the period in sight and sound. It doesn't wear as well as a true classic, though, and many of the gags would feel dated 20 years later.
Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com
Jammed with stars in a zany, surprisingly unfunny plot for the most part.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
The all-star international cast goes overboard in keeping things zany but not necessarily funny.
, Time Out
The mixed results are entertaining, if flawed.
, Film4
A horribly dated affair, Clive Donner's film ends with the entire cast desperately trying to get laughs from a go-kart race. Yes, it really is that bad.

Read all 9 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

Lucas M

Very funny: Peter Sellers, Woody Allen and Peter O'Toole, together are really funny, but What's New Pussycat is too silly.
Ken S

A very, very, very silly movie. Not a great movie, but funny in places, and very, very silly.
AJ V

Sellers and O'Toole are a good team, but the script needs some work. The story is good for the most part, but it eventually gets silly and out of control. Overall it's okay, but it could have been much better.
Michael G

Woody Allen's first screenplay. Completely silly and worth seeing.
Doctor S

Swingin' Sixties sex farce propelled by megawatt star power. Screenplay by Woody Allen contains many Woodyisms. Silly and inessential, but where else are you gonna see a Keystone Cops-inspired go-kart chase with Allen, Peter O'Toole, Romy Schneider, Peter Sellers, and… More
Swingin' Sixties sex farce propelled by megawatt star power. Screenplay by Woody Allen contains many Woodyisms. Silly and inessential, but where else are you gonna see a Keystone Cops-inspired go-kart chase with Allen, Peter O'Toole, Romy Schneider, Peter Sellers, and Ursula Andress? They even throw in a James Bond joke!

Cast

            Peter Sellers as Dr. Fritz Fassbender

            Peter O'Toole as Michael James

            Romy Schneider as Carol Werner

            Capucine as Renee Lefebvre

            Paula Prentiss as Stripper at Crazy Horse Saloon

            Woody Allen as Victor Shakapopulis

            Eddra Gale as Anna Fassbender

            Katrin Schaake as Jacqueline

            Jess Hahn as Mr. Werner

            Elenore Hirt as Mrs. Sylvia Werner

            Nicole Karen as Tempest O'Brien

            Jean Parédès as Marcel

            Michel Subor as Philippe

            Jacqueline Fogt as Charlotte

            Robert Rollis as Car Renter

            Daniel Emilfork as Gas Station Man

            Louis Falavigna as Jean

            Jacques Balutin as Etienne

            Annette Poivre as Emma

            Sabine Sun as Beautiful Nurse

            Tanya Lopert as Miss Lewis

            Colin Drake as Durell

            Louise Lasser as The Nutcracker

            Gordon Felio as Fat Man

            Ursula Andress as Rita

            Georges Douking as Concierge at Renee's Apartment

            Francoise Hardy as Mayor's Secretary

            Richard Saint-Bris as The Mayor

            Howard Vernon as Doctor

            Maggie Wright as Stripteaser

            Barbara Somers as Miss Marks

            Edra Gale
            
            Eleonore Hirt
            
See full cast