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The Owl and the Pussycat

Play trailer Poster for The Owl and the Pussycat PG 1970 1h 38m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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80% Tomatometer 10 Reviews 65% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Trying to keep her head above water, New Yorker Doris (Barbra Streisand) accepts money for sexual favors from men who occasionally visit her apartment, a practice that bugs her neighbor, Felix (George Segal), an unsuccessful writer. Felix gets her booted, but when she complains to him, he lets her bunk at his place. Reserved Felix and outlandish Doris have little in common, but as they're forced to spend more time together, their proximity leads to an increasing mutual fondness.
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The Owl and the Pussycat

Critics Reviews

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Eddie Harrison film-authority.com 06/18/2021
3/5
...the new permissiveness also gives Segal and Streisand plenty of chances to shine... Go to Full Review
Cole Smithey ColeSmithey.com 02/21/2008
4/5
Chuck O'Leary Fantastica Daily 09/27/2005
2/5
Rebecca Murray About.com 06/24/2005
4/5
Steve Crum Kansas City Kansan 01/04/2005
4/5
Sharp dialogue + Streisand & Siegel make this stage-based comedy worthwhile. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Pamela A Jun 30 I thought this movie very funny, have to remember 1970 was a weird time! The movie is underrated and should be a classic 1970 hit! I don’t understand some of the negative reviews, the acting and writing were amazing for this time. PS I love Barbra movies but feel she is another Hollywood Traitor for supporting corrupt politicians who destroyed my home State California See more Liam D @Mediawatcher2003 Dec 27 A very screwball comedy but Barbra and George have great chemistry See more 02/03/2022 Written by Buck Henry, based on a stage play by Bill Manhoff and directed by Herbert Ross, The Owl and the Pussycat was a huge romantic comedy hit. It stars Barbara Streisand (who did a nude scene for the film that was cut at her request and then published by High Society; Babs sued) as a prostitute who also has acted in two TV commercials named Doris who finds herself living with Felix, her writer neighbor (George Segal) when she's evicted. Then, they both get evicted when he tries to cure her hiccups. They end up moving in with Barney (Robert Klein), a friend of Felix, but their arguing — followed by lovemaking — leads to Barney and his girlfriend (Marilyn Chambers, credited as Evelyn Lang, two years before she went Behind the Green Door) leaving. Hijinks, as they say, ensue, like the fact that the two can't stop falling in love — and driving each other crazy — and that well, Felix may already have a fiancee. Will these two ever just get along? Hey! Roz Kelly is in this and so is an uncredited Tom Atkins! Interestingly enough, Sidney Poitier was supposed to play opposite Streisand, yet it was decided that audiences weren't ready for an interracial romance. Which is even weirder, because this started on Broadway with Alan Alda and Diana Sands as the principals. See more 08/19/2021 Every movie cliché in the book. Soft hearted hooker meets writer. I never got the appeal of Streisand. She's no way attractive enough to play a hooker. Not believable at all. See more 03/28/2021 Segal, as ever, is likeably unlikable, while Babs is just plain unlikeable. See more 11/03/2020 Directed by Herbert Ross comes the story of an author and a call girl in the most unlikely of situations Based on the 1964 play Barbra Streisand is Doris, a struggling actress and George Segal is Felix, an aspiring writer His latest novel just got rejected and he runs into Doris who just needs a break She has nowhere to stay and he decides to let her stick around after they both get evicted He's a pussycat of a sour puss unable to do anything if he can't sleep and she's a night owl not being able to fall sleep so easily Over the course of two nights they find out more about one another in ways they never knew The beginning i admit gets old fast just watching them bicker at one another The rest of the movie is a lot of talking but the two leads are able to carry it all and their characters do become more enduring than obnoxious She learns bigger words and he learns a bigger meaning of vividness Not a film that'll please all the masses but the actors give it their all See more Read all reviews
The Owl and the Pussycat

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Movie Info

Synopsis Trying to keep her head above water, New Yorker Doris (Barbra Streisand) accepts money for sexual favors from men who occasionally visit her apartment, a practice that bugs her neighbor, Felix (George Segal), an unsuccessful writer. Felix gets her booted, but when she complains to him, he lets her bunk at his place. Reserved Felix and outlandish Doris have little in common, but as they're forced to spend more time together, their proximity leads to an increasing mutual fondness.
Director
Herbert Ross
Producer
Ray Stark
Screenwriter
Buck Henry, Bill Manhoff
Distributor
Columbia Pictures
Production Co
Rastar Pictures
Rating
PG
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 3, 1970, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 3, 2020
Runtime
1h 38m
Sound Mix
Mono
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