Product: The Owl and the Pussycat [VHS] (1970)
Rating: 5.0
"The sun does not spit!"
One of the most hilarious films ever made, THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT has more laughs than ten of today's so-called "comedies" combined. Even though a few set changes and a couple of new supporting characters are added to "open up" the storyline, director Herbert Ross and writer Buck Henry manage to keep the same spirit of the original one-act, two-character play intact. There's a lot of verbal warfare in Henry's screenplay, and he seems to have a gift for penning wickedly funny dialogue. Some viewers could argue that THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT is little more than two characters insulting each other for 95 minutes, but - when those insults are so rigorously funny - who cares?In the female lead, Barbra Streisand gives a refreshingly unsentimental performance as Doris, the semi-literate hooker who (for once) does not have a heart of gold. George Segal was primarily known as a dramatic actor before he was cast as Felix, the snotty book clerk/writer-wannabe. His performance is so convincing that he has been known as an expert comic ever since. The chemistry between Streisand and Segal ignites from the beginning, and it stays aflame throughout their relationship's many ups and downs. Robert Klien has a funny supporting role - and plays it expertly - but THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT remains a showcase for the chemistry between Streisand and Segal. I think well-respected film critic Pauline Kael said it best when she wrote, "Were Tracy and Hepburn ever this good. . . maybe, but they were never better." High praise indeed!About the DVD: This relatively featureless DVD has excellent picture quality (I wish all films from the seventies looked this good), but I am very disappointed that Columbia chose to use the PG edit of the film for this release. Though only one scene was edited, that particular scene no longer makes any apparent sense with Streisand's foul-mouthed phrase deleted. Hopefully the original theatrical cut will someday make it's way to DVD