Shampoo (1975)

Plot: In November 1968, a Beverly Hills hairdresser tries to juggle 3 Girlfriends and start his own business
Stars: Warren Beatty, Julie Christie, Lee Grant, Goldie Hawn, Jack Warden
Best Quote:  Have you ever listened to women talk, man? Do you? Cause I do until it's running out of my ears. I mean, I'm on my feet all day long listening to women talk and they only talk about one thing - how some guy beeped 'em over. That's all that's on their minds. That's all I ever hear about.

Background - In 1975, Shampoo was the 4th most popular film and got good reviews from most critics - including Pauline Kael who loved it.  People - especially Liberals - loved the profanity, frank sex talk, vulgarity and Nixon satire.  Beatty made a fortune and Shampoo earned 4 AA nominations.

Not as bad as I remembered. I saw this 35 years ago and hated it. But I enjoyed parts of it this time round - despite my dislike of Warren.

Cons:

• Lee Grant is stuck with a stereotypical "Cougar"  role aka the unhappily married, middle-aged woman who likes her "boy toy". Yawn.
• Only one likable Character  (Hawn)
• Serious ending has little impact, since Beatty's character is unsympathetic.
• Constant profanity and 1975 vulgarity is annoying rather than "edgy".
• Drags in the middle - Election Eve party is a bore
• Dated political Satire. No one cares about  Watergate/Nixon anymore. 
• Carrie Fischer = completely unsexy.  A million beautiful starlets in Hollywood and they give Carrie the role.  Amazing. 

Pros:

• Goldie Hawn is charming and lovely (as usual)
• Actresses dominate the movie
• Julie Christie well cast and gives excellent performance
• Set design is great,  Beverly Hills looks wonderful
• Some funny moments, including  Jack Warden's face-drop when he realizes his mistress is making out with Beatty, & George's (Beatty) ridiculous lies to the three women and inability keep his stories straight

Warren Beatty:  I'm not a fan, but the role of a super-stud, Beverly Hills Hairdresser, is a perfect fit. And since its situational humor -, he's not  required to be funny.  IMO,  Beatty wasn't cut out for most leading man roles. He's softer than a tub of butter,  making him an unbelievable gangster, soldier, PI, cowboy, or authority figure.  Macho he ain't. And he's not much of an actor, - as shown by the film's final scene. However, he can hold his own in this kind of movie.

A Top 100 Comedy?  No way. Weirdly, that's what the AFI says.  But Shampoo is at best a drama with some funny moments.  Its too serious and sluggish to be labeled a "Sex Farce" and doesn't have enough jokes to be a straight comedy.  The script was co-written by Beatty - who was involved in Ishtar - 'nough said.

Two AA Supporting Actor Noms - neither of them deserved.  Hawn and Christie do better in their roles then Grant, but she's the one who got an AA. And while Warden does well as the nasty Businessman, the part should have been played by a middle-aged leading man,  Lancaster, Douglas, Glenn Ford, Bill Holden, Fonda, etc.  I assume Warden's nomination was a "Life time achievement award". 

Summary: Currently has a 6.3 IMDB rating - and that's about right. What was "edgy" and titillating in 1975 is old hat today. And no one cares about Richard Nixon. Anyone expecting a Top 100 comedy will be disappointed - although the movie has its  funny moments and Christie and Hawn do well.