The Owl and the Pussycat (film)

For the poem by Edward Lear, see The Owl and the Pussycat.

The Owl and the Pussycat
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Herbert Ross
Produced by	Ray Stark
Written by	Buck Henry
Starring	Barbra Streisand George Segal
Music by	Dick Halligan
Cinematography	Harry Stradling, Sr.
Editing by	John F. Burnett
Studio	Rastar
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date(s)	November 3, 1970
Running time	95 min.
Country	USA
Language	English
Box office	$23,681,338 (domestic) $11,645,000 (rentals)

The Owl and the Pussycat is a 1970 romantic comedy film directed by Herbert Ross and starring Barbra Streisand and George Segal. Streisand plays the role of a somewhat uneducated actress, model and part-time prostitute. She temporarily lives with an educated aspiring writer (Segal). Their differences are obvious, yet over time they begin to admire each other. Comedian/actor Robert Klein appears in a supporting role. Future adult film actress Marilyn Chambers, in her film debut, plays Klein's girlfriend. (She was 17 during the film shoot and is credited as Evelyn Lang.)

Background

The screenplay, written by Buck Henry, was based on a stage play by Bill Manhoff. In the stage version, the would-be writer and the would-be actress are the only characters. In the play's original Broadway production (1964-1965), the "Owl" was played by white actor Alan Alda and the "Pussycat" by black actress/singer Diana Sands; the film version omitted the aspects of the characters' interracial relationship.

Cast

• Barbra Streisand as Doris
• George Segal as Felix
• Robert Klein as Barney
• Evelyn Lang as Barney's Girl
• Roz Kelly as Eleanor

Gross

An instant hit, the movie grossed $23,681,338 at the domestic box office, making it the 12th highest grossing film of 1970. The movie also grossed $11,645,000 in rentals. Total gross for the movie was $35,326,338.

Award nominations

Barbra Streisand received the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy nomination, her 3rd in this category. Buck Henry was also nominated for Writers Guild of America Award for Best Comedy Adapted from Another Medium.

Soundtrack

The movie's soundtrack (Columbia Masterworks MS30401) features dialogue from the film and music from the jazz-rock group Blood, Sweat & Tears.

Home media

The Owl and the Pussycat was released several years ago on DVD. Fans of the movie have complained that one line of dialogue spoken by Streisand (her character saying "fuck") has been deleted from the DVD release.[1]

Deleted scenes

Barbra Streisand filmed a nude/topless scene for The Owl and the Pussycat that was cut from the film. Streisand told the press: "The director of 'The Owl and the Pussycat' wanted a topless shot, and I agreed on two conditions — one, there would be nobody in the room but George [Segal]; two, I had the right to kill the shot if I didn't think it would work." In November 1979, a U.S. adult/pornographic magazine named High Society published the nude frames that were cut from the film. Streisand sued High Society for publishing the celebrity nude shots.

Cultural reference

Mad published a spoof of the film in its September 1971 issue (Issue #145), in which much is made of Streisand's profanity. At the end, Segal's writer character throws his typewriter down an embankment, saying that the words he's used as a writer made him sick. Then he throws her over, saying "Four-letter words make me even sicker! So long, Foul-Mouth!"

On the MMORPG website Gaia Online, there is an equipable item called "Runcible Spoon" that makes reference to the movie.

External links

• The Owl and the Pussycat at the Internet Movie Database