The accidental mix-up of four identical plaid overnight bags leads to a series of increasingly wild and wacky situations.
Barbra Streisand
Judy Maxwell
Ryan O'Neal
Howard Bannister
Madeline Kahn
Eunice Burns
Kenneth Mars
Hugh Simon
Austin Pendleton
Frederick Larrabee
Michael Murphy
Mr. Smith
Philip Roth
Mr. Jones
Sorrell Booke
Harry
Stefan Gierasch
Fritz
Mabel Albertson
Mrs. Van Hoskins
Liam Dunn
Judge Maxwell
John Hillerman
Hotel Manager
George Morfogen
Headwaiter
Graham Jarvis
Bailiff
Randy Quaid
Professor Hosquith
M. Emmet Walsh
Arresting Officer
Kevin O'Neal
Delivery Boy
Eleanor Zee
Banquet Receptionist
Paul Condylis
Room Service Waiter
Fred Scheiwiller
Jewel Thief
Carl Saxe
Jewel Thief
Jack Perkins
Jewel Thief
Paul B. Kipilman
Druggist
Gil Perkins
Jones' Driver
Christa Lang
Mrs. Hosquith
Stan Ross
Musicologist
Peter Eastman
Musicologist
Eric Brotherson
Larrabee's Butler
Elaine Partnow
Party Guest
George Burrafato
Eunice's Cab Driver
Jerry Summers
Smith's Cab Driver
Mark Thompson
Airport Cab Driver
Don Bexley
Skycap
Leonard Lookabaugh
Painter on Roof
Candace Brownell
Ticket Seller
Sean Morgan
Banquet Official
Patricia O'Neal
Lady on Plane
Joe Alfasa
Waiter in Hall
Chuck Holison
Pizza Cook
Cosmo Sardo
Hotel Waiter (uncredited)
Sylvester Stallone
Hotel Guest (uncredited)
Director, Story
Peter Bogdanovich
Screenplay
David Newman
Screenplay
Robert Benton
Screenplay
Buck Henry
January 2, 2025
7
I'm really not a fan of screwball humour, and after the first five minutes of this perfectly choreographed series of synchronised improbabilities, accompanied by a downright irritating characterisation of "Judy" by Barbra Streisand, I fully expected to hate this film. Once it's settled down, though, and Madeline Kahn gets to grips with her equally exasperating persona, I did really start to feel that geeky rock guy "Howard" (Ryan O'Neal) was completely out of his depth as these two women took hold of his life and made every effort to trash it. Right from the start, we know that there's a sub-plot involving a tartan holdall, well four of them, and with some underhand shenanigans going on to obtain one of those that must contain something secret we now have the ingredients for some slapstick chaos that provides one of the best "Wacky Races" style car chases through San Francisco with nobody safe! There's an engaging chemistry between Streisand and O'Neal and it does remind you that before she started obsessing about how people pronounce her surname, she had really good comedy timing to go with her belting voice. Though the denouement isn't exactly a shock, there are plenty of twists and turns en route to keep this entertaining romp quite watchable almost fifty years later and it showcases nicely the skills of O'Neal as a perfect foil, too.
Status:
Released
Original Language:
English
Budget:
$4,000,000.00
Revenue:
$66,000,000.00