"These imitation flower children advertise the lifestyle of the young with all the right phrases and all the wrong inflection." - Stephen Farber on "Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice"

Paul Mazursky's first film is the epitome of 70's filmmaking. This, more than "Easy Rider," is the quintessential cinematic essay that foreshadows so much of what 70's films and filmmaking were all about. The film is about the sexual revolution and the expression of sexual liberation as seen through white, upper class, West Coast, middle-aged eyes. It begins with Bob and Carol (Robert Culp and Natalie Wood), a married couple who go to the mountains to a retreat called "The Institute" which is like a big group therapy center. They engage in primal scream therapy, anger expression, and group activities. At one point everyone in the room wanders together in a group looking into each others eyes trying to discover the other people through their faces. It's all very hip and groovy. But Mazursky somehow manages to make it funny as well. Time has not diminished this film. In hindsight, we laugh at the implied absurdity of much of what we see. But our laughter is often the response we have when confronted with raw human emotion. The film is so open and honest and real, almost like a documentary, that we can't help but be both perplexed and amazed by what we see here, both touched and amused. If Mazursky didn't just set up camera and film the actors in real therapy like situations, then these actors are amazing. One feels they are improvising all through this segment. 

The film is so perfect, now and in 1970, because it isn't about the sexual revolution and openness of the 60's and 70's but instead about average people, like the film-viewer, trying to fit into the mold of those times. These aren't kids expressing themselves in the newly free and supposedly incorruptible world which they have created, but rather about the adults and average "joes" of that time trying to emulate them. What makes the film funny is that these "poseurs" aren't hypocrites, but instead human. We EMPATHIZE with them because we ARE them. We too want the beauty and the freedom of honest and spiritual sexual relationships but we also know that the struggle to achieve this can never be won. Human nature and instinct will defeat this goals every time.

This delicate balance of reality and humor is continued through the next scene in the film where Bob and Carol have dinner with Ted and Alice (Elliot Gould and Dyan Cannon). They look at Bob and Carol's new found openness with the same sort of cynical amusement that we do. And rightly so as Wood proves that her understanding of the concept of "honesty" leaves a lot to be desired. The downright impossibility of that freedom is proven when Wood, in trying to express her want not to embarrass a friendly waiter, does exactly that. It's a beautifully written and played out scene and one of the most humorous and poignant expressions of irony ever filmed.

The plot continues to explore these characters through an awesome script and great exposition. We get to know and like these people. Sure, the 70's vernacular they use makes us chuckle as much now as it did then, (again, because these are middle aged adults trying to act like free love hippies) but that is exactly what the film is about - this delicate balance we have as human between reality and absurdity.The film is daring, as we must be, if we want to live our lives openly and honestly. Nature makes humans uneasy when we see raw honesty and pure emotion. It makes us SUSPECT. "B&C&T&A" explores our feelings about ourselves and our sexuality in terms that are still relevant today. It is an awesome film.

At the time of it's release, the film surely raised eyebrows for it's liberated views, especially since established actress, former youth star, Natalie Wood was in the film exposing much of her skin. I remember when it came out; I was but a child and my mother expressed her feelings that the film's themes were pure hooey. The open sexuality expressed here would not trickle to middle America for a few years. By then, the sexual revolution was over and, much like the characters at the end of the film, we found that we weren't quite able to completely shed all of our prejudices and inhibitions. The film saw the inherent flaws in the sexual revolution long before America did. 

By contrast, "Shampoo" seems flat and dated. Warren Beatty as a hip West Coast hairdresser gigolo just doesn't fly anymore. Nor does much of the political humor of the film. It's been 8 years since a Republican was in the White House and the Nixon era shown here seems like eons ago. The film is trying to point out how our own selfishness and egocentricities made the Nixon era possible. In a world bent on free love and sexual revolution, the absent-minded, preoccupied "left" let the hypocritical demoralized "right" take over the running of the country. This is old news.

But Beatty is a powerhouse and quite adept, not surprisingly, at playing the role. He juggles Lee Grant, Julie Christie (his then real life love interest), Goldie Hawn and a pubescent Carrie Fisher like so many spinning plates in the film. But "Shampoo," unfortunately, due to script by Towne and Beatty (at least he's credited) has nowhere to go and the finale is simply unbelievable. It's supposed to be irony but it falls flat and comes across as simply unrealistic.

Still, there is some things to like including some humor at the dated comments of Nixon as well as a beautiful young man naked in a hot tub inviting us to "come on in." Also, during this party scene, the Beatles "Sgt Pepper's" album is played with several songs from that seminal work used in the soundtrack. This is the kind of thing that would never happen in a 90's film with the music soundtrack such an important part of the marketing strategy. While this works here, it also continues to date the film. 

Another thing that dates the films is it's gay stereotypes and it's blatant use of foul vernacular phrases which pepper a couple of the film's scenes. Terms like fag, fairy, and faggot are sloshed around like so much pig slop. It's rather grim and - yep, dated.

"Shampoo" leaves no shimmer or shine some twenty years after it's release. It's all washed-out.

Notes for B&C&T&A:

Music by Quincy Jones. "What the World Needs Now" by Bacharach/David and sung by Jackie DeShannon is used over the pretentious but well intended finale.

The film's "Institute" was probably modeled after the Esalen Institute.

The finale of the film recalls Fellini's "8 1/2."

The end of the film was considered a "cop-out" by many in 1969 and the film, while commercially very popular, was much panned by critics.

"B&C&T&A" would later be made into a TV series in 1973. It lasted two months. Jodie Foster played one couple's child.


Notes on Shampoo:

Directed by Hal Ashby.

Paul Simon does score music (acoustic guitar strumming and Simon humming) for "Shampoo." A few years later, he would marry the young star of the film, Fisher. 

Lee Grant won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for "Shampoo." The film also stars Jack Warden, William Castle and Howard Hessman. A scene with Susan Blakley was cut.

The tempestuous relationship between Towne and Beatty as well as Ashby's 70's career is covered extensively in the book "Easy Riders Raging Bulls" by Peter Biskin.

Personal Note:
Went to the Paramount theater on Thursday night and saw "Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice" and "Shampoo" on a double bill. Only $5.50 plus they had a full bar. The Paramount is on Congress around 7th street. It is an old Art Deco theater and they have tried to keep it up. It's a beautiful theater. They had a velvet curtain that opened to reveal the screen when the feature started. They balcony was open and I sat in the front row up there. Haven't sat in balcony to see a movie since I was a kid in Iowa. This experience is a must for young people before theaters with balconies completely disappear like drive in's did.

There were quite a few people there for the films. People even applauded at the end of B&C&T&A." Not at the end of "Shampoo" tho.

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