MovieChat Forums > What's Up, Doc? (1972) Discussion > What's Up Doc? - Yes... Bringing Up Baby...

What's Up Doc? - Yes... Bringing Up Baby - No!

posted 11 years ago by ralph_2ndedition
3 replies | jump to latest

I absolutely LOVE 'What's up, Doc?', and have done so ever since I was a very young child. At that time it was probably all the slapstick stuff - and that FANTASTIC chase scene in particular - that I was captivated by.
But as I grew up I really got in to the razor sharp and lightening fast dialogue.
Now, I know real people don't talk like that. Or, no that's not true, I know individuals that do talk like that, but they are all stressed out people that are all talk and very little listen, so you'd never hear a DIALOGUE like that, as much as you'd hear some incoherent MONOLOGUE.
I don't care though, because it is just so fantastically funny, quick and hysterically unbelievable.

So, about ten or fifteen years ago I found out that 'What's Up, Doc?' was a remake of sorts, of the 1938 screwball comedy 'Bringing up baby'.
This I need to see, said I, but did nothing about it.
Two years ago someone (my mother, truth must be told) had dug it up on dvd and gave it to me on my birthday. GREAT!

Make popcorn, sink deep into the couch and just.......
-But I couldn't even finish it!!

I had read what it was about, and had some - but not many - expectations. All I really had was crystal clear images of the probably 50+ times I had seen 'What's Up, Doc?' flashing through my brain.

The character 'Susan' (Katherine Hepburn) was probably one of the least likable characters I had ever seen! I just sat there feeling increasingly more sorry for 'David' (Cary Grant). At no point (during the 45-50 minutes I managed to sit through) did Susan display any redeeming features, any gap in the facade, any way for me to feel that she was at least SORT OF justified in behaving the way she did.
When I felt to 100% that no matter what happened in the last half it wouldn't make me like it, I decided to turn it off.

I still love 'What's Up, Doc?', but that old screwball comedy some of it is based on...no! Just...no!

[–] gbennett5 11 years ago

That's your opionion. Most critics and genuine, know-what-they're-talking-
about fans would pick "Baby", which is sharper and far more sophisticated
the WUD. For starters, both Streisand O'Neal coast on "cutes" and schtick
to make up their performances. Neither really created any kind of a
character. Only the great Madeline Kahn, and several of the wonderful
supporting actors (especially Liam Dunn) did likewise. WUP is pure joy,
but much of it is labored and feels like a cartoon. "Baby" feels like
real people in real situations. As for likeable, I would hardly call
Streisand's "Judy" anything more than a thief, freeloader and genuine
trouble-maker.

I love both films, but know which is the most valuable and historically
classic.

Even Bogdanovich would agree.

[–] louiseculmer 9 years ago

i like both films, though I find What's Up Doc funnier. bringing Up baby has some good scenes though. but I don't really understand what you mean about Susan. How is judy 's behaviour any better than hers? they both go chasing after another woman's fiancee quite blatantly, doing anything they can to get his attention etc. I can't see anything worse in what Susan does than what Judy does.

[–] marteenuz 8 years ago

Everything you said - except the opposite.
Bringing up Baby was a sparkling comedy, with wonderful performances by Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant, and a stellar supporting ensemble.

Bringing Up Baby was one of Hepburn's first comedies, and her chemistry with Cary Grant so delightful, it was followed by two more pairings, film versions of the Philip Barry plays Holiday, and The Philadelphia Story. These are also recognized as some of the best romantic comedies made, classics that have been remade and copied for decades since.

What's Up Doc was forced, mannered and phony; as an homage to the great movies of the 30's, the only thing it is better than is "At Long Last Love", another horrible Bogdanovich vehicle.

Madeline Kahn and Austin Pendleton did their best, but against Ryan O'Neal's stiff performance and Barbra Streisand sucking up all the oxygen in the room, they never had a chance.