MovieChat Forums > What's Up, Doc? (1972) Discussion > tripping old ladies

tripping old ladies

posted 19 years ago by TonyDood
9 replies | jump to latest

I remember an ad for this that ran something like, "See: heists! See: car chases! See: The tripping of old ladies!" I wonder if you could get away with tripping a rich old lady in a movie today and make it funny without seeming evil--something tells me if you did it in a movie today it would just seem really mean, ugly and nasty...there's something innocent and silly about it in THIS movie (hey, I mean, at least she fights back!!) but then everyone in this film is insane, of course...

Sometimes it's not enough merely to teach. One has to punish as well.

[–] meme-29 19 years ago

That is my FAVORITE SCENE in the movie!!!! Silly of people to say it's disturbing. IT'S A COMEDY! From when the guy is muttering, "Use your charm" while walking toward her, then quickly sticks his leg out & trips her...to her trying to run down the hall to her room & him trying to keep up w/her & right as he sticks his leg out in front of her the camera cuts away & we HEAR her fall. Great choice by Bogdonavich to cut away. Makes it funnier. What is also so funny is, instead of yelling for help, she obvously gets on the elevator w/him & tries to outrun him. In fact, makes me laugh out loud more than any scene in any movie. Guess that makes me a slapstick fan! (Also they never say a word to each other the whole time!) LOL

[–] costasurf 18 years ago

Yes I remember that ad. It was the "See the tripping of old ladies " line that sold me!

what was funny is that the hotel detctive kept tripping her down the hallway.

[–] ralph_2ndedition 18 years ago

The funniest part of the "tripping-the-old-lady" scenes are just at the very end, when they're up in the hallway, outside the rooms. Fritz goes to pass them and deliberately faces the wall, as if pretending not to see the two people fighting as he passes them in the 5 ft wide corridor.
Hysterical! :D

"Racoon, Rog?"

[–] blueeyedbear 18 years ago

the book is even funnier because it provides more details. when sorrell brooke trips her, it states, "she goes down like a whale." great description.

[–] Isaac5855 17 years ago

I guess that scene might have been in bad taste, but the first time I saw this movie, I probably laughed harder and louder at that scene than any other scene in the whole movie...I thought that was just hysterical.

[–] Sponiatowski 17 years ago

I think Tripping Old Ladies would make a great name for a Rock Band.

BTW, I remember laughing hardest at this scene and the scene with "Eunice" at Durillo Dr.

[–] TonyDood 17 years ago

"...Ummm....those are Howard's rocks...what are you doing with Howard's rocks?!"

A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds

[–] shelton_k 17 years ago

Yes,that part was very funny. I like when she fights back, she bites him on the ankle. *lol*

[–] 17 years ago

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