What's New Pussycat? is a 1965 screwball comedy film directed by Clive Donner, written by Woody Allen in his first produced screenplay, and starring Allen in his acting debut, along with Peter Sellers, Peter O'Toole, Romy Schneider, Capucine, Paula Prentiss, and Ursula Andress.
The Oscar-nominated title song by Burt Bacharach (music) and Hal David (lyrics) is sung by Tom Jones. The film poster was painted by Frank Frazetta, and the animated title sequence was directed by Richard Williams.
The expression "what's new pussycat?" arose in the beatnik generation and is a general query aimed by men at women. In the film, Michael (O'Toole) calls all women "Pussycat" to avoid having to remember their names.
Plot
Notorious womanizer Michael James wants to be faithful to his fiancée Carole Werner, but every woman he meets seems to fall in love with him, including neurotic exotic dancer Liz Bien and parachutist Rita, who accidentally lands in his car. His psychoanalyst, Dr. Fritz Fassbender, is unable to help, since he is stalking patient Renée Lefebvre, who in turn longs for Michael. Carole, meanwhile, decides to make Michael jealous by flirting with his nervous wreck of a friend, Victor Shakapopulis. Victor struggles to be romantic but Carole nevertheless feigns interest.
Fassbender continues to have group meetings with his neurotics and obsessives and cannot understand why everyone falls for Michael. The group sessions get stranger—including an indoor cricket match. Michael dreams that all his sexual conquests simultaneously bombard him for attention, listing where they made love.
Fassbender goes to the River Seine and fills a rowing boat with kerosene and wraps himself in the Norwegian flag - preparing to commit suicide in the style of a Viking funeral. Victor appears and sets up a small dining table nearby and asks what he is doing. Distracted, Fassbender forgets his idea of suicide and starts giving Victor advice. Despite his attempts to womanise, Fassbender is revealed to be married with three children.
Meanwhile, Carole's plan seems to work and Michael asks to marry her. She agrees and they settle on marrying within the week. She moves in but Michael finds fidelity impossible.
When a second "fiancée" arrives, she knows the worst. Simultaneously, a woman parachutes into Michael's open-top sports car and he ends up sleeping with her, also meeting other conquests at the bar. This takes place at a small country hotel, where all parties materialise in the format of a typical French farce. Some are checked in, but most just appear. This includes Carole's parents who wander the corridors, causing Michael to jump from room to room. A rumour has also started locally that an orgy is taking place so side characters such as the petrol station attendant also start to appear. Carole appears and wishes to see Michael's room. As they speak, all the other participants chase each other around in the background. Fassbender's wife tracks him down.
Everyone ends in Michael's room with most of the women half-naked. The police arrive and form a line. Anna—Dr. Fassbender's wife, played by Eddra Gale—charges in operatic Valkyrie costume, complete with a spear. They all escape to a go-kart circuit. They leave the circuit and go first to a farmyard then through narrow village streets still on the go-karts then back to the circuit.
After a mayor marries Michael and Carole in a civil marriage ceremony, the couple are signing the marriage certificate when Michael calls the young female registrar "Pussycat", infuriating Carole. They leave and Fassbender attempts to court her instead.
Cast
Peter Sellers as Dr. Fritz Fassbender
Peter O'Toole as Michael James
Romy Schneider as Carole Werner
Capucine as Renée Lefebvre
Paula Prentiss as Liz Bien
Woody Allen as Victor Shakapopulis
Ursula Andress as Rita, the parachutist
Michel Subor as Philippe
Eddra Gale as Dr. Fassbender's wife, Anna
Katrin Schaake as Jacqueline
Eléonore Hirt as Carole's mother, Mrs. Sylvia Werner
Jean Parédès as Marcel, Renée's husband
Jacques Balutin as Etienne
Jess Hahn as Mr. Werner, Carole's father
Howard Vernon as Doctor
Françoise Hardy as Mayor's assistant (the registrar) Sabine Sun as Nurse Nicole Karen as Tempest Jacqueline Fogt as Charlotte Daniel Emilfork as Gas Station Man Tanya Lopert as Miss Lewis
Cast notes
Richard Burton has a cameo appearance as a man at the bar in a strip club.