Contentar Best movie of this year hands down!

Baseshment I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

Philippa All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Guillelmina The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

orcavine This is a great movie but I suspect it has been forgotten and not recognized because of the child pedophilia and wife beating in it's plot which were very, very uncomfortable subjects to discuss until recently. Acknowledging how good this movie is also mean having to deal with this subjects.I only saw this movie once before as a young teenager in the late 60's on TV and didn't get it. (I did like the "bastardo" remark to Archie by the young Mexican however). Younger viewers will not understand a time when homosexuality,and pedophilia was underground and could only be hinted at in the movies which is why it is not obvious or said in this movie. Seeing the movie again as a 60 year old with the understanding of these modern time but knowledge of the 60's made it clear that Richard Chamberlain's character David was a gay pedophile and that his father Richard played by Joseph Cotten knew it. Whether Petulia knew this before she married him is unclear but it is obvious that she knew it when David wants to drive the young boy back to their home in San Francisco (at least a day's drive from the San Diego Border). Her latter rescue of the boy after the unsuccessful (or successful?) seduction of him by David is the key as why she would try to hook up with George Scott's character Archie.Christie's character is also bizarre. As the child and sister of prostitutes she obliviously has some real issues of her own which are part of her "kookiness" (makes me feel old to see how "kook" has disappeared from everyday usage). My guess is that the realization that her dream marriage is a sham and that her husband prefers young boys has left her even more unstable. Christie probably grew up without a father around and so her attraction to Scott is part physical and that of wanting a father figure, and his kindness. The accident and situation with the young Mexican have left her quite crazy. Her desire to both seduce Archie and then deny him are understandable in her unstable mind to both still want to be married but also not at the same time. Scott's Character is that of a middle age man in manopause, unhappy but not sure what he wants. This explain his divorce, dating other women and dealing with Petulia's character. Note that his fellow doctor is in a similar place but doesn't have the gut to do anything about it.Watching the special features on the DVD I found out according to Chamberlain that neither he or Christie, or Scott knew what the movie was about when making it (Director Lester wouldn't tell them). I believe Joesph Cotten on the other hand must of know what was going on as an explanation of his brilliant performance. His Character as a member of the very elite and small San Francisco upper class is desperate to hide that his son's marriage is on the rocks and even worse his son has beaten her nearly to death and is a gay pedophile. He has to bring her back into the family fold to keep those secrets and his performance shows that masterfully. His lines about how how his his son is busy with his "boys" preparing for a voyage says so much.Chamberlain's character in addition to being a gay pedophile also has severe physical anger problems as shown when he hits Christie when she want the young Mexican to leave after crossing the border. His anger and beating of Christie nearly to death by embarrassing him when staying with Scott is also an issue which Hollywood and Movie Reviewer have a hard time dealing with and another reason to forget this film. The final moments of the film are interesting to speculate. Is Scott the real father of Christie's child as perhaps Chamberlain's character is impotent with women? Is that why Petulia calls out to Archie at the end of the film. Does Archie suspect this and tries to move her out of the situation only to realize it would come to no good end and decides to let everything stay as it is? I don't blame him for realizing how crazy it would be to move her and that it would best for all do nothing at the time.

Icons1976 FELT I HAD TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE WONDERFUL,MYSTERIOUS,TOUCHING "PETULIA" DIRECTED BY THE GREAT RICHARD LESTER(WHO SHOULD HAVE WORKED MORE) WITH A CREW OF 'WIZARDS' LIKE CULT DIRECTOR NICOLAS ROEG IN CHARGE OF CINEMATOGRAPHY(AND WHAT CINEMATOGRAPHY!),TONY WALTON FOR COSTUMES AND DESIGNS ,DEAN TAVOULARIS (FROM APOCALYPSE NOW) IN CHARGE OF SETS,AND SET DRESSING,AND A HEART BREAKING MUSIC SCORE FROM 'MAESTRO' JOHN BARRY. WHAT SHALL I SAY? THAT ANYTIME I SHOW THIS FILM TO A FRIEND, THEY REMAIN SPEECHLESS AND BECOME FANS? THAT EVEN AFTER 43 YEARS,IT'S STILL TODAY AHEAD OF ITS TIME? THAT I SAW A FEW FILMS WHO COMPLETELY REPRODUCED SOME OF THE SAME MASTERFUL,UNFORGETTABLE ANGLES? THAT THE STORY IS SO POETIC AND SO INTENSE TO BE HAUNTING YOU FOR EVER? That Julie Christie IS ONE OF THE BEST ACTRESSES EVER&AFTER THIS FILM,IF SHE WON'T BE IN YOUR FAVORITE TOP 10 IT MEANS YOU JUST DO NOT KNOW NOTHING ABOUT REAL ACTING AND REAL STARS?SHE IS SO UNIQUE&GORGEOUS,YOU JUST WANNA SEE HER IN EVERY MOVIE(AND UNFORTUNATELY SHE HAS NOT MADE SO MANY: ALMOST ALL OF THEM EXCELLENT,UNFORGETTABLE FILMS, BUT VERY FEW!).GEORGE C. SCOTT IS ALSO ONE OF THE BEST ACTORS EVER,SO UNDERSTATED,YET SO INCREDIBLY PIERCING&THE SUPPORTING CAST,FROM Shirley Knight to Arthur Hill&GREAT Joseph Cotten(in a very Dark Role)IS OUT STANDING.Even Richard Chamberlain,here,looks almost coming from a SCOTT-FITZGERALD'S Novel, While,He MAKES YOU FORGET about all the TV SHOWS, And Soapy Mini-series,Playing here the Gorgeous,yet BRUTAL,Wealthy, Rebellious KID,with such a Charm, You'd be Expecting him to become the next Paul Newman. And I could go on: If you have not seen this Film,Please Make Your Self a Favor and Watch it! HIGHLY RATED Always,By every Single Top Critic,It's been(INEXPLICABLY) OVER LOOKED from many Audiences: It was ground breaking&INCREDIBLY Insightful,The Emotional 'CRESCENDO' OF JULIE CHRISTIE'S Puzzled Memory of Her Sad Life: A beautiful,yet Lonely Socialite,married to the American Dream, which Leads her instead to Such an Imperfect Life, Painfully Flawed by a Progressive Lack of Feelings,by anyone surrounding her, A Crowd that resembles a bit one Busy Red Carpet today,full of tragic People,Hooked on Superficiality,Incapable of Communicating,while an underneath Disturbing Violence is Spreading around.It's truly a Tragic Film,that Starts like an extremely Sophisticated Comedy, Slowly Descending into a Bitter End: What Life has just Left you with? Isolation,Incommunicability&Stuck in What you'd Only Hope It was a Nightmare,but it is truly your living,and you can't change it anymore,because its paths are Irreversible. ONE MORE NOTE: I am very Surprised,WHEN A LOT OF REVIEWERS on here,although loving the Movie, felt"Annoyed"or Confused by what I consider instead Genius Editing:It Empowers,with its Flash Forward's and Flash back's,the Narration to Such an Extent,Becoming Really one Of the Greatest Assets of this Film, which makes you almost 'See' The Film Through the Troubled Mind of Petulia, a Triumphant Tale That Unravels its Tragedy in a Romantic Drama, that is Cut like a Mystery Thriller:Keeping you always Guessing what It might have Happened ,and Once You get to know a Part of it, You still do not get to Know Why or How such an Horrific Event Could have been. Slowly,but Extremely Satisfyingly,Petulia Tells in Progression,the inevitable Ending, which is also a True Meditation on Life and Relationships,Existential and Social Regrets,making even more Poignant, this Insightful Story: It is a True Mystery what's Going On, that Keeps You Really Hooked Guessing, Until The Very End, where a Series of highly in Depth References,Become more and More Touching, Haunting The Audience, also,with the Help of the Extraordinary Sensibility Offered generously,by Julie Christie's Unforgettable Performance, about a Lonely Woman,Searching for Deeper meanings,for Tenderness,in an Alienated World Not Willing to grant anyone's a little more,or at least what such an Incredible Character would have deserved. Julie Christie is a "Miracle' in this Film, That Will Haunt you,if you just Allow to Follow this Clever,Sensational Film,Opening Your Mind First, and then Your Heart! You must see this Film, it's one of The Best ever made!

brefane A very striking film from director Richard Lester that combines Cassevettes' realism, Kubrick's clinical detachment, and Resnais' fragmented film style. Set against a San Francisco that seems inspired by Felini as well as Antonnioni's BlowUp, Petulia, released the same year as Cassavettes' Faces and Kubrick's 2001, features a terrific performance from George C. Scott whose wry line readings provide some of the best moments in the film. The doctor he plays in Petulia is a younger version of the one he played in The Hospital(71), and Scott's straightforward performance garners sympathy while Christie's Petulia is an annoying kook, or worse, from the get go, and the way she suddenly co-ops the doctor's life is alarming. The only time I was on her side was when she told Wilma to "Get stuffed!". She's more disturbing than charming, and it's hard to believe that the doctor wouldn't be fleeing from her or getting a restraining order. And why Petulia married the privileged, sadistic, homosexual pederast in the first place is really no more explained than she is. Nonetheless, Richard Chamberlain is effectively cast as the husband, Nicolas Roeg's cinematography creates some spectacular imagery, Scott never looked better, Christie when not sabotaged by hairdo and make up is lovely, John Barry's score is very effective, and though some of the editing is pointlessly distracting, it is dazzling, and the background with jaded hippies, giddy nuns, automated hotels, 24 hour supermarkets... is arguably more interesting than the foreground with Petulia & Co. Cinematographer Roeg used subliminal imagery in his films Performance(70) and Walkabout(71) as did John Boorman in Point Blank(67) which like Petulia also used Alcatraz as a location.

ags123 There's a reason this "undiscovered gem" remains undiscovered: It's lousy. On just about all counts. Considering the talent involved, it's surprising how bad it is. How can a Richard Lester film be so boring? The characters are completely unsympathetic and underdeveloped. The scene between George C. Scott and Shirley Knight is designed to reveal the essence of their failed relationship, but it's so shallow, all I could focus on was who's gonna clean up the food he threw at her? Richard Chamberlain's portrayal of an inattentive, abusive husband is totally unconvincing, though the real fault is in the writing. And Julie Christie, looking beautiful in her prime, has to be referred to by everyone as a "kook" several times, otherwise we might not get it. Wasted too, are the amazing San Francisco locations. Nicholas Roeg had every opportunity to showcase this picturesque city, but instead fills the frame with ugly, dated interiors. This humorless look at troubled losers never gets off the ground.