Shampoo ** (1975, Warren Beatty, Julie Christie, Goldie Hawn, Lee Grant, Jack Warden, George Furth, Tony Bill) – Classic Movie Review 3547

Director Hal Ashby proves out of his depth with farce in this 1975 comedy but still great with actors and lots of good performances lift the smug, self-congratulatory and smutty screenplay. Naturally, of course, Warren Beatty has no difficulty playing a boyish but business-like Hollywood hairdresser who takes customer service both literally and seriously.

There are lots of split ends in Warren Beatty and Robert Towne’s limp screenplay in this out-of-condition satire on the late Sixties Southern Californian lifestyle.

But it was a box-office hit, however, and the Academy Award voters thought it was smart enough to nominate for Best Original Screenplay, as well as awarding Lee Grant the 1976 Best Supporting Actress in a Oscar as businessman Jack Warden’s bitter wife. Warden was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor and Richard Sylbert, W Stewart Campbell and George Gaines for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration.

It is Carrie Fisher’s début. She has said she was cast as Lorna mainly through family connections. Also in the cast are Julie Christie, Goldie Hawn, Tony Bill, Jay Robinson, Howard Hesseman, George Furth, Ann Weldon, Luana Anders, Randy Scheer, Susanna Moore, Mike Olton, Richard E Kalk, Ronald Dunas, Hal Buckley, Jack Bernardi, William Castle, Brad Dexter, Doris Packer and Faye Michael Nuell.

Director Hal Ashby won the 1968 Oscar for Best Film Editing for In the Heat of the Night (1967), in which Lee Grant plays Mrs Colbert.

Lee Grant was blacklisted for refusing to testify against her screen-writer husband at the House Un-American Activities Committee. But Cornel Wilde cast her in his Storm Fear (1955), her first movie role since her Academy Award nominated début in Detective Story (1951).

Lee Grant celebrated her 90th birthday on October 31 2015.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 3547

Link to Derek Winnert’s home page for more reviews: http://derekwinnert.com/