S.O.B.

In this satirical look at Hollywood, a film producer tries to commit suicide after a big-budget flop, but then decides to reshoot it as porn. It has some very funny moments but runs out of steam long before its excessive running time. It boasts a terrific all-star cast, but Preston steals the film as a wise-cracking doctor. Andrews, playing a wholesome actress not unlike herself, flashes her breasts in an attempt to boost the box office of the reshot film. Mulligan plays her husband, presumably modeled after Edwards. In his final film, Holden plays a hard-drinking, hedonistic director. In a sad irony, the actor drank himself to death months after the film was released.

One of the curious things about S.O.B. is that while it has an incredibly good name cast, there is no real star of the film. Julie Andrews gets first billing because she's the director/producer's wife and after her William Holden has the biggest marquee name so he's second. But if there's a star in this film it's Richard Mulligan because it's on his troubles that the plot of S.O.B. turns.

Mulligan came in for a lot of criticism as the frantic film producer who after a string of hits, totally loses his mind. So much so that his movie star wife, Julie Andrews, is leaving him. The first half of the film involve some hilarious attempts at suicide, the best being when he falls through the floor of his beach house trying to hang himself and flattens nosy gossip columnist Loretta Swit.

Julie Andrews is basically cast as a movie star like Julie Andrews who gained her fame and popularity with wholesome entertainment like Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music. During an orgy/party that his good friend, cheerfully hedonistic director William Holden has at Mulligan's house while on suicide watch, Mulligan gets a brainstorm and decides to redo his last G rated film as soft core porn with Julie Andrews displaying her glockenspiels.

Mulligan gets crazier and crazier as the film now becomes a battle between him and studio head Robert Vaughn for control of the film. It all ends quite wildly indeed.

A lot of people say Richard Mulligan overacts and chews the scenery. But that's what the part calls for. He no more does it here than Robin Williams or Jonathan Winters at their zaniest. A little fine tuning in his performance might have helped, but the director who should have done this was busy elsewhere.

Instead of Blake Edwards doing it himself, he should have begged Billy Wilder to do this film. S.O.B. is the greatest Billy Wilder film that Billy Wilder never directed.

Besides those mentioned such luminaries as Shelley Winters, Robert Webber, Marisa Berenson, Stuart Margolin, Craig Stevens, Paul Stewart, Larry Hagman and Robert Loggia play various Hollywood types. But the best by far in the cast is Robert Preston as the Doctor Feelgood to the stars. It's a variation on the conman Harold Hill he played in The Music Man only he's far more cynical. When Preston is on screen, he dominates the film.

S.O.B. was the farewell performance of William Holden. Knowing the senseless way Holden died after completing the film, you twinge when you hear him cheerfully tell Richard Mulligan how he drank enough booze to kill a dozen healthy livers. Still S.O.B. was a good film to leave on for him.

I enjoy what Blake Edwards did with the talented bunch he assembled for this film. It would have been perfect if Billy Wilder had done it though.

Blake Edward's, who had an ax to grind with Hollywood, gets his revenge in this biting (and sometimes cruel) look at tinsel town. I found the film hilarious and one of his best efforts. His real life wife (Julie Andrews) destroyed her "Mary Poppins" image by showing her naked breasts in one scene. This is also William Holden's last screen appearance.

This is one of the greatest all-star comedies around. It focuses on the lives of Hollywood movie moguls and their decision to make a G-rated flop into an X-rated box-office smash. Featuring many comedic talents including Richard Mulligan, Robert Preston, Julie Andrews, Loretta Swit, Robert Loggia, Robert Vaughn, Robert Webber, William Holden and Shelley Winters. Also, look for a shocking scene depicting sweet and innocent Julie Andrews being not so Mary Poppin-like. A fast-moving great ride. I didn't want to get off. Highly recommended!

How rare it is to see a terrific comedy meant for adults. "S.O.B." is Blake Edwards dark look at life in Hollywood. And believe me he pulls no punches. Everyone and everything is a target and he hits it almost every time.

"S.O.B." tells the story of a big director whose latest film is the biggest flop in movie history. Despondent he spends the first half of the film trying to kill himself and the second half trying to save the film by re-shooting it as an arty porno film complete with a nude scene by the virginal female lead (played by the virginal Julie Andrews).

As I said no stone goes unturned. We get hints of drugs, death, murder, suicide, sex, homosexuality (both men and women), transvestism, back stabbing, grave robbing, and much more. But it is done in a tone that is dark but extremely funny. Watching William Holden, Robert Preston, and Robert Webber in their scenes in the third act is worth the time alone. And, yes, we do get to see Julie Andrews in a brief topless shot. It's nice if you like her but nothing special.

The only complaint is that the film runs a bit too long. Edwards would have benefited the film with a trimming of about 15 minutes. But if you like your comedy dark, this is a must see.