Overlay: What's Up, Doc? (1972) MPAA Rating and Content

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Errors	Missing	Unverified	Supported
2	0	0	10

How were these counts calculated?

Errors (2)

It is Eunice Burns (Madeline Kahn), not Judy (Barbra Streisand), who is seen reamisattributed-action Eunice Burns reads 'The Sensuous Woman': The summary incorrectly attributed the misattributed-action

#Q ORIGINAL QUESTION

Regarding the film What's Up, Doc? (1972), what was the film rated (e.g. R, PG, G), and what elements of the film contributed to that rating?

#M ANNOTATED LLM RESPONSE

The film What's Up, Doc? (1972) was officially rated G (General Audiences) by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA).

While the "G" rating suggests a film suitable for all ages, What's Up, Doc? contains several elements that modern audiences—and some critics at the time—considered borderline for the "G" category. The film was released in March 1972, just as the MPAA was transitioning the "GP" rating to "PG," and it was heavily marketed as a wholesome, family-friendly homage to classic screwball comedies and Looney Tunes cartoons.

The following elements contributed to its rating and content profile:

1. Slapstick and Cartoonish Violence

The film is famous for its elaborate, farcical violence which, while intense, was deemed acceptable for a "G" rating because it was played for laughs and resulted in no visible injuries.

The Car Chase: The climax involves a massive, multi-car chase through San Francisco featuring four cars and a delivery bicycle. It results in multiple crashes, cars driving down the concrete steps of Alta Plaza Park (causing actual damage to the city landmark), and eventually four vehicles driving into the San Francisco Bay.
Physical Comedy: Characters are hit with pies, struck by falling art, pushed out of windows onto high-rise ledges, and forced into cars at gunpoint. In one scene, a man is dragged down a flight of stairs, hitting his head on every step.
Weaponry: While largely bloodless, the film features jewel thieves and government agents carrying and occasionally firing guns into the air to intimidate crowds.

2. Sexual Innuendo and "Adult" Themes

Despite the "G" rating, the film contains several suggestive moments that would likely lean toward a "PG" rating today:

The "Sensuous Woman" Book: A running gag involves the character Judy (Barbra Streisand) reading a book titled The Sensuous Woman, a real-life best-selling sex manual from 1969.
Nudity and Dress: While there is no actual nudity, there are suggestive scenarios. For instance, Howard (Ryan O’Neal) is seen in his underwear in a hotel room, and Judy appears wearing nothing but a towel, later bending over him while he is semi-dressed.
Dialogue and Innuendo: The script includes "coded" jokes, such as a double-entendre regarding male anatomy and a scene where Judy places Howard’s hand on her chest so he can "feel her heartbeat." There is also a scene where a character jokes about the impossibility of being threatened with sexual assault.

3. Mild Language and Social Behavior

Language: The profanity is very mild, limited to terms like "God" and "hell," which were permissible in General Audience films of the early 1970s.
Stalking Themes: Some modern critiques point out that the central plot revolves around Judy relentlessly pursuing Howard, often without his consent and despite his repeated demands for her to leave, a dynamic that is treated as whimsical in the context of the 1930s screwball genre it parodies.

Historical Context

At the time of its release, the "G" rating was often applied to "prestige" studio comedies intended for broad audiences. Because the film’s violence was modeled after Bugs Bunny cartoons (the title itself is a Bugs Bunny catchphrase) and 1930s comedies like Bringing Up Baby, the MPAA board viewed the content as "fantasy" rather than realistic, which helped maintain its all-ages status.

#F CORRECTION FEED (CLICK TO SEARCH)

[1] The film was rated G by the MPAA upon its release in 1972.

[2] The film was released in March 1972. The MPAA transitioned from 'GP' to 'PG' in early 1972, making this context accurate.

[3] The car chase involves four cars and a delivery bike. The cars drive down the concrete steps of Alta Plaza Park, causing permanent damage that is still visible today. They end up in San Francisco Bay.

[4] The film features extensive slapstick, including characters being hit with pies, falling from ledges, and tumbling down stairs.

[5] Guns are present and fired, but the violence is stylized and bloodless.

[6] It is Eunice Burns (Madeline Kahn), not Judy (Barbra Streisand), who is seen reading 'The Sensuous Woman' in bed. This serves as a comedic contrast to her uptight character.

[7] The towel scene and underwear scene are accurate descriptions of the film's content.

[8] The film contains these specific innuendos, including the 'heartbeat' scene and the joke about sexual assault.

[9] Profanity is minimal, consistent with a G rating of that era.

[10] Judy's pursuit of Howard is a central plot point and is often viewed through a modern lens as stalking, though intended as screwball persistence.

[11] The film is widely recognized as an homage to 'Bringing Up Baby' and Bugs Bunny cartoons, which influenced its rating.

#O MISSED POINTS & OVERSIGHTS

Medium

Eunice Burns reads 'The Sensuous Woman'

The summary incorrectly attributed the reading of the sex manual to Judy (Streisand). It is actually Eunice (Madeline Kahn) who reads it, which is a significant character detail.

#C RELATED QUERIES

#01 Who reads The Sensuous Woman in What's Up Doc?

#02 Did What's Up Doc damage Alta Plaza Park steps?

#03 What's Up Doc sexual assault joke context

#S SOURCES

blogspot.com parentpreviews.com afi.com

#R ORIGINAL AI RESPONSE

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The film ***What's Up, Doc?*** (1972) was officially rated **G (General Audiences)** by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). While the "G" rating suggests a film suitable for all ages, *What's Up, Doc?* contains several elements that modern audiences—and some critics at the time—considered borderline for the "G" category. The film was released in March 1972, just as the MPAA was transitioning the "GP" rating to "PG," and it was heavily marketed as a wholesome, family-friendly homage to classic screwball comedies and Looney Tunes cartoons. The following elements contributed to its rating and content profile: ### **1. Slapstick and Cartoonish Violence** The film is famous for its elaborate, farcical violence which, while intense, was deemed acceptable for a "G" rating because it was played for laughs and resulted in no visible injuries. * **The Car Chase:** The climax involves a massive, multi-car chase through San Francisco featuring four cars and a delivery bicycle. It results in multiple crashes, cars driving down the concrete steps of Alta Plaza Park (causing actual damage to the city landmark), and eventually four vehicles driving into the San Francisco Bay. * **Physical Comedy:** Characters are hit with pies, struck by falling art, pushed out of windows onto high-rise ledges, and forced into cars at gunpoint. In one scene, a man is dragged down a flight of stairs, hitting his head on every step. * **Weaponry:** While largely bloodless, the film features jewel thieves and government agents carrying and occasionally firing guns into the air to intimidate crowds. ### **2. Sexual Innuendo and "Adult" Themes** Despite the "G" rating, the film contains several suggestive moments that would likely lean toward a "PG" rating today: * **The "Sensuous Woman" Book:** A running gag involves the character Judy (Barbra Streisand) reading a book titled *The Sensuous Woman*, a real-life best-selling sex manual from 1969. * **Nudity and Dress:** While there is no actual nudity, there are suggestive scenarios. For instance, Howard (Ryan O’Neal) is seen in his underwear in a hotel room, and Judy appears wearing nothing but a towel, later bending over him while he is semi-dressed. * **Dialogue and Innuendo:** The script includes "coded" jokes, such as a double-entendre regarding male anatomy and a scene where Judy places Howard’s hand on her chest so he can "feel her heartbeat." There is also a scene where a character jokes about the impossibility of being threatened with sexual assault. ### **3. Mild Language and Social Behavior** * **Language:** The profanity is very mild, limited to terms like "God" and "hell," which were permissible in General Audience films of the early 1970s. * **Stalking Themes:** Some modern critiques point out that the central plot revolves around Judy relentlessly pursuing Howard, often without his consent and despite his repeated demands for her to leave, a dynamic that is treated as whimsical in the context of the 1930s screwball genre it parodies. ### **Historical Context** At the time of its release, the "G" rating was often applied to "prestige" studio comedies intended for broad audiences. Because the film’s violence was modeled after **Bugs Bunny cartoons** (the title itself is a Bugs Bunny catchphrase) and **1930s comedies** like *Bringing Up Baby*, the MPAA board viewed the content as "fantasy" rather than realistic, which helped maintain its all-ages status.

#A DIRECT ANSWER (VERIFIED ANALYSIS)

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The film What's Up, Doc? (1972) was rated G by the MPAA. Despite this rating, it contains elements that push the boundaries of the category, including: 1) Cartoonish Violence: A massive car chase that resulted in real-world damage to the concrete steps of Alta Plaza Park and ended with four vehicles in San Francisco Bay. 2) Sexual Innuendo: Eunice Burns (Madeline Kahn) is seen reading the sex manual The Sensuous Woman; Judy (Barbra Streisand) appears in a towel and makes suggestive advances; and there are jokes about male anatomy and sexual assault. 3) Mild Profanity. The G rating was granted largely because the violence was viewed as a fantasy homage to Looney Tunes and 1930s screwball comedies.

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