Upon its release in March 1972, *What's Up, Doc?* was a massive commercial success and a significant critical talking point, often described as a "neo-screwball" revival. While it became one of the highest-grossing films of the year, critics were sharply divided between those who found it a joyous, brilliant homage to 1930s cinema and those who saw it as an unoriginal, "infantile" imitation.
### **Critical Reception**
The reviews at the time were a mix of high praise for the film’s comedic energy and harsh dismissals of its nostalgic premise.
* **Roger Ebert (Chicago Sun-Times):** Ebert was one of the film's most vocal supporters, giving it a glowing review. He called it a "joyous revival of the screwball comedy" and praised Barbra Streisand as "our most accomplished screen comedienne." He particularly enjoyed its lack of "redeeming social importance," noting that it was a pure, functional "giggle fest" with classic set pieces like the San Francisco car chase.
* **Vincent Canby (The New York Times):** Canby gave a generally positive review, describing the film as "a very funny, most genial, contemporary farce in possession of its own cockeyed intelligence." However, he was more measured regarding the leads, noting Streisand’s "limitations" and "talent" were both large, but crediting director Peter Bogdanovich with scaling her "superstar personality" to fit a farce.
* **Variety:** The industry trade publication was highly enthusiastic, stating the script and cast were "excellent" and the comedy staging "outstanding." The reviewer noted that the film contained "literally reels of pure, unadulterated and sustained laughs."
* **Pauline Kael (The New Yorker):** In one of the most famous negative takes, Kael dismissed the film as "too infantile to be called decadent." She criticized Bogdanovich for "feeding off the past," arguing that the film relied too heavily on imitating the style of Howard Hawks (*Bringing Up Baby*) without adding enough contemporary substance.
* **John Simon (New York Magazine):** Notoriously caustic, Simon loathed the film and famously attacked Streisand’s appearance in his review, describing her as looking like a "cross between an aardvark and an albino rat." Bogdanovich reportedly based the pompous character Hugh Simon (played by Kenneth Mars) on the critic as a pre-emptive strike.
* **Peter Schjeldahl (The New York Times):** In a separate NYT piece, Schjeldahl was even harsher than Canby, calling the film a "plague" and a "celluloid zombie" that lacked a soul.
### **Box Office and Public Reception**
The general public embraced the film far more uniformly than the critics did.
* **Commercial Hit:** The film was produced on a $4 million budget and grossed approximately **$66 million** in the U.S. and Canada. It became the **third highest-grossing film of 1972**, trailing only *The Godfather* and *The Poseidon Adventure*.
* **Record Breaker:** When it opened at **Radio City Music Hall** in New York City, it broke a 33-year-old house attendance record within its first two weeks.
* **The "Streisand Effect":** The film successfully transitioned Barbra Streisand from "prestige" musical roles (*Funny Girl*, *Hello, Dolly!*) into a broader, more accessible comedic star. It also solidified Ryan O’Neal as a leading man capable of playing a "straight man" after his dramatic turn in *Love Story* (1970).
### **Awards and Industry Recognition**
The film's sharp writing and breakout performances were recognized shortly after its release:
* **Writers Guild of America (WGA):** The team of Buck Henry, David Newman, and Robert Benton won the **1973 WGA Award for Best Comedy Written Directly for the Screen**.
* **Golden Globes:** **Madeline Kahn**, in her feature film debut as the high-strung Eunice Burns, received a nomination for **New Star of the Year – Actress**.
* **Stunt Recognition:** It is noted as the first American film to formally list stunt people in its end credits, largely due to the complex and expensive 10-minute car chase that cost $1 million (a quarter of the total budget).