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Warren Beatty, Julie Christie, Goldie Hawn, Lee Grant, Jack Warden ... see more see more... , Tony Bill , Carrie Fisher , Jay Robinson , George Furth , William Castle , Jack Bernardi , Susan Blakely , Hal Buckley , Howard Culver , Brad Dexter , Howard Hesseman , Richard E. Kalk , Sharon Kelly , Joan Marshall , Susan McIver , Kathleen Miller , Sue Moore , Mike Olton , Dina Ousley , Doris Packer , Michelle Phillips , Daryl Roach , Randy Sheer , Constance Smith , Ann Weldon , Cynthia Wood , Luana Anders , Wally Crowder , Andrew Stevens , Sean Walsh , George Justin , Cherie Latimer

A frankly adult comedy about the sex lives of the aimless and the rich, Shampoo is also a pointed commentary on the demise of 1960s idealism at the dawn of the Nixon era. It is Election Day, 1968, and... read more read more... randy Beverly Hills hairdresser George Roundy (Warren Beatty) is too worried about attending to all of his women's tonsorial and sexual needs, while trying to swing a bank loan to fund his own salon, to notice the fateful Presidential race. As George juggles the demands of girlfriend Jill (Goldie Hawn) and mistress Felicia (Lee Grant), not to mention Felicia's daughter (Carrie Fisher), he meets Felicia's husband Lester (Jack Warden) to get money for the salon and discovers that his beloved ex-girlfriend Jackie (Julie Christie) is now Lester's mistress. Lester asks George to escort Jackie to a banquet for Nixon supporters, leading to a series of climactic confrontations at the dinner and a Hollywood orgy that expose the conflicting demands of sex, love, and security among these terminally narcissistic L.A. denizens. As Nixon's victory speech drones in the background the following day and Paul Simon's mournful '60s music plays on the soundtrack, George's free-wheeling world collapses around him for reasons that he can barely begin to comprehend. Produced and co-written (with Chinatown scribe Robert Towne) by its star Warren Beatty, Shampoo became Beatty's second critical and popular success as a producer after Bonnie and Clyde, and it bolstered Hal Ashby's track record as director. Shampoo earned Grant an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, as well as a Supporting Actor nomination for Warden and Beatty's first nomination as writer. With Nixon's 1974 Watergate disgrace adding an extra edge to the humor for 1975 audiences, this tragic bedroom farce became one of the highest-grossing films in Columbia Pictures' history at the time. ~ Lucia Bozzola, Rovi

Flixster Users

51% liked it

6,099 ratings

Critics

63% liked it

30 critics

R, 1 hr. 50 min.

Directed by: Hal Ashby

Release Date: February 14, 1975

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DVD Release Date: January 21, 2003

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Stats: 321 reviews

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Jack Warden in Shampoo Lee Grant in Shampoo Julie Christie in Shampoo shampoo Julie Christie & Goldie Hawn in Shampoo Julie Christie in Shampoo Lee Grant in Shampoo Warren Beatty in Shampoo Jack Warden in Shampoo Julie Christie and Warren Beatty in Shampoo Carrie Fisher in Shampoo Lee Grant in Shampoo Jack Warden in Shampoo Lee Grant in Shampoo Julie Christie and Warren Beatty in Shampoo Julie Christie in Shampoo Lee Grant in Shampoo Warren Beatty in Shampoo
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Flixster Reviews (321)

  • brooklynspo
    July 23, 2007
    brooklynspo
    Pouffy little sex comedy aspires to be something more. Beatty is funny in his self-absorbed confusion. Actually everone is. Julie Christie is spot on as the kept woman - but the other characters are not as well written.

    Shampoo is the Paul's Boutique of soundtracks - no way... read more you could get all those great tunes in one movie today.

    Trivia: Beatty's character loosely based on Hollywood stylist Jay Sebring who was killed in the Manson murders. Lee Grant somehow bagged a best supporting actress Oscar for her performance. Fourth highest grossing film of 1975.

    Geeks: Carrie Fisher with baby fat and a potty mouth. But no action-figures!
  • cosmo313
    June 20, 2011
    cosmo313
    Taking place on the eve of Richard Nixon's taking of the presidency, but released in the aftermath of Watergate, this film provides a nice commentary about the Nixon years, made more potent by the fact that the audience (but not the characters) are aware of how things would turn ... read moreout with Nixon.

    This isn't a film about presidential politics though. Rather, it is about sexual ploitics. I just mentioned all of the above since the film places things within a certain context, which also gives more weight and depth to the satire it is presenting about what was going on at the time. SImply put, if one wanted a historically rooted film that commented on the sexual revolution, this would be one to watch.

    Warren Beatty plays George- a successful hairdresser on the verge of financial ruin who gets in way over his head when the man who might loan him some money just happens to be with an ex of his, as well as the father and husband of two other woman (among others) that he is sleeping around with. This makes for both some fun satirical laughs, as well as some poignant drama that ties in with the death of 60s idealism and the terrible hangover that hits when the party ends.

    Robert Towne (who also wrote Chinatown) penned the script, and apparently Beatty had a hand of some sort in the writing process as well. Hal Ashby directs, and it is one of several 1970s masterpieces he was responsible for helming. I really like that guy, and it is good to see thast others are starting to feel the same way (on a broader scale).

    Beatty and the rest of the cast (including a young Carrie FIsher) are all excellent, and somehow, we actually sympathize with some of these characters, and kind of care for them, even if we really shouldn't. Give this one a watch. It's a great film with a strong ending, and a great look at the times it both portrays and came about during.
  • ajv2688
    January 2, 2011
    ajv2688
    Although there are a lot of outrageous scenes, they aren't as funny as they think they are. The story isn't all that interesting either, but it does have a good cast.
  • tsigur
    March 8, 2010
    tsigur
    A great film. The more and more I see his films, Hal Ashby is becoming one of my favorite directors. This is another example of how great of a director he is. Of course, Warren Beatty is basically playing himself as a hairstylist and giving him an excuse to bang Julie Christie (h... read moreow amazing does she look in this film) on screen and in front of a crew. The best performances to me were Goldie Hawn and Jack Warden who steals the show. Beautiful cinematography, great writing, and a great cast. It's a shame to watch these movies and know that it may never be like that decade of greatness ever again.
  • SirPant
    September 2, 2009
    SirPant
    This is probably my least favourite Hal Ashby film but its still fantastic! Beatty, Christie and Hawn give great performances in what is essentially a (tasteful) sex comedy. Benny Hill fans need not apply though, as this is far too cool be associated in the same category. For me,... read more its Jack Warden who really steals the show in one of his lesser known performances.
  • deano
    July 24, 2009
    deano
    This is quite an interesting period black comedy set in the late 60s during the sex revolution. In one sentence, it's about a Casanova hairdresser who sleeps around with every woman he meets but there is one whom he loves and she happens to be the mistress of a not-to-mess-with b... read moreusinessman. Director Hal Ashby does a splendid job in bringing out the 60's look but it is Robert Towne and Warren Beatty who bring the feel especially through the dialogues and use of language. Not to mention, the make-up department that does an equally fine job.
  • jjnxn
    June 16, 2007
    jjnxn
    love julie christie and lee grant but the picture is so dated.
  • mjgildea
    November 20, 2006
    mjgildea
    Could've been worse. Not great, not terrible. Great soundtrack though.
  • sayers1977
    June 9, 2010
    sayers1977
    A 'classic' of the 70's this hasn't really aged well and the whole thing moved along at a turgid pace. All the cast are great and the characters are interesting but this isn't really a comedy (although it's billed as such) and the downbeat ending supports that. My wife asked when... read more it was going to start halfway through this and I see what she means. Another classic to tick off my list but I don't think I'll be revisiting it.
  • divinetrash
    March 4, 2010
    divinetrash
    The performances are all fantastic, especially Jack Ward and Julie Christie, and the film has a lot of successful attempts at humor all throughout, but the characters kept going from moderately likeable to completely annoying and this kept dragging the enjoyment of the film down.

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Critic Reviews

Lisa Schwarzbaum
April 17, 2012
Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly

There's a self-awareness to Shampoo that gives the movie a cleansing sadness and, oddly, makes Beatty an affectingly amoral roue. Full Review

Carina Chocano
June 20, 2008
Carina Chocano, Los Angeles Times

Shampoo, made in 1975 but set in 1968, the night before Richard Nixon's election to the presidency, was directed by Hal Ashby and written by Robert Towne and Warren Beatty, who may have produced one o... Full Review

Variety Staff
October 31, 2007
Variety Staff, Variety

All the excellent creative components do not add up to a whole. Full Review

Nora Sayre
May 9, 2005
Nora Sayre, New York Times

Disappointment comes in all weights and flavors, but the brand that's generated by Hal Ashby's Shampoo is a bit harder to swallow than some. Full Review

Roger Ebert
October 23, 2004
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Shampoo never quite connects its images of national mediocrity and personal self-deception. Full Review

Dave Kehr
January 1, 2000
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

This 1975 feature is slick and often funny, but the smugness of the satire and the stunted emotions are finally wearying. Full Review

April 17, 2012
Sky Movies

An immensely-successful film whose vein of strong black humour disguises its criticisms of American morals and society. Full Review

Wesley Lovell
August 15, 2011
Wesley Lovell, Oscar Guy

Once you leave the theater, you become hard-pressed to remember much about this film. Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
July 17, 2008
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

I didn't care much for the trim this satire on a girl crazy Beverly Hills hairdresser gave me. Full Review

Richard Luck
October 31, 2007
Richard Luck, Film4

Kitsch, stylish and a little on the empty side, Shampoo is mirror image of the decade that spawned it. Full Review

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Shampoo Trivia

  • in what movie was there a shampoo & conditioner fight   Answer »
  • In Evolution, what is lethal to the invading spreading alien plauge?  Answer »
  • In the movie 'Evolution', what was put in the fire truck to kill all the creatures and save the world?!!  Answer »
  • Shampoo: Shampoo is better I go on first and clean the hair. Condisioner: No Condisioner is better I leave the hair silky and smooth! Shampoo: Oh really foo!! Coniditionare:Really!! What movie is this from?!  Answer »
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