Beatty plays an aging Lothario that manages to bed all the women that throw themselves at him. He's a hairdresser back when most male hairdressers were considered "fags" and best not to be seen with them. He wants to open his own shop, which of course is managed by a stereotypical gay, catty, obnoxious individual. That's played for laughs too. The film is set on a single day, Nixon's election in 1968.
The film starts out with a dizzying portrayal of Beatty's "George" character having a typical day. Between sex, running around giving haircuts, running out of time, trying to get a loan for his business while demonstrating he doesn't know a thing about business, the viewer is more out of breath than George is. The true laughs come about when George, his actress girlfriend, the guy who is interested in her personally and perhaps has a role for her, a woman who he is sleeping with, her husband from whom George wants to get a loan, and the husband's mistress who is also having an affair with George...all converge at a party and try to hide secrets, knowledge, desires, and anger. There are some good laughs there, as well as when the action shifts to a party at a home. Of course, at the election party, all the Republicans there are depicted as boobs...doing Indian chants, giving dumb speeches, etc. This is Hollywood, remember.
Go along for the ride and it is not a bad time. However, some viewers--and critics--tried to tie in the politics and the background of the evening to the theme of the film and changing morals and viewpoints of the time. This is a mistake, as Beatty suggested the election night setting at the last moment and it was worked into the movie.
It's a satire of immorality--sexual impulses, desires, bad mistakes, the inability to connect for a true relationship, and regrets.
The film starts out with a dizzying portrayal of Beatty's "George" character having a typical day. Between sex, running around giving haircuts, running out of time, trying to get a loan for his business while demonstrating he doesn't know a thing about business, the viewer is more out of breath than George is. The true laughs come about when George, his actress girlfriend, the guy who is interested in her personally and perhaps has a role for her, a woman who he is sleeping with, her husband from whom George wants to get a loan, and the husband's mistress who is also having an affair with George...all converge at a party and try to hide secrets, knowledge, desires, and anger. There are some good laughs there, as well as when the action shifts to a party at a home. Of course, at the election party, all the Republicans there are depicted as boobs...doing Indian chants, giving dumb speeches, etc. This is Hollywood, remember.
Go along for the ride and it is not a bad time. However, some viewers--and critics--tried to tie in the politics and the background of the evening to the theme of the film and changing morals and viewpoints of the time. This is a mistake, as Beatty suggested the election night setting at the last moment and it was worked into the movie.
It's a satire of immorality--sexual impulses, desires, bad mistakes, the inability to connect for a true relationship, and regrets.