"The Beach Boys came up very quickly at the end" Beatty stated, "which I had always hoped would show most people that we were not going into some funeral dirge. There's no doubt in my mind that in two hours, George has got his address book out and is thumbing through the numbers . . . and Jackie takes on a series of young lovers." - In other words, they love and lose - and survive.
Georgie Boy
I had heard or read or something that Paul Simon's "Still Crazy After All These Years" was supposed to be the closing song. Simon is given some musical credit, but he is actually barely heard on the soundtrack. He supposedly wrote "Still Crazy" for the movie, but Beatty rejected it in favor of The Beach Boys. Personally, I have always thought the ironic use of the upbeat Beach Boys song doesn't really work, where the bittersweet Simon song about old lovers meeting years later would have been perfect.
I can't vouch for the truth of this, but I do know that I can't hear "Still Crazy after all These Years" and not think about SHAMPOO.
I never felt that George spent too much time whining over losing Jackie either...there were too many other women in his life for him to do that.
shareI always wondered if Felicia would take him back???
I think Felicia would have taken him back, not that I think he would have gone back to Felicia, especially since Lester knew everything. But Felicia definitely would have taken George back...her feelings about George bordered on obsession.
shareYeah,I think so too.She was soooooooo crazy about him!!:-))
shareWhat a great set-up! He would have his own salon (funded by Lester), and Felicia and Lorna to sleep with (along with some new 'birds')
Georgie Boy
As long as Lester was still in the dark, I think George might have tried to do it, but, I think, at some point, Felicia and Lorna would get fed up with "sharing" George and force him to choose at some point.
shareI like to think that George is devastated by Jackie deserting him at the end. He has finally figured out what's important in life, and that she's the true love of his life -- but it's too late. If George doesn't have something at stake, and truly suffer and learn, what's the point? George will go on, will probably keep bedding down beautiful women, but, an important piece of him is gone. I like to think that his heart has been broken, and that this isn't just a little speed bump that he'll get over. I also have the romantic notion that there is always one true love that you never get over (even a lothario can have a sensitive spot).
In addition, the film begins with George literally in the dark, and in the end he has been stripped of his illusions in the harsh morning light.
On the other hand, maybe George is so shallow that he doesn't learn from his mistakes. He might be a few years away from attaining wisdom.
While George waits patiently for wisdom to kick in (Annette), he will go on sleeping with Joan, Natalie, Leslie, Faye, Maya, Michelle, Julie, Diane, Madonna...
Georgie Boy
I agree with you that George losing Jackie did break his heart and was of his own doing and I know that he will bounce back where women are concerned, but do I really think losing Jackie changed the way he would deal with women after she left? I seriously doubt it. I do like your analogy regarding the beginning of the film being in the dark and the end in the light of the morning...never thought of that before.
shareYeah,I think he goes back to his old ways probably right after the movie ends,but he probably won't ever open up to another woman up again after that. And I think Jill will turn into just like Jackie in a few years,a kept woman.
shareDo you see Jill eventually becoming kept by Tony Bill's character?
shareFluffer,
Re "the film begins with George literally in the dark, and in the end he has been stripped of his illusions in the harsh morning light."
Wow... that's beautiful.
I've watched this film so many times, and never caught that. Touche! Thanks for sharing, hope you post other insights about this amazing film.
BTW where can one go to visit some of the locations in Shampoo? The hilltop in the end scene, for example?
JD
I think that hilltop is in Benedict Canyon or in Coldwater Canyon. I'm not sure. I bet there's been some real estate development since they filmed there.
The salon is in Beverly Hills, on one of the side streets between Wilshire and Little Santa Monica Blvd.
As for posting other insights about Shampoo, I have done this extensively in other threads. Shampoo happens to be my favorite script, and I enjoy analyzing it to death.
For example -- use of dopplegangers: Lester (Jack Warden) and Johnny Pope (Tony Bill) are both powerful men who get women into bed due to financial power, not the masculine seductive charm of George (who is, by contrast, broke). Lester and Johnny both represent similar types, just different generations. Towne even gives both characters parallel monologues, as they separately look out 20th story office windows down on LA below and make world-weary observations -- Lester says something like "everybody wants something" as he gazes out the window, Johnny says, "Jesus, this town," as he surveys L.A. from his window.
I think George's motorcycle is supposed to represent his sexual prowess, whereas Lester tools around in a large but staid Rolls Royce.
I've pointed this out in a previous post, but I really like how Ashby every so often brings the Vietnam War into the film. Even though it's set in 1968, the war hardly touches these pampered characters. But in two small scenes, it makes a brief, unwelcome appearance. First, Lester drives around in his Rolls Royce, switching AM radio stations. For the briefest moment, there is a news report about Vietnam. Lester immediately switches to another station to hear the stock market report. Second, a Marine arrives at the salon to give the bad news that Norman's son has died. It's done very quickly, and Ashby stages it in a matter of fact way, doesn't give us a melodramatic close up of Norman sobbing and gnashing his teeth. It is sort of like the grim reaper showing up at an orgy, and immediately being escorted out a side exit.
Also, great use of music -- Manic Depression by Hendrix, one of my favorite songs. Mr. Soul by Buffalo Springfield.
Am I right or am I right?
Great stuff fluff, consider as well how the story turns on Lester not being able to strip down into a jacuzzi without a towel. Now that's what I call fvcking.
How many takes before Beatty could upend a trash bin bottle-roll?
This is an interesting comment, fluffer, but I think the reason George thinks he wants Jackie so much is because she isn't obtainable to him in the way his other "interests" are. I think ultimately it is probably healthy for him to suffer a little though and in a sense it seems to be what he is seeking - some focussed feeling about something. This movie was nothing like I expected. It was delightful and George is a great protagonist - not really piggish but as the fist person who synopsized the movie said, possibly the least hypocritical and most pure character.
cheers
"What do the fish remind you of?"
it is probably healthy for him to suffer a little though and in a sense it seems to be what he is seeking - some focussed feeling about something.
I like that comment. George basically lacks focused feelings on anything in life - not just a woman. I guess one thing is he knows he wants a salon, but he's pretty disorganized on dealing with that too.
"Boy that was really exciting. I bet you're a big Lee Marvin fan aren't ya."
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Trust me - George NEVER gets over Jackie.
Also, as long as we're all analyzing here... George is not a conqueror as much as a provider for women wanting sex with a younger man. He's willing, but weary of all that emotional effort it takes to be with all those women. And they mean little to him, except for Jackie and sometimes Jill.
It's like, life goes on for everybody.
share[deleted]