The film takes place in the late 60s and stars Beatty as an in-demand Beverly Hills hairdresser who dreams of opening his own salon but meanwhile toils in someone else’s and spends his days and nights hopping in and out of bed with countless women, some clients. He’s dating Goldie Hawn, but she’s looking for commitment he can’t give, and things become further complicated when a potential investor in Beatty’s future dreams (Jack Warden) is also carrying on an affair with a woman Beatty’s sleeping with (Julie Christie). Meanwhile they’re all going to an Election Day party along with Warden’s wife (Lee Grant).
The movie functions partially as an examination of the loneliness of sleeping around – Beatty is so sexed up he’s exhausted and doesn’t know what to do with himself, and seemingly can’t express himself or his own worth any way other than bedding every woman he comes into contact with. The other parts of the movie have a go at socio-political satire, showing first a conservative pro-Nixon get together and then immersing Warden’s rich/conservative character into a sex/drugs/rock ‘n’ roll-fueled hippie party.
I guess this movie serves as a commentary on the harbingers of doom lingering over an era of sexual freedom and exploration and how a new era of conservatism, corruption and materialism was about to overtake the country, and uses Beatty’s relationship struggles as a specific drama to hang these bigger ideas on, but I think all that stuff is a red herring. Sure, it’s nice to have more of a real-world backdrop for your movie so it takes place in a specific time and setting, and not just in a boring vacuum, but I think the real strengths of this movie have to do with the very surface level story of Beatty trying to have his cake and eat it too and finding both options unfulfilling.
It’d be interesting to know what his character went on to do after losing almost everything in the end. More hair, I guess.
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