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What? (1972)

Director: Roman Polanski

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Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

Polanski takes American innocence (Sydne Rome) abroad to Italy, and places her in the middle of a droll and inconsequential sex (or perversion) comedy. What lifts the film out of its one-joke level is Polanski's civilised handling of his material. Avoiding obvious laughs, he opts for a mixture of satire and comedy of embarrassment (as our heroine finds herself more and more preyed and pryed upon), with everyone playing games where only you don't know the rules. All suitably throwaway, it's held together by our own curiosity and Polanski's obvious delight in observing such strange goings-on in rich summer villas.

Author: CPe

Time Out Film Guide

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Cast & crew

Director: Roman Polanski

Producer: Carlo Ponti

Cast: Sydne Rome, Marcello Mastroianni, Hugh Griffith, Romolo Valli, Guido Alberti, Roman Polanski full cast

Genre(s): Comedy

Duration: 113 mins


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