Themes: Looking For Love, Mothers and Sons, Nothing Goes Right
Main Cast: George Segal, Ruth Gordon, Ron Leibman, Trish VanDevere, Barnard Hughes
Release Year: 1970
Country: US
Run Time: 84 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Director Carl Reiner, most closely associated with the homey values of situation comedies, shocked, surprised, and (in some cases) delighted his admirers with the jet-black comedy Where's Poppa?. George Segal plays Gordon Hocheiser, a New York attorney whose love life is constantly being sabotaged by his senile mother (Ruth Gordon), who constantly asks the question of the title. (She doesn't realize Poppa is dead). Every time Gordon has a prospective bride or lover lined up, Mrs. Hocheiser gums up the works with her insane behavior. The attorney at last finds a kindred spirit in the beautiful caregiver Louise Callan (Trish VanDevere), who has likewise been a victim of someone else's eccentricities (her first husband used the conjugal bed as his own personal toilet). When Mrs. Hocheiser chases Louise away like she has all the others, Gordon begins entertaining notions of killing his mother. In desperation, Gordon begs his brother Sidney (Ron Leibman) to take his mother off his hands, which leads to several comic vignettes in deliriously bad taste. The film's incest-themed original ending (trimmed from the video version but still included in cable prints) finds Gordon climbing into bed with Mrs. Hocheiser, only to be greeted with a "Here's Poppa." The celebrated "tush scene," wherein Mrs. Hocheiser bites Gordon on his bare backside while Louise looks on in horror, packed a real wallop back in the early '70s, as did a courtroom scene involving a disgruntled hippie (Rob Reiner) and a psychotic U.S. general who graphically describes his homicidal acts against the Vietnamese. Though Carl Reiner would continue to "push the envelope" in his later films (Steve Martin as a "poor black child"? George Burns as God?) he would never again attempt anything as risky as Where's Poppa?. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Vincent Gardenia - Coach Williams; Rae Allen - Gladys Hocheiser; Paul Sorvino - Owner of Gus & Grace's Home; William Le Massena - Judge; Israel Lang - Muthafucka; Garrett Morris - Garrett, Central Park Mugger; Arnold Williams - Arnold; Buddy Butler - Buddy; Martha Greenhouse - Owner of Happytime Farms; Jane Hoffman; Helen Martin - Job Applicant; Tom Atkins - Policeman in Apartment; Alice Drummond - Woman in Elevator; Jack Manning - Lawyer for Memphis Maulers; John Gilliar - Policeman in Courthouse; Rehn Scofield - Bailiff; John McCurry - Policeman in Jail Cell; April Geleta - Taxi Lady; Edwart Brooks - Sheldon Hocheiser; Benson W. Terry - Cab Driver; Fuddles - Shoeshine Man; Michael McGuire - Army Lawyer; Rob Reiner - Roger, the Defendant; Joe Keyes - Gang Leader; Florence Tarlow - Miss Morgan
Credit
Warren Clymer - Art Director, Albert Wolsky - Costume Designer, Norman Cohen - First Assistant Director, Carl Reiner - Director, Bud Molin - Editor, Jack Elliott - Composer (Music Score), Jack Priestley - Cinematographer, Jerry Tokofsky - Producer, Marvin Worth - Producer, Herb Mulligan - Set Designer, Dennis L. Maitland - Sound/Sound Designer, Robert Klane - Screenwriter, Vic Ramos - Extra Casting, Robert Klane - Book Author
Where's Poppa? (also titled Going Ape) is a 1970 black comedy film based on the novel by Robert Klane starring George Segal, Ron Leibman and Ruth Gordon. The plot revolves around the troubled relationship between a lawyer son played by Segal and his senile mother played by Gordon. It was directed by Carl Reiner with son Rob Reiner featured in an early performance.
