RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
RT's Blu-ray HQ
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / Petulia
Petulia

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Petulia (1968)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
90 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:10

Fresh:9

Rotten:1

Average Rating:7.8/10

Runtime: 1 hr 45 mins

Genre: Dramas

Synopsis: A film very much of its time -- the swinging '60s -- "Petulia" is also a timeless study of romantic relationships in a consumer society. It is filmed in a fragmented, jumpy style, that is... A film very much of its time -- the swinging '60s -- "Petulia" is also a timeless study of romantic relationships in a consumer society. It is filmed in a fragmented, jumpy style, that is nonetheless powerful and effective. A prominent San Francisco surgeon's life is turned upside down when he falls in love with an eccentric young woman caught in an unhappy marriage with a sadistic man. Can this odd couple's love transcend the conventions of their upper-class world? [More]

Starring: Julie Christie, George C. Scott, Richard Chamberlain, Arthur Hill

Starring: Julie Christie, George C. Scott, Richard Chamberlain, Arthur Hill, Shirley Knight, Joseph Cotten, Pippa Scott, Kathleen Widdoes

Director: Richard Lester

Director: Richard Lester
Producer: Raymond Wagner
Screenwriter: Larry Marcus, Barbara Turner
Composer: John Barry

[See More Credits]

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

Jun 20, 2006

[DVD Details]
 
 
  • Petulia
  • "It's a very real film about two people trying to get through to each other," director Richard Lester (A Hard Day's Night) says of his landmark romance Petulia, set in summer-of-love-era San Francisco.
  • There Julie Christie plays a unhappily married socialite trying to get through to a recently divorced doctor (George C. Scott), who in his own words just wants to "feel something." He'll soon feel, even hurt, a lot. Because we know why kooky Petulia so desperately reaches out. As Lester zigzags through the flashbacks and flash-forwards of cinematographer Nicolas Roeg's startling images and Lawrence B. Marcus' knowing screenplay, Petulia's jigsaw pieces form a celluloid time capsule of life and love in the turbulent '60s.
  • Source: Warner Home Video
  •  
     
     
     

    Reviews for Petulia

    • T-Meter Critics
    • Top Critics
    • RT Community
    • My Critics
    • My Friends
    • DVD
     
     
    1 - 14 (sorted by rotten rating)
    Text View
    Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
     
     
    N/R

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
    05/24/03
    Channel 4 Film
    N/R

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
    01/01/00
    Dave Kehr
    Dave Kehr
    Chicago Reader
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic
    N/R

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
    06/24/06
    Derek Adams
    Derek Adams
    Time Out
    N/R

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
    05/20/03
    Renata Adler
    Renata Adler
    New York Times

    I thought this film was more claptrap than anything else.

    Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | comment Comment
    01/01/00
    Dennis Schwartz
    Dennis Schwartz
    Ozus' World Movie Reviews

    No review available.

    comment Comment
    08/26/04
    Andy Klein
    Andy Klein
    Los Angeles CityBeat

    Innovative in narrative and style, Lester's dissection of mores and manners through marriages and affairs captures vividly the zeitgeist of the Summer of Love and the violent Vietnam War with brilliant turns from Julie Christie and George C. Scott.

    Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | comment Comment
    07/14/08
    Emanuel Levy
    Emanuel Levy
    EmanuelLevy.Com

    Petulia lives on with its vague curiosity and a genuine emotional sting.

    Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | comment Comment
    08/18/06
    Jeffrey M. Anderson
    Jeffrey M. Anderson
    Combustible Celluloid

    Curious one-shot US film in the midst of Lester's British period

    comment Comment
    11/05/02
    Ken Hanke
    Ken Hanke
    Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

    ...an anti-The Graduate ... an essential film from and about America in the dying days of the '60s, yet the modernism of its style and ambitions makes Petulia impressively ahead of that time.

    Full Review Source: Film.com | comment Comment
    01/25/08
    Mark Bourne
    Mark Bourne
    Film.com
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    No review available.

    comment Comment
    11/07/02
    Michael Szymanski
    Michael Szymanski
    Zap2it.com

    No review available.

    comment Comment
    07/26/03
    Nell Minow
    Nell Minow
    Movie Mom at Yahoo! Movies

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
    10/23/04
    Roger Ebert
    Roger Ebert
    Chicago Sun-Times
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    Julie Christie in her Oscar role + Richard Lester direction. Enough said.

    comment Comment
    03/08/08
    Steve Crum
    Steve Crum
    Video-Reviewmaster.com
     
     
    1 - 14 (sorted by rotten rating)
    Text View
    See All

    More DVDs

    Close
    Top Rentals
    Tomatometer Percentage Movie
    15% 15% The Ugly Truth
    98% 98% Up
    36% 36% G.I. Joe: The Rise of …
    52% 52% The Taking of Pelham 1…
    45% 45% Ice Age: Dawn of the D…

    More Rentals…

    New On DVD This Week
    Tomatometer Percentage Movie
    36% 36% Angels & Demons
    68% 68% Funny People
    25% 25% Four Christmases
    45% 45% Shorts

    More New Releases…

    See All

    RT On Current TV

    The Rotten Tomatoes Show on Current TV

    DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...

    Learn how you can be part of the show

    More...

    What’s Hot On RT

    Total Recall

    Total Recall

    John Travolta's top reviewed movies

    Disney Countdown

    Disney Countdown

    Look back on Disney's best animated movies!

    RT's Gift Guide

    RT's Gift Guide

    Give the best movies, gear, and more!

    What's Coming Out

    What's Coming Out

    Find movies for the holiday weekend!

    Other News

    Close
    • Top Stories
    • Popular
    • Interviews
     
     

    Comments

     
     
    Top Stories
    Headlines Comments
      
    • First Look (Sort Of) at New Nightmare's Freddy Source: ShockTillYouDrop.com
    11
    • First Look at Shrek Forever After Source: USA Today
    22
    • Woody Harrelson Will Battle Zombies in 3-D Source: Moviehole
    14
    • Natalie Portman Says Kat Denning Is in Thor Source: MTV
    34
    • Disney Restructuring Has Broad Implications Source: Los Angeles Times
    10
    • Joel Silver Talks Ninja Assassin, Sgt. Rock, Lobo, and More Source: Collider.com
    1
    • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
    116
    • Idris Elba Joins Thor Source: Hollywood Reporter
    112
    • Jackass 3D Coming in 2010? Source: Collider.com
    32
    • 6 Reasons 'Twilight' Is Doomed Source: The Wrap
    64
    Popular
    Headlines Comments
      
    • Box Office Guru Wrapup: New Moon Shatters Records
    176
    • Critics Consensus: New Moon Wanes
    130
    • Total Recall: Star-Crossed Lovers
    75
    • Total Recall: John Travolta's Best Movies
    74
    • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
    58
    • Critics Consensus: Flee From Ninja Assassin
    37
    • Friday Harvest: New Moon, Avatar, and more!
    32
    • WB offers DVD to Blu-ray Trade-In Program
    22
    • RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: Angels & Demons, Funny People, and Superman
    18
    • Five Favorite Films With Zombieland Director Ruben Fleischer
    14
    Interviews
    Headlines Comments
      
    • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
    13
    • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
    9
    • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
    19
    • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
    6
    • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
    15
    • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
    20
    • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
    8
    • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
    28
    • Gavin Hood Talks Wolverine; Possible Sequel
    28
    • Duncan Jones talks Moon, Sam Rockwell, and Mute
    14
     
     

    Sponsored Links

    Around The Network

    • Petulia at Rotten Tomatoes

    Fresh Links

    Featured
    Wes Anderson on Fox
    Wes Anderson on Fox External Link

    The director talks about puppetry perfection and his film, Fantastic Mr. Fox

    Animated Oscar?
    Animated Oscar? External Link

    Hollywood.com ponders whether or not an animated film could win Best Picture.

    TIME's Holiday Movie Preview
    TIME's Holiday Movie Preview External Link

    Richard Corliss previews the season's best offerings and hottest tickets.

    Scenic Routes
    Scenic Routes External Link

    The AV Club's Mike D'Angelo airs his beefs with Alfonso Cuaron's Children of Men.

    Promos
    Follow RT on Twitter
    Follow RT on Twitter External Link

    Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!

     
     
    About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
    IGN Logo

    IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
    TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
    AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


    By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
    Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
    IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
    Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.