Where's Poppa?

Critics Consensus

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Movie Info

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?.

Rating:

R
Genre:

Classics, Comedy
Directed By:

Carl Reiner
Written By:

Robert Klane
In Theaters:

Jan 1, 1970 wide
On Disc/Streaming:

Dec 3, 2002
Runtime:

84 minutes
Studio:

United Artists

Cast

George Segal
as Gordon Hocheiser

Ruth Gordon
as Mrs. Hocheiser

Ron Leibman
as Sidney Hocheiser

Trish Van Devere
as Louise Callan

Rae Allen
as Gladys Hocheiser

Vincent Gardenia
as Coach Williams

Joe Keyes
as Gang Leader

Alice Drummond
as Woman in Elevator

Tom Atkins
as Policeman in Apartment

Florence Tarlow
as Miss Morgiani

Jane Hoffman
as Job Applicant

Helen Martin
as Job Applicant

Barnard Hughes
as Col. Hendriks

Paul Sorvino
as Owner of Gus & Grace's Home

William Le Massena
as Judge

Michael McGuire
as Army Lawyer

Rob Reiner
as Roger

Israel Lang
as Muthaf.

Garrett Morris
as Garrett

Arnold Williams
as Arnold

Buddy Butler
as Buddy

Martha Greenhouse
as Owner of Happytime Farms

Jack Manning
as Lawyer for Memphis Maulers

John Gilliar
as Policeman in Courthouse

Rehn Scofield
as Bailiff

John McCurry
as Policeman in Jail Cell

April Geleta
as Taxi Lady

Edwart Brooks
as Sheldon Hocheiser

Edward Brooks
as Sheldon Hocheiser

Benson W. Terry
as Cab Driver

Fuddles
as Shoeshine Man

Stella Marrs
as Bit Part (uncredited)

View All

Critic Reviews for Where's Poppa?

All Critics (9) | Top Critics (1) | Fresh (9)

Go if you want to laugh and like being offended.

Oct 23, 2004 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…

Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic
Risky Freudian punchlines

Oct 21, 2010 | Full Review…

Fernando F. Croce
CinePassion
It's the Mother of all Jewish-mother joke films.

May 24, 2005 | Rating: B+ | Full Review…

Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews
It's a shame, but you'd never be able to make a film like Where's Poppa? in today's stifling climate of uptight political correctness.

Mar 5, 2002 | Rating: 8/10

Jon Popick
Planet S Magazine

View All Critic Reviews (9)

Audience Reviews for Where's Poppa?

Sep 05, 2010

An insane black comedy that pushed the envelope even in 1970. It's really hilarious, but a bit shocking at the same time. Gordon and Segal are great actors and both give fantastic performances. I really liked this crazy movie.

Aj V Super Reviewer
Jul 16, 2008

For those who like their comedies sick and twisted.

Anthony V Super Reviewer
May 10, 2008

A deranged comedy, with some deranged characters, that will have you laughing at it's deranged stupidity. "Gordon, as the widowed mother, is in senile dementia constantly asking "Where's Poppa?" and scaring off nurses and Segal's girlfriends with her bawdy eccentricities. In her mental lapses she can't remember her son is a grown man, and when he brings home Trish Van Devere the mother suddenly describes the size of her son's sex organs as if he were a child. Van Devere as a prospective nurse looks like the Angel of Mercy with her sweet pure face framed in a white cap, but she is also a little insane." This movie is hilarious. Not laugh out loud humor, and not raunchy like today's comedies, but still fu**ing funny as hell. Where's Poppa? is an intelligent, smart, dark and twisted little comedy. There's some pretty messed up shit in this movie and some hysterical, over the top, classic one liners, such as... "He's got a pecker this big." "And I want you to know that if you mess this one up for me, I'm gonna punch your fuckin' heart out." "He made a caca on the bed." You'll know exactly what I'm talking about when you see this movie. Funny shit! Well acted, smart, funny, and Highly recommended! <img src="http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm89/JDHallowEEn/WheresPoppa.jpg">

jd c Super Reviewer
Apr 18, 2008

One of the first comedies to truly revel in bad taste. Prepare to laugh at rape, incest, hippies, defecation and attempted murder. Segal plays the ultimate broken man and Gordon is amazing as his whacked out momma. If this film were released today I'm certain it would destroy careers rather than create them. Sad.

Christopher B Super Reviewer