December 09, 2025
'Shampoo'
The Ringer's Bill Simmons and Sean Fennessey are joined by writer-director Cameron Crowe to discuss one of his favorite movies, 'Shampoo,' starring Warren Beatty, Julie Christie, Jack Warden, and Goldie Hawn.
Cast
Warren Beatty as George Roundy
Julie Christie as Jackie Shawn
Goldie Hawn as Jill
Jack Warden as Lester Karpf
Lee Grant as Felicia Karpf
Carrie Fisher as Lorna Karpf
Directed by: Hal Ashby
Written by: Robert Towne, Warren Beatty
Notes
- Cameron Crowe's first Rewatchables appearance – he picked this movie. Hal Ashby was already his favorite director.
- Budget of $4 million, grossed $60 million – #3 movie of 1975.
- Set in 1968 on Election Night when Nixon was elected. Robert Towne and Warren Beatty co-wrote the screenplay (contentious credit).
- Carrie Fisher's first film role (she was ~17, playing Felicia/Lester's daughter).
- Cameron Crowe drew a direct line from Goldie Hawn's realization scene (discovering George's infidelity via the earring) to Kate Hudson's 'What kind of beer?' scene in Almost Famous – he didn't realize the connection until rewatching.
- Joni Mitchell was dating Beatty and wrote 'Sweet Bird' for the film, but Beatty rejected it – too insightful about his persona/insecurity. Went with Paul Simon's score instead.
- Towne vs. Beatty's biggest fight: whether George should sit or stand when confessing to Jill. Towne insisted on sitting (so Goldie Hawn controls the scene); Beatty resisted but Towne won.
- Lee Grant walked off the film for two days during the scene where her character discovers her daughter may have slept with George; Beatty eventually conceded.
- Oscar context: 4 nominations (Supporting Actress win for Grant, Supporting Actor nom for Warden, screenplay nom). 1975 Best Picture nominees were One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Barry Lyndon, Dog Day Afternoon, 'Jaws', and Nashville.
- Cameron Crowe shared that Beatty cold-called him on the worst night of his career (bad opening weekend for Almost Famous + nasty LA Times article) and said: 'I don't really know you, but you made a great movie and there's no actor in town that wouldn't want to work with you.' Then hung up.
Categories
Roger Ebert's review
Quote from Rog's review:
“Shampoo is a movie I expected to admire enormously... but the movie didn't quite work for me.”
- Ebert gave it only 2.5 stars – 'disappointing one for him.' But Sean noted Ebert had a really smart reading of George's character: 'he likes being loving and kind, but in some final way he's too blocked to develop a relationship.'
- Bill thinks Ebert probably upgraded it later.
Most re-watchable scene
- Cameron Crowe: The Bistro staredown scene – Felicia and Jackie locked in a gaze for 90 seconds like UFC fighters, Nixon getting re-elected on the wall, Jackie getting drunk, Beatty's reading 'you're drunk.' 'Without that scene, the movie isn't as seductively layered.'
- Sean: George and Lester making peace near the end – their instant camaraderie, calling all the women whores. 'Kind of really reveals what they really think, but also it's true and it feels sincere.'
- Bill: Same as Sean – 'they only talk about one thing, how some guy fucked them over.' Also nominated: George visiting Jill after sleeping with Felicia, the chaotic hair salon scene, George in the parking lot ('I don't fuck anyone for money, I do it for fun'), the party with Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.
The most 1975 thing about this movie
- Bill: Riding a motorcycle without a helmet.
- Cameron: The extras populating the big party scene – their look, their energy.
- Also discussed: Beatty's hair, the word 'groovy,' traffic-free LA, the Nixon political subtext.
What aged the best?
- Sean: Casting Carrie Fisher (Debbie Reynolds' daughter) and the self-referential Hollywood choices; the hairdresser as cultural figure (Jay Sebring, Jon Peters); the fact that it's the #3 movie of 1975.
- Cameron: Laszlo Kovacs' cinematography; Beatty's mastery of the screen kiss – 'the moment before the kiss' is his specialty.
- Bill: Warden/Beatty combo; Lester's house (best real estate in the movie); young Carrie Fisher; the soundtrack (two Beatles songs, Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, Beach Boys).
What aged the worst?
- Paul Simon's 'Doo Doo Doo' score (corny/weird – everyone agreed).
- Some unfortunate gay-bashing language throughout.
- The allegation that Beatty tried to get with Carrie Fisher (she was ~17).
Best needle drop
- Bill: The moment when George confesses his love and 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds' kicks in – 'it's going down low and then it kicks up.' Gave it the Kid Cudi award.
- Cameron: 'I'm with you' on that pick.
Most cinematic shot
All three: The final high shot on the cliff overlooking all of LA – the last shot of the movie.
Weak link of the movie
- Bill: Julie Christie's 'I'd like to suck his cock' scene at the Bistro – felt too extreme/out of character for the moment.
- Also discussed: Julie Christie's drunk acting not being fully convincing.
Over-acting award
- Beatty crying at the end when Jackie dumps him – slightly overcooked.
- Jay Robinson as Norman the salon owner – turns it up a bit.
The hottest take award
- Cameron Crowe: 'Shampoo' is the least rewatchable of Ashby's three-picture run (Harold and Maude, Last Detail, 'Shampoo') – even though it was probably the most successful. 'It kind of hurts me to say that.'
- Bill: Goldie Hawn was the single most adorable actress of all time in the mid-70s. Second hot take: she was born 15 years too early and missed the entire rom-com blow-up era from 1989 on – 'Meg Ryan doesn't exist. Meg Ryan's working down the street. Meg Ryan's gone.'
- Cameron Crowe confirmed CR's Luke Wilson/Harrison Ford hot take: 'It's fantastic and it's true. Deeply in my soul.'
Best "heat check" performance
Carrie Fisher gets the Dion Waiters award – her first film role, and she kills it.
Apex Mountain
- Warren Beatty: Bill says 'Shampoo' (owned back end, huge success). CR and Cameron say Reds.
- Julie Christie: No – 1965 (Darling + Doctor Zhivago in the same year) is untoppable.
- Robert Towne: In play – Chinatown + 'Shampoo' back-to-back.
- Triumph Motorcycles as a movie character: Definitely.
Cruise or Hanks?
Cruise wins
Cruise unanimously – TJ Mackey from 'Magnolia' is the closest collision of sexual bravado and vulnerability.
Scorsese or Spielberg?
Scorsese unanimously.
What role would Philip Seymour Hoffman play?
Lester, unanimously. Cameron shared a great PSH story: Hoffman rehearsed all his Lester Bangs scenes for Almost Famous in 45 minutes, had the flu during filming (which gave the character a worn-down quality), and suggested the 'we're the uncool' scene be played quietly rather than as a victory moment.
Just one Oscar, who gets it?
Lee Grant for Best Supporting Actress – she actually won it.
Picking nits
- Bill: The motorcycle isn't at the last party (George arrives by car with Christie but leaves on his Triumph – impossible). Also: valets return cars unrealistically fast.
- Cameron: Confused about whose house the party is at; ambiguity about whether Jill slept with Johnny Pope.
- Sean: How does a hairdresser get a bank loan to open a salon?
What memorabilia would you want (or not want!) from the movie?
- Sean: The Triumph motorcycle.
- Cameron: Jackie's earring – the plot-pivoting prop that changes everything.
Best (or worst!) life lessons from the movie
Cameron: 'Everyone sells out' – but Jill (Goldie Hawn) claws her way out, representing hope.
Best double feature for this movie
- Sean: The Parallax View – the two sides of the Beatty persona (no laughs in that one).
- Cameron: Rules of the Game (Jean Renoir) – 'a father of this movie.'
- Bill: Nashville (1975 – sprawling, political, musical).
Who won the movie?
Beatty, unanimously. Cameron: 'Beatty all the way.'
Producer review
Craig: 'Loved it, totally loved it.' Praised the charisma of all the actors jumping off the screen. 'This movie is trying to say something and is also just a good time.' Noted it grossed $60M, equivalent to $360M today adjusted for inflation – 'the same that the new 'Jurassic Park' made this year.'