MovieChat Forums > Petulia (1968) Discussion > The Supermarket Scene....the 'Hippie' at...

The Supermarket Scene....the 'Hippie' at the Cashier...

posted 14 years ago by ConDeuce
6 replies | jump to latest

The scene where Scott and Christie go to the supermarket in the middle of the night contains what seems like an incidental "bit" that has stuck with me after I just saw the film again for the first time in over 20 years.

• There's a "hippie" at the cashier and he's eating something that I think is sardines or anchovies. He's trying to get away with not paying for it by striking a pose of a flower child, all for peace and love and says to the cashier "...but I love you, man." Then the guy bagging groceries yells at him that he's got to pay for it.

What are people's impression of this scene? What is Lester trying to say?

My take: it's one of the key scenes that tells me that "Petulia" is a commentary on the 60s and the effect it is having on society. If Lester was simply pimping for acceptance by younger audiences, he would have made the flower children in the film all truly peace loving, gentle folk. But in this scene what he's saying is that in the "hippie" movement, there were poseurs, phonies who adopted the dress, speech, and/or mannerisms of a the hippie subculture, generally for attaining acceptability within the group but who did not share or understand the values or philosophy of the subculture. And that phenomenon continues to this day.

This scene contradicts what I think a lot of people who have not seen "Petulia" will think of it: that it's a dated, very 60s film with "mod" fashions and wild camera and editing techniques. How wrong they are. The film is a commentary on the 60s and it's not necessarily a positive one.

[–] abchulett 14 years ago

That's a very incisive comment, but I think you go too far in saying that the whole film is characterized by what you admit is an "incidental" scene. The "flower child/hippie" ethos only comes the fore a couple of times, if you don't count the go-go club scenes that don't seem to have anything to do directly with the story. The film is a commentary on the abuse of power, and the little tragedy of one pretty young woman caught in its web.

I think it's Lester best film, certainly better than the overrated "Hard Day's Night," which seems to have been a generational touchstone for baby boomers but doesn't hold up as well in the 21st century. Sure, some of the technique and fashions in "Petulia" are dated, but the story is timeless; HDN is more of a time capsule and doesn't resonate as well with those who didn't live it.

Or maybe that's just me.

[–] ConDeuce 14 years ago

abchulett: thanks for your reply. I have never read anything about Lester's opinion on "Petulia" or what (if any) subtext he had in mind but for me, what makes it work and makes it NOT dated is the fact that it is a film ABOUT the 60s made DURING (and at the height of) the 60s and that gives the film a genuine feeling that doesn't feel over done (like films made later about the 60s do).

I don't think the basic story line has anything to do with the 60s. (When I first saw this film in college, the teacher said that he had read the book and the book could've taken place in any time period but the movie could only be from the 60s.) I think Lester took the opportunity to add his OWN commentary on how he felt about the whole 60s movement and he beautifully integrated it into the story. And I don't think he felt overly good about the 60s hippie scene. I'd like to read his thoughts on the film and its tone and whether intended or not.

One thing we do agree on: it's Lester's best film. It's a mature, focused work.

[–] brefane 14 years ago

It's a motif that's present throughout. The 2 hippies at the housing development are hostile and of no help to Archie. A VW with hippies backs up and inquires about a Chinese restaurant. When Petulia is being taken out by ambulannce onlookers make unfeeling coomments "She's going to have a tough time getting that blood out of her hair".

As Archie says: "It's the Pepsi generation"

Lester's use of San Francisco seems influenced by the backdrop of London in Antonioni's BlowUp(66)

[–] ConDeuce 14 years ago

brefane: Thanks. Every one of your examples were ones I wanted to cite as well. It's obvious to me that Lester wasn't particularly keen on the whole 60s Love In/Hippie movement. At the time the film was made, the whole "scene" was becoming extremely popular. How insightful of Lester to make a film that didn't play into it but was actually critical.

[–] inframan 12 years ago

I lived in San Francisco in the 1960s & 70s, not too far, in fact, from that very market which was the Stop n Shop on California street. The people in the market & in various other scenes (like Polo's fiancé) were members of an SF improvisation company called The Committee, a fabulous group which also included Don Sturdy, later known as Howard Hesseman.

Richard Lester did a fabulous job of capturing SF at that time. When I saw Petulia in its original release I had a feeling it was a time slice from my own life. I enjoy watching it to get a glimpse of those days but in many ways, because of the realism of the painful relationships in the film, it's a tough watch. Thought Scott was brilliant & Christie beautiful, though.

I would say the 3 movies which best capture the essence of SF are Vertigo, Petulia & The Conversation.

[–] MakeMeThink 11 years ago

Odd to respond to such an old message, but I live on Nob Hill too and that was the Cala, just like it says on the screen. And while the director may have had something in mind, given my history with that store they could have just recreated something that happened while they were setting up the lights for the scene. It was that kind of place. Today it's a Trader Joe's.

HARMONY: Preaching to the horse's mouth.