S.O.B.
A disgraced Hollywood producer gambles his marriage and his wife’s pristine image on turning a costly flop into an outrageous sensation.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- sardonic
- vitriolic
- movie night
- hollywood double feature
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a sharply divided but remarkably funny and sustained Hollywood satire, with particular praise for its ferocious comic energy.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The plot centers on a failed studio film, executives seeking control, and a producer who weaponizes his wife's screen image.
Felix responds to the flop by transforming a wholesome fantasy into an explicit commercial provocation.
Sally's protected G-rated image directly obstructs Felix's plan for the recut film.
The outcome is shaped by studio executives, creative personnel, family members, and people at the edges of Felix and Sally's lives.
Films like S.O.B., and why
The Player
biting hollywood satire focused on the film business, vanity, and cynical self-interest
The Last Movie
darkly comic entertainment-industry satire with backstage manipulation and abrasive humor
The Producers
show-business comedy built around performers, ego, and the collision between art and commercial pressure
Postcards from the Edge
acidic ensemble comedy about hollywood image-making, ambition, and personal exploitation
Movie Details
- Director
- Blake Edwards
- Release Date
- 1981-07-01
- Runtime
- 121 min
- Rating
- 6.0 / 10 (102)
Cast
- Julie Andrews
- William Holden
- Marisa Berenson
- Larry Hagman
- Robert Loggia
- Stuart Margolin
- Richard Mulligan
- Robert Preston
- Craig Stevens
- Loretta Swit
Common questions
- What is S.O.B. about?
- A disgraced Hollywood producer gambles his marriage and his wife’s pristine image on turning a costly flop into an outrageous sensation.
- What is S.O.B. like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of S.O.B. as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is S.O.B. violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in S.O.B. as mild.
- What did critics think of S.O.B.?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a sharply divided but remarkably funny and sustained Hollywood satire, with particular praise for its ferocious comic energy.
- Which films are like S.O.B.?
- Films with a similar feel include The Player, The Last Movie, The Producers, and Postcards from the Edge.
- How long is S.O.B.?
- S.O.B. runs 121 minutes.
