History Film / Petulia

* UpperClassTwit: David, intersecting with RichInDollarsPoorInSense and verging on IdleRich or RichIdiotWithNoDayJob. Officially he's a "naval architect", but it's obvious that he doesn't really have any skills in life outside of being rich and being handsome.

* AluminumChristmasTrees: The [[http://reelsf.com/motel hotel built around a parking garage]] and Archie's [[http://reelsf.com/petulia-archies-apartment-interior Mid-Century apartment]] seem like sets created for the film to make ironic commentaries on America's infatuation with Modernism in TheSixties, but they're actual San Francisco locations that still exist today.

''Petulia'' is a 1968 romantic drama film directed by Richard Lester, starring Creator/JulieChristie and Creator/GeorgeCScott. It was [[TheFilmOfTheBook adapted from]] the novel ''Me and the Arch Kook Petulia'' by John Haase.

* WouldHitAGirl: David (though it's kept [[OffscreenVillainy offscreen]]).

In UsefulNotes/SanFrancisco, recently divorced Dr. Archie Bollen (Scott) and newly married socialite Petulia Danner (Christie) are both dissatisfied with their lives. The problem is that neither knows ''what'' it is he or she wants. Archie had a perfectly loving marriage until he chose to end it; why, not even he can say. Petulia creates around her a frenzy of activity to escape ''something'' in her life.

* ManicPixieDreamGirl: Petulia fits the basic definition, but her portrayal is more like a deconstruction of the trope, showing the less-than-pleasant circumstances that can lead to someone developing that personality.

[[caption-width-right:350: What lies behind that endearing kookiness? It's [[YouDoNotWantToKnow better not to ask...]]]]

In UsefulNotes/SanFrancisco, recently divorced Dr. Archie Bollen (Scott) and newly married socialite Petulia Danner (Christie) are both dissatisfied with their lives. The problem is that neither knows ''what'' it is he or she wants. Archie had a perfectly loving marriage until he chose to end it - why, not even he can tell. Petulia creates around her a frenzy of activity to escape ''something'' in her life.

The two embark on an affair as a result of simply another one of those inexplicable impulses that mark Petulia's decisions. Their different personalities - Petulia's whimsical intensity and Archie's gentle passivity - gives both a fleeting understanding of what it is they lack. However, that very combination of impulse and lack of resistance leads them to mutually reject their chance at a meaningful relationship.

[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/petulia_christie2_2470.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:320: What lies behind that endearing kookiness? It's [[YouDoNotWantToKnow better not to ask...]]]]

''Petulia'' is a 1968 film directed by Richard Lester, starring Creator/JulieChristie and Creator/GeorgeCScott. In UsefulNotes/SanFrancisco, recently divorced Dr. Archie Bollen (Scott) and newly married socialite Petulia Danner (Christie) are both dissatisfied with their lives. The problem is that neither knows ''what'' it is he or she wants. Archie had a perfectly loving marriage until he chose to end it - why, not even he can tell. Petulia creates around her a frenzy of activity to escape ''something'' in her life.

* BeautyIsBad: Petulia's husband David, played by young, hunky Richard Chamberlain, is an abusive jerk.

''Petulia'' is a 1968 film directed by Richard Lester, starring Creator/JulieChristie and Creator/GeorgeCScott. Recently divorced Dr. Archie Bollen (Scott) and newly married socialite Petulia Danner (Christie) are both dissatisfied with their lives. The problem is that neither knows ''what'' it is he or she wants. Archie had a perfectly loving marriage until he chose to end it - why, not even he can tell. Petulia creates around her a frenzy of activity to escape ''something'' in her life.

* WouldHitAGirl: David (though it's kept offscreen).

* BeautyIsBad: Petulia's husband David.

* UpperClassTwit: David.

''Petulia'' is a 1968 film directed by Richard Lester, starring Julie Christie and Creator/GeorgeCScott. Recently divorced Dr. Archie Bollen (Scott) and newly married socialite Petulia Danner (Christie) are both dissatisfied with their lives. The problem is that neither knows ''what'' it is he or she wants. Archie had a perfectly loving marriage until he chose to end it - why, not even he can tell. Petulia creates around her a frenzy of activity to escape ''something'' in her life.

* {{Dramedy}}: There are some funny moments in the film, but it has quite a few ''dark'' moments as well.