Petulia

Petulia, takes its central relationship as seriously as its plot. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. With 51 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. You will have strong feelings about it by the finale. There is no real reason to keep putting it off.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, Petulia earns its spot. What makes Petulia work is that the obstacles feel real, not manufactured for the plot. Dr. Archie Bollen is having a midlife crisis. He's just divorced his wife and is establishing a new life for himself. Julie Christie and George C. Scott lead a cast that earns the romance rather than assuming it. It was released in 1968. Romance lives or dies on chemistry, and Petulia has it in the cast combination that the writers chose to put at the centre of everything. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

Petulia is the kind of thing you watch without apology. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Julie Christie carries the emotional throughline with real conviction. You will have strong feelings about it by the finale.

Petulia was released in 1968, directed by Richard Lester. The full 105-minute film is available to watch now. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.