MW: Lazy Sunday – Best Comedy Movies
Posted by: chatblu on: July 11, 2010
- In: Morning Widdershins | movies | Open Thread
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(2) The Big Lebowski 1998: You’ll never look at bowling in the same way. Nor at carpet. (Nor at toes, for that matter.)
(3) Blazing Saddles 1978: Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder (and Mel Brooks as a Yiddish-speaking Indian chief) spoof the racism of the Hollywood westerns, courtesy of the Johnsons of Rock Ridge.
(4) M*A*S*H (1970): Donald Sutherland and Elliott Gould are The Pros from Dover. The football game still sends me into hysterical laughter. There is some nasty sexist commentary, but if you have ever had the “pleasure” of working for or with a Hotlips, it almost (stress almost) seems reasonable.
(5) Meet the Fockers (2004): As much as I enjoyed Meet the Parents, this one is actually funnier, thanks to Dustin Hoffman and Barbara Streisand. And, yes, the water pressure in Coconut Grove is really that bad.
(6) Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975): The original and the finest, by me. Never has government been more aptly satirized.
(7) The Mouse That Roared (1959): Peter Sellers is fabulous in this tale of the Grand Duchy of Fenwick, which declares war on the US in hopes of procuring a Marshall Plan. He plays any number of roles convincingly.
(8) Some Like It Hot (1959): Tony Curtis is fabulous in this movie, and Marilyn is just beautiful. I remember going with my parents, and Dad nearly choking with laughter.
(9) Wedding Crashers (2005): Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson as a pair of sleazy womanizers trying to pick up girls in their more vulnerabe moments.
(10) Young Frankenstein (1974): That’s pronounced Frahnk-en-steen. Ah sweet mystery of life………
Let’s hear them, Widdershins. This is an open thread.
48 Responses to "MW: Lazy Sunday – Best Comedy Movies"
July 11, 2010 at 10:48 AM
Jack Lemmon was in Some Like It Hot, but he was also fabulous in The Apartment and The Odd Couple.
July 11, 2010 at 11:27 AM
Oh yeah! That’s a great one too, Beata.
@2 – “The Apartment” was an amazing movie. I’ve seen it a couple of times. Billy Wilder (the director of both “The Apartment” and “Some Like it Hot”) was a genius.
Speaking of Marilyn…”The Seven-Year Itch” was a great comedy as well. She was both hilarious and insanely sexy. I loved the guy who played the lead, but I can never remember his name.
July 11, 2010 at 11:33 AM
MB, here’s Tom Ewell and Marilyn in my favorite scene in “The Seven Year Itch”:
July 11, 2010 at 11:37 AM
“It shakes me, it quakes me, it makes me feel goose-pimply all over…”
July 11, 2010 at 12:13 PM
Anything by Preston Sturges. Here’s Joel McCrea in “Sullivan’s Travels”:
July 11, 2010 at 1:05 PM
Beata – that’s the scene I was talking about from “The Seven-Year Itch.” I love it!
I went upstairs to get some sun, and while I was lying there I realized that no one had said “Airplane!” Holy moly. Possibly the funniest movie of all time!
July 11, 2010 at 1:40 PM
Classic scene from Airplane: “Excuse me, stewardess – I speak jive.”
July 11, 2010 at 1:45 PM
The finale of “Love and Death,” Woody Allen’s masterful parody of Russian literature.
July 11, 2010 at 2:11 PM
Agree with all choices, and happy that Madama included Airplane, one of my all time favorites. I have a bizarre sense of humor, so would include:
Fargo,
Monty Python’s Life of Brian (or anything Monty Python),
Doctor Strangelove,
Shot in the Dark,
Snatch,
Dead Fish
July 11, 2010 at 2:28 PM
@15 – HT, I love “Fargo” and “Shot in the Dark.” I am not sure if “Fargo” is a true comedy, but it is a great film nonetheless.
Here is my favorite scene from “Shot in the Dark”: A rit of fealous gage!
July 11, 2010 at 3:26 PM
Loved that scene as well – and the nudist colony, and Cato. Good times.
I forgot another obscure movie that made me laugh (and still does). Murder by Death – a spoof on all the film noir movies. Peter Sellers was Wang (think Charlie Chan), Maggie Smith and David Niven were Dick and Dora Charlton, Elsa Lanchester was Miss Marbles, James Coco as Perrier (think Poirot),Peter Falk as Sam Diamond (think Sam Spade), Alec Guiness was Bensonmum the blind butler, Alice Walker the deaf mute cook, Truman Capote as Lionel Twain. Corny as all get out, but I loved it.
Ooh, also forgot another corny movie that made me laugh out loud – another spoof this time on the Board Game – Clue. Another incredible ensemble cast, including the incomporable Madeline Kahn.
July 11, 2010 at 3:44 PM
Because I’m a librarian, “Desk Set” is a favorite of mine. I love the way Katharine Hepburn snorts when she laughs:
July 11, 2010 at 3:50 PM
I don’t think this movie went over well, but it had the wonderful Ann Bancroft in (Mel’s wife) and it wasn’t *terrible*.
July 11, 2010 at 3:52 PM
Not sure is my comment got caught in the filter, so will repeat.
Fredster, loved the Producers, and also A funny thing happened on the way to the forum.
Beata, anything Katherine Hepburn did was memorable. Bringing Up Baby, the Philadelphia Story, Holiday, and all her less comedic roles – she was a Queen.
July 11, 2010 at 3:55 PM
Yes, I loved “Murder by Death,” “The Producers” and “Clue.” You’re all picking great ones!
Off for a walk and a movie. Will check in later. Have a great afternoon, all!
July 11, 2010 at 4:03 PM
Hey Fredster, also liked Spaceballs – another Mel brooks movie – spoof on Star Wars. Mel starred as Yoghurt. True unmitigated cornball.
July 11, 2010 at 4:15 PM
One of my favorite films of all-time, “Midnight”, with a fabulous cast:
July 11, 2010 at 5:49 PM
Again, forgot about Men in Tights – Cary Elwes as Robin Hood. I found it hilarious.
July 11, 2010 at 7:39 PM
Oh no, I’ve missed the party!
Okay, I’ve mentioned it here a billion times, but here’s another reminder about “The Opposite of Sex.” One of the funniest – and truest – movies I’ve ever seen.
July 11, 2010 at 7:52 PM
“Austin Powers” was great. Well, the first one is great. The second one less so. The third one less so than the second. But still has its moments.
A little bathroom humor…
July 11, 2010 at 8:12 PM
For Your Consideration
Looks like we got a couple of Christopher Guest fans here!
July 11, 2010 at 9:11 PM
Oooh, I looooove Christopher Guest! All the movies you mentioned. And, “The Opposite of Sex.” Fantastic movie.
If you’re going to mention the sublime Barbara Stanwyck (“The Lady Eve”), then you must also mention “Ball of Fire.” “A regular yum-yum type!”
July 11, 2010 at 9:53 PM
One of the most underrated Woody Allen movies is “Manhattan Murder Mystery.” It was initially supposed to star Mia Farrow with Allen. But the scandal broke out just as production was supposed to start. So, needless to say, Farrow dropped out and Diane Keaton stepped in on a few days’ notice.
July 11, 2010 at 10:04 PM
Another great Woody Allen film, made right after “Manhattan Murder Mystery” is “Deconstructing Harry.” It’s one of Allen’s angriest and most biting films. This clips, though, is hilarious about Robin Williams’ character being “out of focus!”
July 11, 2010 at 11:14 PM
That looks good – I’ll try to find it, as I’d like to see the whole thing/.
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July 11, 2010 at 10:40 AM
Oooh! Nice list, Chat. I have some of the same ones.
Here are mine – no particular order:
The Princess Bride
Moonstruck (comedy or drama? Not sure)
Young Frankenstein
Zoolander
Blazing Saddles
History of the World
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Love and Death
Sleeper
Play It Again, Sam
Bananas
Yup, it’s all about Mel Brooks and Woody Allen for me, for the most part. I do love. “Some Like it Hot,” as well. Don’t forget the great Jack Lemmon. What an amazing actor he was.