1)Barbra Streisand in What’s Up Doc
The great thing is that with her new performance in “Fockers”, there’s a whole new generation that realizes Babs is funny. In this film, she’s amazing. No mugging, no false sentiment, always present, and always helpless in the circumstances that surround her. A fine performance.
Trivia: Barbara was never sure about this movie. She kept asking O’Neal through the shoot if in fact, they were funny.
2)Katherine Hepburn in Philadelphia Story
Hepburn at her zenith. With a role that eschewed the label “Box Office Poison” off her head, and written specifically for her by the author, Kate is a genius here. Her work is small and nuanced, and heartbreakingly funny. This is a triumph for her both as an actress and a comedienne.
Trivia: There is a scene when Hepburn’s in the pool talking to her fiancée about a boat she once owned with her ex husband (played to the hilt by Cary Grant). This was not in the play. Kate suggested it for the movie, having the boat represent her old marriage and the way it disintegrated.
3) Shirley MacClaine in Postcards From The Edge
Shirley plays the domineering stage mother with a monstrous ego, and most of the time she’s hanging on by a thread, and drinking and constantly worried about her drugged out, co dependant, eternally lost daughter, and she’s does it with unbelievable hilarity. Consider her now famous version of “I’m Still Here.” Picture anyone else getting away with that.
Trivia: “I’m Still Here” written by Stephen Sondheim, personally re wrote the song in this movie for Maclaine. Unfortunately, most of it was cut. In order to see the restored version, you have to buy the DVD.
4) Cary Grant in Bringing Up Baby
Cary Grant is an original. He invented Suave. In this movie, paired with Katherine Hepburn, he’s at his uneasy, athletic, simpering best. Grant’s always been a genius at creating a character and never losing sight of the story, and here, he’s almost unrecognizable. He trades in his tuxedo for a tweed suit. Utterly adorable, and hilariously unhinged.
Trivia: Grant once said he didn’t know who he was playing until he put on the black, horn rimmed glasses.
5) Gene Hackman in Young Frankenstein
Gene Hackman plays the Blind Man in one scene from this movie. Very few people knew who it was him, and that’s due to Hackman’s ability to disappear. Remember when Gene is tapping on Peter Boyle (as The Monster) and attempting to find out his name?
“What’s your name?”
“UUhhnh.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t get that.”
Achingly funny.
Or:
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were a Mute.” He feels Boyles stature “…an incredibly big mute.”
Trivia: Gene insisted he not be billed. He did the scene for very little money because he loved the script so much, and said to Mel Brooks: “I’ll play the blind man, I don’t care.” And he did.
6) Gene Wilder in Young Frankenstien
While we’re on the subject, let’s talk about Gene Wilder in this film. Gene begging for his life behind the locked door, playing charades about the “sed-a-GIVE“, cursing at Igor about the rotten brain, and that brilliant monologue about giving his Creation life. The reason he’s so funny here, is because we totally BUY that he’s a mad scientist. There is absolutely no doubt.
Trivia: When Gene and Mel got together, the first idea they had was to do a remake of “Jeckle and Hyde“. Frankenstein may never have happened.
7)Ruth Gordon in Rosemary’s baby
Although this is far from a comedic movie, Ruth Gordon is side splittingly funny as the nosey mysterious neighbor next to John Cassevetes and Mia Farrow. There’s a very small gesture she makes in the middle of the film that’s really wonderful. Farrow discovers the child she thought had died is indeed alive. Not only alive but in the middle of some satanic ritual. She comes into the room, knife in hand, moving slowly toward the black, ominous baby carriage in the center of the room. She sees the baby, screams, and drops the knife on the floor. Gordon gets up, picks up the blade, and then attempts to mend the gash in the floor by rubbing her wet finger tip over it. Brilliantly funny in a terrifying moment.
Trivia: Ruth Gordon won her only Oscar for this performance. At the time, she was the oldest person in history to do so.
8) Madeline Kahn in Blazing Saddles
Kahn will make my list a lot. A lot. There will never be anyone like her ever again in the history of movies. Kahn could get a laugh out of “Hello” And did. “I’m Tired” sung by anyone else in this film, would have been a disaster. Her Marlene Dietrich infused with Colleen Dewhurst is nothing short of a miracle.
Trivia: The only way Kahn got the role was to show Mel Brooks her legs at the audition. He wanted to make sure she was sexy enough.
9) Spencer Tracey in Adam’s Rib
Tracey’s reputation for “non acting” is legendary. Here, paired with Kate The Great, he’s at his naturalistic best. The fight they have about politics and gender is witty and explosive. Tracey never steps into melodrama, and with that, he is gruff and hysterical.
Trivia: Spencer never rehearsed. Ever. Hepburn was a neurotic about lines, staging, lighting, direction, and took it upon herself to get involved with everything surrounding her projects. Tracey couldn’t care less. During “Rib” he’d hit his mark, say his lines, and take naps.
10) Roz Russell in His Girl Friday
“Acting is very simple, all you have to do is stand in front of an audience, totally naked, and turn around…..very slowly.” Russell’s idea of what it was like to act was revolutionary. In “Friday” she is a rapid fire comedic machine gun, never once losing sight of her emotional objective. A wonderful performance.
Trivia: This role is originally written for a man. Hildy is male according to the play.
11) Doris Day in Pillow Talk
Day is mostly forgotten now, and her performances are some of the funniest ever created. Like Lucille Ball, she was one of the original beautiful Clowns. In this, the first pairing of Rock and Doris, she is a bubbly, vivacious, chic-as-all-get-out delight. Her timing is impeccable, and her crying scene in the car with the brilliant Tony Randall is remarkable.
Trivia: Doris was nominated for an Oscar for her performance. The only time she’s ever had this honor, and it was never repeated.
12) Madeline Kahn in What’s Up Doc
Here she is again….but really, can you blame me? As the uptight, securely woven wife of Ryan Oneal (sliding down the…..) Bannister, Kahn evokes sympathy and heartbreak for her turn as the woman behind the man. As she’s dragged out of a party with her heels scraping the floor, she also reminds me of a youthful Lucille ball. An uncanny performance.
Trivia: Kahn and Streisand got along terrifically. Barbra knew Madeline was funny, and this helped secure the fact that maybe the entire movie would at least get a chuckle or two. When Kahn spoke of this experience later in her life, she always spoke of it with great respect and fondness
13) Leslie Neilsen in Airplane
“I AM serious, and don’t call me Shirley.” That line would never have worked at all had Neilsen not been a an actor of note and have had a long distinguished dramatic career. Never stepping AROUND the comedy, but more to the point, climbing inside of it, he was the center of this movie. One of the best outrageous comedies made, Leslie used what he knew and his performance is hilarious.
Trivia: Leslie is well known for his practical jokes on set. His whoopy cushion is legendary.
14) Ellen Degeneres in Nemo
WHY was she not nominated for an Oscar for this performance? Why??? It’s filled with pathos, hilarity, and mind numbing sensitivity. The fact that she’s a fish whose memory comes and goes is enough for me, but the ending when she tells us all what family really is, and what it means to her, is as good as any dramatic monologue I can think of. .
Trivia: Most of Degeneres’ dialogue was improvised by the comedienne herself. Watch the DVD again with this in mind, you won’t believe it.
15) Dustin Hoffman in Tootise
A method actor with a heart. Not just another guy-puts-on-a-dress tale (because, really, enough is enough as Donna Summer used to say), this is more of a morality tale. Hoffman learns something in the end and is better for it. His walk, his accent, his gestures, when “Dorothy” disappears, and we’re left with “Michael” wooing Jessica Lange (another fine performance) I actually find myself missing her. Where’s Dorothy? “She’s right here. And she misses you.” he answers. Lovely.
Trivia: Dustin Hoffman was a good, good friend to Jessica Lange at the time of this film. She was going through a painful divorce, and Hoffman was a listening, compassionate shoulder for her. You can see it in the film as well.
16) John Cleese Monty Python and The Holy Grail
Another original. Written by The Monty Pyhton gang, Cleese is absolutely ridiculous here. He’s Jerry Lewis on crystal meth. He’s Lucy stuck in a go cart on high speed. He’s too big, too outrageous, too kind, and too generous to create see through characters that we don’t care about. The Knights of NI? I mean….there’s nothing more insane, and Cleese knows the line between complete lunacy and utter incompetence.
Trivia: John and his pals wrote a basic script, page by page, and the as they filmed Terry Gilliam (one of the geniuses behind The Flying Circus) would insist upon daily changes. The scene at the castle with Cleese as the Guard was a last minute decision.
17) Zero Mostel in Producers
A film that remains a cinematic (and now a theatrical) classic, mostly due to the bravura performances. Mostel is high energy personified. His mugging never seems to overhsadow his absolute desperation. Brilliant.
Trivia: Mostel and Brooks DID NOT get along. Brooks speaks openly about the temperature of the room when the two of them would argue over the smallest things.
18) Cloris Leachman in High Anxiety
Okay. I don’t understand why no one knows who the heck I’m talking about when I talk about this woman. Her Nurse in High Anxiety is so odd and so frighteningly funny, it all but jumps off the screen at us. I’m not crazy about this movie in general, but Leachman’s bizarre hunch backed, mustached, drunk Russian is a revelation in comedy.
Trivia: The role was actually meant for Susan Sarandon. When Leachman was allowed out of the film project she had agreed to do, Sarandon bowed out. Gracefully.
19 Anne Bancroft in To Be Or Not To Be
There’s nothing better than watching this actress get funny. Mitchell Fain has a wonderful story about sitting down and having dinner with both Bancroft and her genius of a husband Mel Brooks. One of the things I remember most about the story he told was the fact that even Brooks admitted than Anne was the funny one. Watch this performance in this film, you’ll see that’s true.
Trivia: Bancroft loved working with her husband. She says she had so much respect for him as an artist, that if he asked her to eat the floor tile, she’d do it.
20) Sidney Poitier in Sneakers
A legend. No question. In this mostly forgotten film (also starring the delicious Robert Redford) Poitier plays an aging thief with one last scheme in him. His brilliance comes from the fact that I don’t think he ever thinks of himself as funny. He’s concerned with telling the story here, and it shows.
Trivia: Redford talked Poitier into coming out of semi retirement for this role. It was a wonderful swan song to a magnificent and varied career.
21) Catherine O’Hara in Waiting For Guffman
If you mention O’Hara’s name to the general public, I don’t know that you’d get much response. She’s an actor’s actor (as much as I hate that term, it’s true here), and her film performances are small but mighty. In “Guffman” she is heartbreaking, and desperate. Consider the difference between how her character is OFF the stage, and how she is during the performance of the actual show. Amazing. An Oscar worthy performance.
Trivia: The hair Catherine sports in this flick was created by her.
22)Marjorie Main in The Egg and I
Character actress from the 30’s onward, that spanned decades on screen. In a small, all but forgotten film staring Claudette Colbert, Main injects her Ma Kettle character with a gruff world weary charm that’s unfortunately seldom seem in today’s cinema. She a robust woman with spit fire delivery, and her 20 minutes as Claudette’s old time southern next door neighbor is charming and exquisite. A fine, funy performance from an underrated actress.
Trivia: Main was a scrub woman for almost 15 years before she broke into films. She passed away completely broke after more than 30 years on screen.
23)Estelle Parsons in Bonnie and Clyde
I know the film isn’t a comedy, but Parson’s portrayal of Gene Hackman’s harried and paranoid wife is not only brilliantly funny, it’s a welcome relief in this exquisite crime drama. Her flailing arms, her ear piercing screams, and then the final horror of her ultimate fate on the hands of the vengeful Sherriff. Funnym sad, and calculatingly funny.
Trivia: This was Estelle’s big break into movies. She was in good hands, and this role won her an Oscar for supporting actress.
24) Judy Holliday in Adam’s Rib
A small but significant part in a Tracey/Hepburn film about gender politics. Holliday brings her own brand of unique comedy and timing to a role that in the hands of a lesser actress, could have been dismissed easily. The scene in the jail cell with Hepburn as her attorney is laugh out loud funny.
Trivia: Judy was fresh from Broadway and a novice about movies. While they were about to film her first scene on her first day, she was shaking so badly her hands couldn’t keep still. Kate leaned into her and said quietly: “That’s wonderful, dear. Why don’t you use that?” She did. She asked for a hankie from the prop man, and used it in the jail scene.
25) Billy Crystal in When Harry Met Sally
Billy’s an extremely underrated actor. His performance here is really terrific. He’s endearing even when he’s being an outright moron. His chemistry with Meg Ryan is wonderful, and although she’s never been one of my favorites, I like them together. Crystal’s got a great way of making you like him, even when he’s doing or saying something that revolts you. Wonderful.
Trivia: There’s a scene in the film where Crystal’s speaking to Ryan in this weird, oddly Russian-esque, Romanian, freaky dialect thing, and then Ryan repeats him and attempts to imitate his exact speech pattern. This was improvised by Billy on camera, and the result is what you see in the film. Meg Ryan is TRULY trying to imitate Billy Crystal.
......more later. Happy Friday!