Comedy

  • René Clément – Monsieur Ripois aka Knave of hearts (1954)

    1951-1960ComedyDramaFranceRené Clément

    The Italian neo-realist influence that is so evident in René Clément’s Oscar-winning 1949 film Au-delà des grilles is also felt in this quirky romantic comedy, through its use of real locations (mostly in the bustling centre of London) and fluid, documentary-style photography. Along with some of his contemporaries (notably Georges Franju and Jean-Pierre Melville) René Clément had started to trail-blaze a new kind of cinema, departing from the conventions of the quality tradition that had grown stale and predictable by the early 1950s, and laying the groundwork for the French New Wave. If you did not know that Clément had directed Monsieur Ripois, you might easily mistake it for an early offering from one of the Nouvelle Vague filmmakers – Jean-Luc Godard, Eric Rohmer, Jacques Rivette, Louis Malle or François Truffaut.Read More »

  • Frans Weisz – Naakt over de Schutting aka Naked Over the Fence (1973)

    1971-1980ComedyFrans WeiszNetherlandsThriller

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    IMDB:
    User Reviews

    Amsterdam: city of pigeons, karate and dirty movies
    12 November 2004 | by Chip_douglas (Rijswijk, ZH, Netherlands)

    This 1973 film is based on one of six ‘Srillers’ (short for sarcastic thriller) by Rinus Ferdinandusse, who also co-wrote the screenplay and appears in the film. It stars Rijk de Gooijer as Rutger Maria Lemming, or Rick for short. Lemming suffers from Angela Lansbury syndrome: murder mysteries regularly cross his part even though he is happy milking pigeons and running a pinball arcade. When his loyal but gullible friend and former karate champ Ed Swaan (John Blumming) finds himself involved with some pornographers, the two of them set about getting their hands on the embarrassing footage.Read More »

  • Mauro Bolognini, Vittorio De Sica, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Franco Rossi, Luchino Visconti – Le streghe (1967)

    1961-1970ClassicsComedyCommedia all'ItalianaFranco RossiItalyLuchino ViscontiMauro BologniniPier Paolo PasoliniVittorio De Sica

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    Plot:
    A film of five separate comedy to drama segments–directed by Visconti, Bolognini, Pasolini, Franco Rossi and de Sica. The international cast includes Clint Eastwood, Annie Girardot and Alberto Sordi, and features Silvana Mangano. Important Note: This film has been manufactured from the best-quality video master currently available and has not been remastered or restored specifically for this DVD release. 16 x 9. Important Note: This film has been manufactured from the best-quality video master currently available and has not been remastered or restored specifically for this DVD release. From Warner Brothers Website!Read More »

  • Lloyd Bacon – 42nd Street (1933)

    1931-1940ComedyLloyd BaconMusicalUSA


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    Plot:
    Julian Marsh, an sucessful Broadway director, produces a new show, inspite of his poor health. The money comes from a rich old man, who is in love with the star of the show, Dorothy Brock. But she doesn’t reply his love, because she is still in love with her old partner. At the night before the prmiere, Dorothy Brock breaks her ankle, and one of the chorus girls, Peggey Sawyer tries to take over her part. Read More »

  • Cyril Gardner & Edwin H. Knopf – Only Saps Work (1930)

    1921-1930ClassicsComedyCyril Gardner and Edwin H. KnopfUSA


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    Only Saps Work (a double entendre) is an early sound Paramount light romantic comedy with Leon Errol playing what seems at first an inept crook who tries to rob Richard Arlen. Arlen takes pity on Errol, which causes him major grief in being seen with Errol, but Errol also helps him in his romance with Mary Brian. Charley Grapewin is Brian’s father, and Anderson Lawler is her rather unpleasant sweetheart. Stu Erwin plays an ambitious, boneheaded bellboy. With Fred Kelsey and George Pat Collins playing…well, if you know them, you know what they play.Read More »

  • Lewis Allen – The Perfect Marriage (1947)

    1941-1950ClassicsComedyLewis AllenScrewball ComedyUSA


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    Quote:
    Jenny and Dale Williams have been married ten years and parents of a
    nine-year-old daughter, “Cookie” Williams. They live well, have
    separate careers, are surrounded by sophisticated friends, and are
    afflicted with overattentive in-laws on each side. Celebrating their
    tenth anniversary,this, of course, means it is time to tell each other
    they want a divorce from each other. They talk about it. They talk to
    their friends about it. The friends and in-laws talk to them and to
    each other and to anyone who will listen about it.Read More »

  • Mario Monicelli – Un eroe dei nostri tempi AKA A Hero of Our Times (1955)

    1951-1960ComedyItalyMario Monicelli


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    Quote:
    Some effort was made by us folks in KG’s Little Italy to honor Mario Monicelli after his death at the end of November last year, but as usual we didn’t reach very far beyond the usual group of converts. Most of you may have read that Monicelli committed suicide at age 95 by jumping off the hospital where he had just been diagnosed with cancer. This ended a career stretching 60 years, of which Un eroe dei nostri tempi is an early gem.

    Alberto Sordi, who would join forces with Monicelli in films like La grande guerra and Un borghese piccolo piccolo, shines in this comedy, which must have been decisive when it came to establishing his less-than-heroic movie persona.Read More »

  • Daniele Luchetti – Mio fratello è figlio unico aka My Brother Is an Only Child (2007)

    Drama2001-2010ComedyDaniele LuchettiItaly

    Synopsis:
    Two brothers are divided by matters of love and politics in this feature by a former actor and assistant director for Nanni Moretti.Read More »

  • Craig Johnson – True Adolescents (2009)

    2001-2010ComedyCraig JohnsonUSA


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    Craig Johnson’s poised and poignant first feature follows Sam (Mark Duplass), an, unbeknownst to him, washed-up rocker in the early stages of haggard. Jobless and apartment-less, he crashes with his aunt (a compassionate Melissa Leo) as a last resort and becomes reluctant camping-trip chaperone to her teenage son and a pal. That the three males are on par, maturity-wise, makes for engaging ensemble juvenilia. But in the stirring Pacific Northwest wilderness a surprising discovery turns dire — and the distance from boy to man must be covered overnight. Duplass’s ballsy and at times balls-out performance is a winner, particularly when Sam at long last takes stock of himself: it ain’t pretty.Read More »

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