Reviews (117)

Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan give charming and sweet performances!
I still love this movie! "Sleepless in Seattle" is still one of the best romantic films that I have seen since...ever! The performances in the film were top-notch and the storyline was terrific! To me, this film talks about two things...fate and destiny. "Sleepless" focuses on Sam Baldwin (Tom Hanks), a recently widowed father who, because of the death of his wife Maggie (Carey Lowell), decides to move out to Seattle with his son Jonah (Ross Malinger) to start over again. One night, Jonah calls a talk radio show, who asks Sam to come to the phone and explain everything. So Sam sat down and talked about everything that he and his wife had done over the past few years, how he loved her, and such. Sam's story was such a big hit across America that women have been pouring letters of comfort at Sam's home. The story has also reached the heart of a newspaper writer named Annie Reed (Meg Ryan). Annie is single, lives in New York, and is engaged to a man named Walter (Bill Pullman), who is pretty much allergic to everything. After hearing Sam's story on the radio that night, Annie believes that she and Sam are destined to be together, due to typical Hollywood romance from such films as, for example, "An Affair to Remember". And romantic charm and trouble ensues from there on as, for example, Annie goes to Seattle to sort of "spy" on Sam to see what he is like, especially with his son, etc. "Sleepless in Seattle" marks the second teaming of Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan from their first hit, "Joe Versus the Volcano" in 1990, and before they starred a third time in 1998's "You've Got Mail", which is directed by "Sleepless" director Nora Ephron ("This is My Life"). And speaking of the director, she directed this film with a lot of heart, soul, and emotion. Nora Ephron's best work to date! "Sleepless in Seattle" has also the absolute best performances of all time from Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. I kind of liked the way that Meg Ryan's hair looked in the film. To me, you don't get to see Meg Ryan with hair like that a lot. I like this film because it is one of those films where two people eventually cross paths continuously, and in the end, they meet each other for the first time and live happily ever after! I really hope that there is a sequel to this film in the making, but if there isn't, then I will still enjoy "Sleepless in Seattle" for years to come!

A Laugh-Out-Loud Funny Charmer
First of all, Sleepless in Seattle IS a chick flick, yes, and there are certainly some stretches of the imagination required as far as plot goes, but the real emphasis is the characters, and that is the strength of the movie...the entire cast is excellent, from Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks to the supporting cast (Rosie O'Donnell, Bill Pullman, Ross Malinger and Robert Reiner). The story and chemistry is charming, but more than that, the movie is hysterical. Everytime I watch the movie again (I've seen it about 5 or 6 times now) I realize how funny it is...Nora Ephron may be the best current writer of real romantic comedies. There are SO many funny little things scattered throughout the movie...even if you don't like "chick flicks," you should watch it because it's one of the funniest movies ever.

Absolutely wonderful!
I first saw this movie when I was in college with my roomate, who knows all the best movies out there. I absolutely fell in love with it, and I went out and bought it immediately. It's ideal if you are single, it gives you hope for finding that perfect someone :), at least it did for me. If you like You've Got Mail, you'll also like Sleepless in Seattle, or if you haven't seen either, they go perfect together!!

great chick flick for chicks
Tom Hanks stars as recent widower from Seattle who talks to a radio show host about his troubles and Meg Ryan plays a recently engaged woman from New York who develops a relationship with Hank's character. The plot is a bit cheesy as well as the lines, but that is how chick flicks are made--cheesy plots and lines. Though most guys will not like "Sleepless in Seattle" unless they enjoy other "chick flicks," most women enjoy this contemporary classic of long distance romance. If you like the movie be sure to check out the DVD, which has many more added features such as a music video and commentary by the director and co-writer.

Sleepless in Seattle
WOW! I LOVE this movie! It's a favorite of all my families. I think this is a great love story and almost anyone would enjoy it. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Garry Marshall (Pretty Woman) directs the screen adaptation of Terence McNally's play Frankie and Johnny at the Clair de Lune, the story of a short-order cook (Al Pacino) who drives a waitress (Michelle Pfeiffer) crazy with his adamant courtship and mixed messages. The film is okay and not much more than that, the major stumbling block being Marshall's failure to scrub away enough star veneer on Pacino and Pfeiffer to accept them as minimum-wage drones with nowhere to go but toward each other. Fortunately, Marshall's feel for the texture offered by supporting players--Hector Elizondo as a café owner, Nathan Lane as Pfeiffer's inevitably gay neighbor-buddy, Kate Nelligan as another lonely waitress--keeps things interesting enough. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (35)

"We're expecting another call from you any minute"
Surprisingly subtle love story from director Garry Marshall. I think it tanked in theaters for the same reason I didn't see it until it went to video--I wasn't ready to accept Michelle Pfeiffer as a greasy-spoon waitress (or Al Pacino as a short-order cook). But I forgot that they can both act, and they do a wonderful job here. Nathan Lane is hilarious in a supporting role; he provides what might be the single funniest line that movie year.

Best Romantic Movie Ever Made!
This movie is one of the best!! You have to own it. If you are a hopeless romantic, then you MUST have it!!!! Not a movie for the kiddies. Just you and with someone you love or want to love...

I wish I could live in that Universe.
The dialogs are a dream come true.

I heard some people were upset that Michelle Pfeiffer was cast as Frankie. Apparently the actress who played that character on stage was Kathy Bates and came to be regarded by many as definitive in that role. I'm sure she was terrific, and I loved her in "Dolores Claiborne", but as much as I sympathize with those who claim that it's all part of Hollywood's conspiracy to make ordinary women feel dissatisfied with their "real", ordinary bodies and faces, Michelle Pfeiffer - gorgeous as she is - is a sensitive, real performer, not a Barbie doll in any way, and though I couldn't be more different from her physically, I find it very easy to relate to her thanks to her talent.

The movie is a gem, though every time I watch anything with Al Pacino in it I'm always counting the seconds for the "scream scene". I'm not sure I ever watched a movie in which he starred, that he didn't scream his head off at some point, and this one's no exception. One love scene is basically spoiled by it, although die hard fans can always make the case that the script was asking for it. No minor problems like this one can spoil the movie as a whole though, that's what's important.

A true love story
The way it really is. two people who aren't anything special at all. And they find one another and make it work despite everything else. because they have to. because they need something in their lives and this is the best thing coming around. Nice.

Beautiful Love Story!
I saw this in 1991 when I was in middle school and I instantly fell in love with the movie. This film introduced me to romantic comedies and though I am not a fan of most films of this genre this one has a lot of heart and soul.

Al Pacino took a break from his usual cop/crook roles to play Johnny, a sweet ex-con with a bruised heart. He's a kindred spirit looking for someone else to share his lonely life with. Michelle Pheiffer is the same kindred spirit except Frankie has been so bruised she can not get back. Frankie and Johnny go through twists and turns before Frankie agrees to go out on a date. The more Frankie sees into Johnny's world she realizes he's the one person who can help her move past her former relationship with a man who beat her. This actually scares Frankie even more and she does her best to fight Johnny's advances but ultimately cannot fight her own heart.

This movie is the perfect date movie all rolled into one. It would have been a great family movie except for the thrown in sex scene between Johnny and Cora. I didn't agree with that because it didn't belong in a wholesome movie like this. The set up of the diner was refreshing and it was good to see a film where everyone was struggling for paychecks and not living in mansions and driving fancy cars. I am not from New York but I got a true sense of New York life after seeing this movie. The director ( Garry Marshall) had just come off of his super hit with Pretty Woman and proved he still had the touch of gold when it came to romantic movies.

The cast was wonderful. I enjoyed Al Pacino's innocent betrayal of Johnny and he brought in a lot of himself into the character. Michelle Pfeiffer was good as well. I just wished Frankie hadn't have been so grumpy because it was hard for me to warm up to her at first. But I realized Frankie was the way she was because of the hardships in her life. This is a movie for anyone to enjoy: young, middle-aged, senior, black, white, asian. It's one of those movies that doesn't provide any culture gaps or society gaps. It's just a nice love story where anyone can relate.

Everyone has had to struggle with emotions or money and everyone has fallen in love some time or another. This film combines all those elements into a breathtaking movie. If that's not enough for you to see it, check it out for the supporting characters. Nathan Lane is a hoot. Everyone should see this film at least once. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Brilliant
Do you enjoy Michael Jackson's early work? Or are you an aspiring director? Either way this is a great thing to watch. Unlike most other "Making Of's" this one is generally longer. It is not only filled with interviews, but A LOT of footage on the video, such as the makeup, how it is done, and the filming. Buy it!

Thriller thriller thriller....
Thriller and I go way back. I was too young when Thrillermania was going on but I experienced parts of the michael jackson mania since the mid 80's. The video scared me when I was a toddler but I had a Thriller toy anyways and appreciated the video even more when I was older. It is a brilliant masterpiece, the king of all music videos and it will never be forgotten. I love this video, it shows you how this masterpiece was created and there's a lot of cute moments while making the video. I love mike, he's the best.

THRILLER NIGHT
THIS VIDEO IS GREAT. I THINK EVERYBODY SHUD GET THIS VIDEO . IT REALLY SCARY AND THA MAKING OF IT VERY COOL!! FIRST ULL SEE THA VID THEN THA MAKING OF THA VIDEO. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

A heartwarming story of mistaken identity and idealism, director Ivan Reitman (Ghostbusters) takes on the political establishment in this fresh, funny comedy. Kevin Kline (Sophie's Choice, A Fish Called Wanda) plays Dave Kovic, a sweet man with a big heart running an employment agency. Dave happens to be a dead ringer for the current president of the United States, and he hires himself out as an impersonator for parties and mall openings. When the real president has a stroke while in bed with an aide, his ambitious chief of staff (Frank Langella) decides to hold onto the White House by appealing to Dave's sense of patriotism and having him pose as the president. Soon, however, Dave is running the country in a way contrary to what the chief of staff would like, even as he finds himself falling in love with the unsuspecting first lady (Sigourney Weaver). The movie's unbridled optimism is its best asset, and it makes this a pleasant comedy worth seeing. --Robert Lane ... Read more

Reviews (55)

A Presidential Comedy!
Dave Kovic runs a job placement agency. On the side, he does Presidential Impersonations since he bares a strong resemblance to President Mitchell. But when Mitchell suffers a life-threatening stroke, Dave is asked to step in to temporarily fill his shoes. After testing the waters, Dave begins to enjoy the job and eventually tries to get something done...

DAVE is a sturdy comedy that gets a lot of mileage out of Washington DC. Kevin Kline is just perfect as the everyman Dave and even better as President Dave. When he throws out the first pitch at a professional game, the reaction is happy and real. He becomes the President we would like to see, one that puts the country above all else. That's something I've never seen in my lifetime. Sigourney Weaver is the hard-edged First Lady who Dave is soon allied. Charles Grodin is very funny in a supporting role as a DC accountant with a fear of the government. Frank Langella is the villainous Bob Alexander, puppet master for the 'acting' President. He sneers here as much as he did in DRACULA. But, much of the fun in Dave comes from the many Washington insider cameos. These, in addition to appearances by Larry King, Jay Leno, Leon Harris and Oliver Stone make the story seem feasible. (And for once, Oliver Stone's conspiracy just might be right...)

Ivan Reitman handles this comedy masterfully and the story is filled with heart and a couple nice twists. The DVD has a pretty good video transfer and a standard audio transfer. But, this was an early DVD release so it offers little extra (There is a mightily short making of doc). Dave itself is a fun film that might ironically restore some trust in our government.

Whimsy & Intrigue in the White House
This movie is one of those gems that quietly grows on you -- each viewing creating anticipation and appreciation for its wit and style. The casting is superb. Kevin Kline doesn't know how to give a bad performance. Frank Langella's brilliant characterization of the ambitious, power-hungry 'man behind the throne' is perfect, and a wonderful contrast to his long-ago role as the cad/seducer in Diary of a Mad Housewife.

This is definitely a movie to buy because it needs to be seen many times. The innumerable funny pearls in this movie alone are worth the price of the DVD. For Minnesotans, one of the slyest gags was Dave's gig early in the moview, imitating the President at the grand opening of Durenberger Motors in his home town. The movie was released around the time that David Durenberger (Minnesota's senior senator) was embroiled in an ethics scandal. A personal favorite moment was the scene where Dave (with the help of his accountant buddy played by Charles Grodin) pares the federal budget to save a homeless shelter for children -- the cabinet members bemusedly participating just like a family sitting around the kitchen table wrestling with its own budget. Priceless.

GOOD DEMOCRATS, BAD REPUBLICANS, SAME OLD STORY
The film "Dave" went through a script change. The story of a Presidential look-alike (Kevin Kline) who fills in for the secretly deceased real thing, the original story featured a Republican who brought his skills as a small entrepreneur to the job. Hollywood turned him into a Democrat, but kept his G.O.P common sense, such as when he and his partner look at the Federal budget and balance it by using the methods any small businessman would use. Naturally, pet liberal projects are all interjected while "Republican priorities" are given the heave-ho. You can search far and wide, and you will not find Hollywood films that openly portray a Democrat as the bad guy. I wrote a screenplay a few years ago called "A Murderous Campaign". It had all the elements of a great script. A beautiful porn star has an affair with a Democrat Louisiana Senator. She overhears him plotting the assassination of a political rival, but they find out she heard the plan. They try to kill her, so she goes into hiding and hooks up with a crusty old Washington reporter who is considered kooky because he has been accusing this Democrat of these crimes for years. A retired FBI friend of the reporter helps them. The Democrat announces a Presidential bid. The porn star uses her considerable charms and discovers that the Governor of New Jersey is the assassination target at a Statue of Liberty rally. She saves the Governor, and the plot is revealed, but the Democrat candidate goes into spin control. Nobody can really prove the plan. It looks like he will win the nomination, having weathered the politics of personal destruction. Finally, the porn girl and the reporter find the old father of the Democrat's chief of staff, a former Ku Klux Klansman who wants to get what he knows off his chest before passing from this mortal coil. He tells them about the drug smuggling operation the candidate has been running in the Louisiana Bayou. The reporter's FBI pal arranges a raid. They discover all the "smoking gun" evidence of a series of political murders going back years. The girl is re-united with her family, gets out of the porn business, the reporter wins the Pulitzer, and it is jail time for the Democrat. The end.
Creative execs who loved the verbal pitch when I simply described the Democrat as a "politician," a "candidate" or the "Senator" all passed when they read the part in the script that identifies him as an actual Democrat. Pamela Anderson would be perfect as the porn chick. I could see Denzel Washington as the reporter, and Gary Busey as the Democrat Senator. I was asked if I would change him to a Republican. My answer was that I wanted to maintain the realism of the story. See ya.

STEVEN TRAVERS
AUTHOR OF "BARRY BONDS: BASEBALL'S SUPERMAN"
STWRITES@AOL.COM

Light romantic comedy.
President Bill Mitchell is not exactly an ideal President. He looks after those who helped get him into office than the people and he is a philanderer. One of the ways that he keeps his amorous play a secret is to hire a lookalike to impersonate him. Now the man whom they have hired is Dave Kovic (Kevin Kline), a goodhearted man who likes to help people find jobs. After making his little exit, the real President suffers a stroke and is completely incapacitated. The corrupt and manipulative Chief of Staff, Bob Alexander, plans to use Dave to elevate himself to the White House. Unfortunately, he doesn't count on Dave enjoying himself in office, using his luck to make the country a better place and falling in love with the beautiful First Lady.

A fun Political Drama/Comedy!
DAVE is a great movie. It's fun to watch and is family friendly. At the same time, though, it has plenty of political jargon and Oval Office scenes to keep the political drama lover happy. DAVE follows a man who could pass as a twin of the President. He is recruited as a double for the Prez. for public appearances, but quite unexpectedly, gets a big promotion! Definately see this one. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Annie Hall is one of the truest, most bittersweet romances on film. In it, Allen plays a thinly disguised version of himself: Alvy Singer, a successful--if neurotic--television comedian living in Manhattan. Annie (the wholesomely luminous Dianne Keaton) is a Midwestern transplant who dabbles in photography and sings in small clubs. When the two meet, the sparks are immediate--if repressed. Alone in her apartment for the first time, Alvy and Annie navigate a minefield of self-conscious"is-this-person-someone-I'd-want-to-get-involved-with?" conversation. As they speak, subtitles flash their unspoken thoughts: the likes of "I'm not smart enough for him" and "I sound like a jerk." Despite all their caution, they connect, and we're swept up in the flush of their new romance. Allen's antic sensibility shines here in a series of flashbacks to Alvy's childhood, growing up, quite literally, under a rumbling roller coaster. His boisterous Jewish family's dinner table shares a split screen with the WASP-y Hall's tight-lipped holiday table, one Alvy has joined for the first time. His position as outsider is uncontestable he looks down the table and sizes up Annie's "Grammy Hall" as "a classic Jew-hater."

The relationship arcs, as does Annie's growing desire for independence. It quickly becomes clear that the two are on separate tracks, as what was once endearing becomes annoying. Annie Hall embraces Allen's central themes--his love affair with New York (and hatred of Los Angeles), how impossible relationships are, and his fear of death. But their balance is just right, the chemistry between Allen's worry-wart Alvy and Keaton's gangly, loopy Annie is one of the screen's best pairings. It couldn't be more engaging. --Susan Benson ... Read more

Reviews (115)

Annie Hall has truly stood the test of time. And I loved it
I have a confession to make.

Until now, I've never seen a Woody Allen movie.

Boy, I sure was a "miss out".

Annie Hall, made in 1977, is a classic. Why, oh why, did I wait so long?

First of all it's a story, and a very funny story at that, about a New York Jewish comedian, played by Woody Allen and his WASP girlfriend, played by Diane Keaton. It pokes fun at many social mores that we take for granted and I found myself laughing throughout. There's the New Yorker who never learns to drive, the mid-westerner who orders a pastrami sandwich on white bread with mayonnaise (which seems almost grotesque to a New Yorker like me), the pretentious movie critic, the neuroses of modern romances, and the differences between the New York and Los Angeles way of life.

The film runs along at such a fast pace that there is almost no time at all between funny moments. And, to make it even better, there are some wonderful film techniques. For example, while Diane Keaton and Woody Allen are talking about photography, there are subtitles on the screen about the physical relationship that they are really thinking about.

If the film were made today the phone calls would have been made on cell phones. But surprisingly, that is the only detail that might be changed. Annie Hall has really truly stood the test of time. And I loved it.

Quintessential Woody, in arguably his best form..
Plenty of reviews here claim this is Woody's best and I'm hard-pressed to differ: chronic New York neurotic/comedy writer Alvy Singer can't commit to anything except his own misery and falls in love (and meets his match in psychoses) with Annie Hall (Diane Keaton in her Oscar-winning role), the Waspy flibbertigibbet who wants more out of life but she's not sure what. Oscars also for Allen's direction, his screenplay (co-written by Marshall Brickman) and Best Picture. Look quickly for Jeff Goldblum's cameo ("I forgot my mantra") at Paul Simon's So. Cal. Party, John Glover in a flashback party scene with Annie, Shelley Hack in a sidewalk scene, veteran character actor Tracey Walter and Beverly D'Angelo in the sitcom tape Roberts is sweetening with a laugh track in an edit bay, Woody's longtime friend and future producer Jean Doumanian in the coke scene, and at the film's end Sigourney Weaver (trust me it's her, but it is in a long shot and no dialogue) as Alvy's latest girlfriend. Best reaction shot: Allen with Keaton and Walken in a car after Walken has proclaimed his sudden urges of death. Also, I too wish I could do what Allen does in shutting up a movie-line pontificator like he does with media expert Marashall McLuhan.

A superb and passionately funny film between the hot cold relationship between two people. Woody Allen delivers the goods in this terribly witty and romantic film, Diane Keaton matches his quality too. Expect to see neurotic behaviour from Allen as we get a firm grasp of the two main characters as their relationship develops. For me, this is an absolute pinnacle film of it's genre and should not be missed.

Brilliant!
Woody's self searching and unique form of humor make this a brilliant movie. Diane Keaton is the perfect co-star.

I saw this last year after not seeing it since it came out in the late 1970's...still just as fresh and wonderful. I just wish my wife liked Woody Allen humor as much as I do.

Not His Best but Still Very Good
People just adore Annie Hall. I like Annie Hall. Manhattan and Hannah and Her Sisters work better for me but I can think of about a billion worse ways to spend 90 minutes than watching Annie Hall. Even though I'm not particularly charmed by it, I freely admit Annie Hall is better than 98% of all American movies ever. Funny, smart and endearingly offbeat. Certainly worth the going price.

Because we need the eggs
Ok, let me get this one thing out of the way: when I was 12, Annie Hall beat Star Wars for the Best Picture Academy Award, and I was not a happy kid. However, time can do funny things...

I first saw this picture a few years later, with my first real girlfriend (hi, Lisa!) on the revival circuit. I found it witty and intelligent, as I have with most of Woody Allen's films. I have to say that, to my 16-year-old mind, it still didn't make a huge impression. Twenty years and a failed marriage later, however, I think I can honestly say that I now get it.

Annie Hall is, to me, Woody Allen's greatest triumph as a filmmaker and a storyteller. It's a bittersweet, often hilarious recounting of a relationship from its start to its inevitable end. We see Allen at his most honest, at times brutal examination of himself and his destructive approach to relationships as he plays Alvy Singer, a funny, neurotic comedian (not a great stretch for Woody, granted). All the angst, the neuroses, and manic phobias that at first seem so idiosyncratic and charming, eventually become tiring and sad. Here is a man who is so attached to his psychoses that he would be an empty shell without them, and we see the painful fact of this in his reflections of previous relationships and marriages throughout the course of his adult life. Ultimately, this is a character so galvanized by his fears and phobias that he is simply incapable of managing a complex adult relationship, one free of paranoia and anxiety and this is his tragic downfall. In short, he is a small child trapped in the body of a small man.

This is not, however, one of Allen's Bergmanesque forays into introspection. The knee-slapping hilarity of many of the scenes help draw us into his world and the relationship he has with Annie (Diane Keaton, marvelous as always), his friends, his family, and the world around him. A particular favorite is when, on their first meeting, Alvy and Annie exchange basic getting-to-know-you small talk, and their hidden meanings and anxieties are shown to us in subtitles. Other scenes involving a movie-line blowhard, a lost mantra, and Annie's decidedly white-bread family are the stuff of legend, and they never fail to bring a smile to my face.

Though this film is nearing thirty-years old, it shows no sign of aging. The themes are familiar and universal; who hasn't fallen desperately in love, only to feel the painful tentacles of fear come creeping in the moment they've opened their heart for all the world to see? This film will never lose its place in my heart as one of the best films I've ever seen. ... Read more

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This blistering little black comedy was well ahead of its time when released in 1947. Originally, Orson Welles had wanted Chaplin to star in his drama about a French mass murderer named Landru, but Chaplin was hesitant to act for another director, and used the idea himself. He plays a dapper gent named Henri Verdoux (who assumes a number of identities), a civilized monster who marries wealthy women, then murders them (as we meet him, he's gathering roses as an incinerator ominously bellows smoke in the background) and collects their money to support his real family. The Little Tramp is now a distant memory, though this was the first film not to feature Chaplin's beloved creation. Verdoux is largely viciously clever until it gets too heavy-handed, as evidenced when a woman he spares returns years later as the mistress of a munitions manufacturer. Ultimately, Chaplin breaks character (much as he did in The Great Dictator) to preach to the masses, declaring that against the machines of war that grip the planet, humble killer Verdoux is "an amateur by comparison." --David Kronke ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Chaplin's Best Talkie
In his 1964 autobiography, Charlie Chaplin called "Monsieur Verdoux" (1947) "the cleverest and most brilliant film I have yet made." Though not without its faults, this sardonic black comedy remains one of his finest achievements -- and it's certainly his best foray into sound. Chaplin's detailed performance as the business-minded Bluebeard is a masterpiece of screen acting. However, the supporting cast ranges from excellent (Martha Raye) to amateurish (Marilyn Nash) while the final minutes get bogged down in endless talk. Chaplin later admitted that "Monsieur Verdoux" could have used a bit more pantomime and less dialogue. Still, it's a thought-provoking and hard-hitting film. Henri Verdoux and the Little Tramp have much in common.

A TRIUMPH
Monsieur Verdoux is Chaplin's unsung masterpiece. A very dry film, it lives in the shadow of the much broader 'The Great Dictator'. The humor is subtle (the Martha Raye scenes aside) and one has to think to get it. Example: Verdoux is tending to his rose bushes while the incinerator is finishing up one of his wives in the background. He's just murdered a woman yet he refuses to step on a little catepillar. In picking it up and moving it to safety, he becomes very squemish at touching the little creature! This character is as far away from the Little Tramp as one can get. They are the same though; both long for love however, Verdoux uses love to his 'business' advantage whereas 'Charlie' was ususally scorned by it. This is his best written talky (any viewer of the over preachy 'Limelight' would concur) while it looks technically cheap at times (a not too uncommon area of some of his later productions). Such criticism is small though and the 'speech' at the end fits well into the narrative, not to mention that with the passing of over five decades....it still makes sense. Chaplin should be commended for putting out such a daring film at a time where America didn't want to hear such things. Not for everyones tastes but still a film that should not be ignored.

Plagiarism Alert!
I must take offense to scotsladdie's November 2001 "review" of "Monsieur Verdoux," since its ripped off almost verbatim from David Shipman's excellent book "Story of Cinema," which also is available from Amazon. Perhaps you should give Mr. Shipman the proper credit instead of scotsladdie. Otherwise, delete this particular review from you web site. Many thanks.

One of Chaplin's highest achievements.
If the willingness to take risks is the mark of a great artist -- and I believe it is -- then Monsieur Verdoux is Charles Chaplin's greatest films. And amidst all the controversy stirred by his portrayal of a serial wife killer, it's easy to forget that it's also a hilarious black comedy with plenty of sharp lines that would have succeeded even without its sociological message.

Chaplin's ability as an actor is pushed to a new level on this film through his portrayal of a morally ambiguous, unscrupulous ex-bank clerk who has no qualms about putting a body into an incinerator in his backyard. While much has been said about this film's break with Chaplin's Little Tramp character, careful examination reveals that Henri Verdoux is just a logical, and daring, advancement in the character: The more devilish, sometimes sadistic sides of the Little Tramp taken to their inevitable conclusion, where comic mischief crosses over the line to villainy. And it's highly compelling, the perfect foil to Chaplin's most heartwarming films (eg. City Lights and Modern Times), allowing Chaplin to express an insidiousness hitherto unexplored. Martha Raye nearly steals the show as the airheaded, supernaturally unkillable Mme. Bonheur (the name itself means "happiness"), and Marilyn Nash is winning as the Belgian derelict who inspires a spark of compassion in Verdoux. The conclusion of this character relationship is one of Chaplin's most complex writing feats: Imagine the ending of City Lights twisted into a dark, steely, uncompromising version of itself.

There are certain moments when the film does threaten to fall into self-involvement -- in his later years, Chaplin did let his ego take ahold of his work -- but in the case of Monsieur Verdoux, he uses this larger-than-life persona so well, and it fits the character so snugly, that the ego becomes an advantage and adds to the depth of the character. And the script has none of the self-conscious mix of silent film and talkies that plagued The Great Dictator; Chaplin had grown quite well into dialogue writing, allowing him to formulate moments of murderous irony that are cuttingly funny. ("Don't pull the cat's tail...") I have no problems with the ending speeches in this film as I did with the final speech of The Great Dictator: In the context of this story, they fit in quite well. Verdoux at the end is a man who has given up all hope, and he seems to mock his own fate and character while unmercifully unveiling his anger at the world. The speeches are not meant to be taken for face value, and I find them thought-provoking and fascinating rather than moralistic or self-important.

I first saw this film at Symphony Space in New York City and the audience was laughing so hard it was in tears. With modern audiences generally less inclined to judge a film by its "moral standing" (Kill Bill, anyone?), Monsieur Verdoux can be seen for what it is: A hilarious, complex sociological examination which identifies social ills while at the same time taking part in it. In that, it is unique in the Chaplin canon and deserves to rank among his most important films.

A quick note about this DVD edition: For some reason, the bonus materials for this film are far less numerous than on the other DVDs in this series -- hence the single-disc package and lower price. By the standards of this series of reissues, the DVD materials are really quite scant -- a useful yet brief half-hour documentary featuring good insight from director Claude Chabrol, a trailer, some storyboards. The picture and sound are of good quality, however, and the film is one to own. Highly recommended.

A charming, yet disturbing cinematic experience by Chaplin
Monsieur Verdoux (Charles Chaplin) is a sad story about Monsieur Verdoux who is a swindling murderer that charms women whom he marries for their assets which he sells after he has murdered a newly acquired wife. Monsieur Verdoux is driven to commit murder as he feels determined to provide the best possible life style for his family. However, Monsieur Verdoux is lost in his determination as it clouds his moral decision making, which he recognizes. Monsieur Verdoux is the darkest of Charles Chaplin's films, and as in his other films it offers a social message. This ominous message becomes apparent from the beginning of the film as Monsieur Verdoux's gravestone is depicted in the initial shot with Chaplin's voiceover that embarks on how he ended up here. Chaplin's direction offers both tragedy and comedy which in the end leaves the audience with a charming, yet disturbing cinematic experience. ... Read more

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Nora Ephron wrote the brisk screenplay for this 1989 romantic comedy, director Rob Reiner made a nicely glossy New York story (very much in a Woody Allen vein) out of it, and Billy Crystal's unstoppable charm made it something really special. Crystal and Meg Ryan play longtime platonic friends who keep dancing around their deeper feelings for one another, and Bruno Kirby and Carrie Fisher are their respective pals who fall in love and get married. Ryan doesn't get a lot of funny material, but her performance is typically alive and intuitive, and she more than holds her own with Crystal's comic motor mouth and sweet sentimentality. Reiner is on comfortable ground, liberated from the burden of making serious statements in the lead-footed manner of subsequent features.--Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (184)

This movie is a classic
For me, this movie rates number one among romantic comedies. I have watched it dozens of times and each time I laugh and cry as if it is my first time watching it. The story is so endearing.. How a man and woman meet and dislike each other, mature and "find" each other again only to end a great friendship and finally realize they love each other and marry. I don't feel that Billy Crystal or Meg Ryan have been able to equal their performances in this movie with any other film. They have great chemistry and through the entire film, you hope that someday they will realize how they feel for one another. Bruno Kirby and Carrie Fisher are equally entertaining. Whenever someone asked me what my favorite Romantic Comedy is, my answer is always When Harry Met Sally.... If there were a "Hall of Fame" for movie genres, this movie would be it. If you want a good laugh (and cry) this movie is it.

It Had to Be You
This movie has been a favorite of mine back in highschool when I first saw the film either on HBO or Television. It also has personal meaning as well, not in the romantic way as some might have the film in their lives but just in a fun eventful personal way.
The movie is about the single life, dating, and the age old question "Can woman and men just be friends?" The movie stars my personal favorites Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal who are perfectly paired up together in this film. Meg plays Sally who's I guess the more positive, healthier (speaking from the film of course) of the two where as Billy is completely different he's deep and depressed. They meet each other on the trip to New York City where they want their lives to start after college. Then ironically keep meeting a couple years later...the final time they meet he's seperated and she and her boyfriend break up. The movie continues to go into the question, in a way its a hopeful movie for the romantics and other words it could give relationships like this a false impression as Nora Ephron explains in the Documentary of the Film. But nonetheless its a hopeful and very cute romantic comedy. It also stars the wonderful Carrie Fisher and Bruno Kirby. Who are great as Sally and Harry's best friends in the movie. Its fun romantic and witty. And great for both men and woman I believe. It'll be up to you to decide if woman and men can be just friends :)
The soundtrack is great. It's all performed by Harry Connic Jr. to give it the classic touch. With the hit tune "It Had to be You." And many more classic songs.
The DVD has tons of goodies. I'll ignore the fact that it doesn't have a full screen selection as well. But let's move on it's got a great behind the scene's documentary fully on how the idea was scripted, when people came on board such as Nora Ephron, Meg Ryan, Billy Crystal and so on. It goes through who had the idea for what, and how each of them relates to the characters they play. To even how the music was picked for the film and so on. They also have the movie trailer and trailers for other movies by Rob R. as well as the music video to "It Had to be You" With Harry Connic Jr., Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan. There's also commentary by Rob R., Billy Crystal, Carrie Fisher and cast and crew which I still have yet to view and go through but I can't wait. This will always be my first classic romantic comedy and how I came to adore Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal. I'm sure both men and woman will love this movie :)

My favorite movie of all time!
This movie is the perfect movie to make you laugh. I watch it every year somewhere between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I love the scene where they pick out a Christmas tree. It draws you into New York the way Sex and the City does. Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan were perfect for their roles--I've never liked either of them more than in this movie. Many great quotes came from this movie.

A unforgettable romantic comedy . The best of eighties!
Billy Cristal and Meg Ryan are in their peak craft. They made a punch comedy with the challenging question: May two friends of different sex to be great friends without falling in love?
This is a the premise who will allow to Reiner and this cast to make a delightful and sugestive film.
Obviously you will find traces of some films of Woody Allen , but this picture in particular breathes in the purest sense of the world. This is a love story with many laughable and smart situations that (jokes apart), will let you thinking.
Believe me if I say that since Two for the road (Stanley Donen) and Forty carats (Milton Katselas) I'd never seen a film so original and so well made. The orgasm sequence is now a classic!.A film that blends the charisma and the beauty of Meg and the hyper fast mind of Cristal, never can fail. Don't you?
Acquire this one. It's a cult movie.

Funny.
Billy Crystal as Harry and Meg Ryan as Sally starred in this crowd-pleasing romantic comedy.

I was really surprised that I enjoyed this one, usually I don't like Billy Crystal but there was some excellent dialogue in this film that helped him out, Meg Ryan looked great (when she didn't have an awful '80's perm - note to ladies on here - it looks really dumb as do ugg boots and jeans that show off your butt cleavage or fat rolls).

I really wish the whole "I'm having what she's having" statement was not said as I've had to endure countless cheesy commercials based on this scene but all in all had some fun with this one.

That said, too many f words, about 8, and too much of the fornicating already, try getting to know someone properly first then marrying them as a lifelong commitment before sleeping with them

Also, you can have platonic friends of the opposite sex, and unless you've got a lust problem you won't be thinking about bedding them all the time.

Thanks for reading, and come out of them you lustful demon!! ... Read more

Reviews (257)

Best (and funniesr) movie ever made!
I'll tell you, flat out, perfectly honest, i've seen this movie about.... oh, say 60, maybe 70 times, i can recite the whole movie from memory, and have noticed every single joke possibly concievable from this movie. SO whi is it, that every time I watch it, I crack up hysterically every 20 seconns? it because of the shear genius of Lloyd Christmas'(Carrey) utter stupidity, because of Harry Dunn's(Daniels) complete lack of any common sense. The movie isnt like other comedies, you know, the ones you buy, laugh at them once, watch it again, and say,"Why did I even think of buyin' this?" Well this movie, about two complete idiots, who have been best friends all their life, aqcuire a briefcase that was left in an air terminal by the prettiest woman Lloyd has ever seen. Now Lloyd and a reluctant Harry travel cross country, from Providence to Aspen, just to return the briefcase. Along the way, they'll unkowingly run into kidnappers, "laid back country folk" as Lloyd would say, and more than one police squad, just to return a briefcase that they dont even know whats in it, or the entire womans name! You have to see it!

It's supposed to be dumb, people!
I don't why many movie critics from the past and the present critically panned this film. It's freakin' hilarious! It paved the way for disgusting comedies like THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY and SCARY MOVIE. By the way, the Farrelly brothers, who masterly directed this film, also did MARY.

Anyway, DUMB & DUMBER will leave in hesterics! Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels are amazingly stupid as characters Lloyd and Harry. The two lovable losers from Rhode Island go cross country to Aspen, Colorado to return a loaded briefcase to a woman named Mary (Lauren Holly), whom Lloyd is in love with. But the two dimwits don't know that assassins are on theyre' tail to retrieve the briefcase! Ok, everyone know's the storyline, so let's talk about the humor in the film.

One of my favorite scenes in the film is when a cop pulls Harry and Lloyd for a speed ticket, and unknowingly drinks a beer bottle with Lloyd's yerin in it. Funny! And when the dipstick Harry sticks his tongue to a frozen pole (borrowed liberally from A CHRISTMAS STORY) and experiences horrible diahorea. Sounds crude, but it's movie magic at its best. Oh yeah, the scene where Lloyd accidently killing a endangered snow owl, and saying the line "Boy this party really died", is a classic Carrey moment.

If your a fan of Carrey and the Farrelly Brothers, or like disgusting comedies, or just simply a moron, you'll love this film! One of Carrey's best!

Hilariously funny comedy classic!
I was absolutely appalled at how horrible the prequel "When Harry Met Lloyd" was when released in 2003 so I went back to the original from 1994 and let me tell you, it is still a really funny and witful comedy classic.

Jeff Daniels and Jim Carrey are an amazing team starring as two really low-wealth bums in the run-down slums of the east coast rustbelt and when Lloyd Christmas (Jim Carrey) is a taxi driver at the airport, an attractive woman (Lauren Holly) accidentally leaves behind an important suitcase with important material and now Harry along with his longtime dim-witted friend Harry Dunn try to compete to win her heart over and go all the way to Aspen, Colorado to return the suitcase to her but they are unaware that they are being persued by a criminal couple involved in a criminal crime ring.

This movie is just plain funny and while certainly not a masterpiece by any means, it is nonetheless a memorable movie by both of the lead actors and Daniels and Carrey are a wonderful comedy duo team and a pity taht Derek Richardson and Eric Christian Olsen could not take notice of how well the former two did on this original movie.

This is a movie that warrants taking off the thinking cap for a while and get out the soda and popcorn and share a laugh with your friends.

Just hilarious!
By far Jim Carrey's best film he has ever done in his entire life. Even if you can't stand him, you can't help laughing in this. The film is about Lloyd (Jim Carrey) and Harry (Jeff Daniels, who is equally as funny). Lloyd is at his Limo driving job and he picks a woman up to take to the airport. But he falls deeply in love with her, and when he drops her off, she forgets to take her briefcase and Lloyd chases after her... but he just misses her (an excellent scene!). So, he doesn't know what to do with the case. He persuades his friend Harry to go out in their car to find her and give it back to her. Harry soon says: "ok" and they headto Aspen to return the case. But the case isn't what the seem it is to be, and they could be the wrong guys to have hold of it.

The film has just so many out-ragious scenes, including a scene in a restaurant were they fill this guys' bruger up with spicy peppers and he heats up when he takes a bite. The film does come to one of those endings were the villain shows up and it gets less funny and more serious.

So, right from the very minute this starts you'll be laughing. Any words that come out from Harry or Llyod's mouth is just so hilarious.

The Jim Carrey Show (guest-starring Jeff Daniels)
Harry and Lloyd (Jeff Daniels and Jim Carrey) are bosom buddies and undoubtedly the two most stupid human beings on the face of the earth. They get involved in a kidnap-for-ransom scheme that prompts them to undertake a cross-country drive to Aspen, Colorado. Along the way, there are plenty of comic episodes.

Although Jeff Daniels is great, Jim Carrey really carries this movie. He is absolutely incredible. I suppose that every generation needs its own Jerry Lewis, but Carrey out-Jerry-Lewises the original. His energy, flexibility, and unerring instinct for the madcap are quite amazing, and I think that future generations will remember him as a great comedian. Check out the fight scene in the restaurant, for example, and notice how many long, unbroken shots comprise it. This film is lowbrow to be sure, but it cracks me up every time. What more can you really ask from a comedy? ... Read more

Reviews (80)

Wit: A Matter of Life and Death
No film as ever had such a profound effect on me as Mike Nichols' "Wit" It takes the viewer on a roller-coaster ride of emotions. One minute you will be laughing, the next sobbing. This is a powerful, poignant film about the ravages of cancer and the nature of life and death. Mike Nichols received well deserved Emmy and Golden Globes for his direction.

Emma Thompson gives what may be the performance of her career as Dr. Vivian Bearing, a strict and brilliant professor of John Donne's metaphysical poetry who is dying from ovarian cancer. She flawlessly and wrenchingly depicts the slow decline of a briliant woman. Vivian is receiving experimental treatment, and is often treated as nothing more than a speciman by her doctors. As she is hospitalized, she observes and analyzes her condition and the effect it is having on her life. Vivian's remarks are often funny, but as the cancer spreads through her body, she realizes that she has to reasses her life. In a heartrending scene, Vivian breaks down and says, "I used to feel safe." She was always a woman in control, and now that control is being savagely ripped from her by an invisible enemy. Eventually Vivian decides that when her heart stops, she does not wish to be revived: "Why make things more complicated?"

As the illness reaches its last stages, we see Vivian moaning and shaking with excrutiating pain. It is nearly unbearable to watch, but we must. The final scene, where Vivian is held like a child and read a children's story by her elderly teacher, is the most heartbreaking image ever put on film. "I feel so bad," Vivian manages to say, and that is all she can say.

"Wit" is a intensely moving and painful film to watch. It shows death by cancer in minute detail, never letting the viewer off easy. And that is how it should be. "Wit" is an educational experience as well as a cinematoc one, and you will leave the film understanding better the hell that cancer patients go through. It will leave you sad and haunted, but also comforted. For even though a woman has suffered and died, she kept her dignity....and her wit, with her until the very end.

Deeply moving.
Emma Thompson's and Mike Nichols's HBO teleplay based on Margaret Edson's stage play was both fascinating and emotional.

Thompson plays Vivian Bearing, an English professor who is diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer. The film follows her from her diagnosis to her death; during this time she questions life and finds her answers while examining the sonnets of John Donne. The implication that life is simply an observation by the people who live is deeply provocative and moving.

Direction by Nichols is superb, and cinematography by Seamus McGarvey is terribly poignant: the final scene in particular is breathtaking. The cast is first-class, led by an impeccable performances by Emma Thompson and four-time Tony-winner (wow!) Audra McDonald. HBO has once again delivered a winning piece of cinematic art to its audiences.

DEATH be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadfull, for, thou art not so,

Doctor Vivian Bearing, a tough, intellectual professor specializing in 17th century literature, takes on the challenge to undergo eight months of experimental chemotherapy and a combination of drugs to battle advanced metastatic ovarian cancer, in which she is in Stage 4, a cancer for which there is no Stage 5. She will also be studied by medical students, her illness being a significant contribution to knowledge. To be something studied, as opposed to a human being, yes, there's the rub, to quote the Bard. But she is a tough woman, never one to shirk a challenge.

For, those, whom thou think'st, thou dost overthrow,
Die not, poore death, nor yet canst thou kill me.

Most of the story has Bearing's soliloquys, spoken to the viewer from her hospital bed, bald-headed and wearing a hospital gown, describing what she's thinking and feeling, and she does so with wit. One learns of her fascination with words, her past history as a student and academic, how she has preferred research to humanity, and her tough style of teaching, which she got from her mentor, Professor E.M. Rumford. There's a fascinating discussion between Bearing and Rumford, where the original punctuation at the end of Donne's "Death Be Not Proud" included a comma in the line, "death, thou shalt die." In other words, a comma separates life from life everlasting. Yet when Rumford tells her to go hang out with her students instead of going to the library Bearing goes to the library. Later, when a young doctor, Jason, tells her how he's fascinated by cancer due to its smartness, calling it "immortality in culture," it's ironic that she wishes he would be more interested in humanity rather than research.

From rest and sleepe, which but thy pictures bee,
Much pleasure, then from thee, much more must flow,

As for flashbacks, there are times when we cut to a scene when she's a five year old reading a Beatrix Potter book, that she alternates between her five-year old self and as she is now, bald and in the hospital gown, symbolizing how fragile she seems despite bearing up.

And soonest our best men with thee doe goe,
Rest of their bones, and soules deliverie.

She presents her illness in a paradox in the manner of Donne himself, when she says that with her immune system down, everything is a hazard, especially the health care professionals. She isn't in the isolation ward because she has a grapefruit-sized tumor, but because her treatment imperils her health. But she revels in the paradox, seeing it as an intellectual game. But when the cancer spreads elsewhere, she begins to get frightened, realizing her intellectual abilities isn't going to help her, but that she seeks simplicity and kindness, and that makes her regret she had been sympathetic to some of her own students. Fortunately, she finds that in Susie, the nurse, with whom she has a rapport with.

Thou art slave to Fate, Chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poyson, warre, and sicknesse dwell,

Juxtaposing this movie with my mother's recent battle with cancer did ring some emotional chords due to similarities. My mother wasn't as open as Dr. Bearing in her feelings when undergoing CT Scans, ultrasounds, colonoscopies, or the IPT chemotherapy. But she too looked for kindness and simplicity, and when a certain hospital worker wheeled her chair to a spot of sunshine on a cold day after a CT scan, my mother realized that maybe she was wrong in being too tough, and that she had hurt some people in her past.

And poppie, or charmes can make us sleepe as well,
And better then thy stroake; why swell'st thou then;

This is by far Emma Thompson's best role ever, but Audra McDonald as Susie lends strong support as the very human and compassionate nurse, who sees Bearing as a human being, not a subject for study. Those who have just lost a dear one to cancer may find this painful going, others will find this a study of reflection one experiences when near the portals of mortality.

One short sleepe past, wee wake eternally,
And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die.

don't forget what this movie is really about...
An excellent introduction to the work of the great poet John Donne. Why don't they teach this guy in secondary schools? He rivals Shakespeare's brilliance and genius, and in some ways surpasses it.

Anyways, this movie should basically have the subtitle: who is John Donne, and why should you read him? Emma Thompson, in the role of a dying Donne professor is, of course, superb (even without the hair.)

Wit = 4 stars, John Donne = 5 stars

Just blew me away
Emma Thompson is just unbelievable in this role. There isn't much to look at in this film, just basically a hospital bed and some flashbacks. It's the dialog that was just incredible. How she describes her illness, what she is feeling, her childhood is so incredible. I was glued to the movie, I didn't want to miss a word. I can't say enough about this film, I just wish there were more that relied on good dialog instead of vulgarity, explosions and car chases. This movie will be a classic. What a beautiful film. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Though this film is a relatively minor one in the massive canon of Peter Sellers, it has moments of absolute hilarity. Written and directed by Blake Edwards, one of Sellers's most fertile collaborators, the film stars Sellers as a would-be actor from India (let them try to get away with that today) who is a walking disaster area. After ruining a day's shooting as an extra on a film, he finds himself unintentionally invited to a big Hollywood party. That's pretty much it as far as plot goes, but Edwards and Sellers know how to milk a simple idea for an unending string of slapstick gags. The result is a film that is episodic and sketchy, but also frequently loony in an inspired way. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (92)

misinterpreted, by far
I'd like to point out a thing or two about this movie, that most of our "would-be" reviewers, like myself, have missed. First off a grand Excellent performance by the great Peter Sellers. Yes, "Birdie num-num's" and all that aside, he made his character very loveable, as a bumbling East Indian actor, who is mistaken for some acting wizz. Unfortunately for the producers of the in-movie movie, he is not that at all, he is not good with lines, and he does some physical humor and actions that have the movie management up in arms, "who is this guy?". Perhaps the most incredible aspect of this Edwards/Sellers movie is the fact that they were trying to make a political statement at the last half hour of the movie, with the party hostess' hippy daughter and her friends, the elephant, and all that. Yes, I said Peter Sellers was in a politically based movie. One thinks, "poking fun at authority"? Well, yes, what in the world motivated the whole Pink Panther genre of movies? Blake Edwards was a political activist and liked to reflect that at certain points in lots of his movies. All in all, with that in mind, now, watch the movie and understand, and finally you can laugh with the movie. Nothing less than 5 Capitol stars from me. Just a thought!

"Birdie Num Num"
This is one heck of a funny movie. I have seen it a few times and it always cracks me up. Peter Sellers plays an character by the name of Hrundi V. Bakshi, an Indian actor, who accidentally gets invited to a posh, exclusive, Hollywood party and proceeds to inadvertantly make a shambles of the entire affair. There are so many gags in this movie, you really have to watch it more than once to appreciate it. One interesting fact about this movie I recently read..."The Party" was improvised from a 40-page outline. Each scene was shot in sequence, and built upon the previous scene. To aid in this experiment, the film's producers had a video-camera tube attached to the Panavision camera and connected to an Ampex studio videotape machine - allowing the actors and crew to review what they had just filmed. Thus, "The Party" was the first movie ever shot with the now-standard "video assist" system.

If you enjoy the Pink Panther movies, then you will most likely enjoy this. Instead of a bumbling French detective, Sellers portrays a bumbling Indian actor, and look for a great performance by Steve Franken as Levinson, a waiter at the party who likes the drink a bit too much. Also, I though Denny Miller was great as 'Wyoming Bill' Kelso. This was directed by Blake Edwards, and is the only non Pink Panther movie he and Peter Sellers made together. Original music by the Great Henry Mancini. Just a whole lot of fun!

Simply put...The best of Peter Sellers
The first time I saw this movie I was already a Sellers fan. What I liked most was that Sellers talent did not go to waste on meaningless chatter....just 100% PURE Sellers at his best! I purchased the movie at the same time I bought my first DVD player! Better than all of the Pink Panther movies!

my favorite sellers movie
I stumbled upon this movie when I was a freshman in college and walked into a room where everyone was stoned and watching the party. It is simply a riot. One of my all time favorite movies.

Hilarious.
I've seen this movie like 50 times and everytime that I watch it makes me laught out of control.
You may know Peter Sellers from the classic movies "Pink Panther" from the 60's.
"The Party" is about an indian actor (Sellers) that comes to America for a leading role in a movie but he's so clumsy that ruins a whole location. So when the director calls the boss to inform him about the mess that had been made, he writes Hrundi's (Sellers) name in the guest list of a party that he was having at home.
When Hrundi arrives to the party finds out the his white shoes are dirty with car oil so he cleans them in a water canal of the house entry making him loose his shoe. Then he gets bored because anybody knows him, so he starts to talk to the people but they're not interested in him so he explores the house while making disasters. Then he doesn't even have a place in the dinning table and well I can tell you that he goes from that to ruin the master's room bathroom.
Honestly if you buy this movie you won't be sorry AT ALL, it's not very long and you can listen to it in English, French and Spanish. ... Read more

Amazon.com

One of the touchstone movies of the 1980s, Tootsie stars Dustin Hoffman as an out-of-work actor who disguises himself as a dowdy, middle-aged woman to get a part on a hit soap opera. The scheme works, but while he/she keeps up the charade, Hoffman's character comes to see life through the eyes of the opposite sex. The script by Larry Gelbart (with Murray Schisgal) is a winner, and director Sydney Pollack brings taut proficiency to the comedy and sensitivity to the relationship nuances that emerge from Hoffman's drag act. Great supporting work from Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman, Charles Durning, Bill Murray, and pre-stardom Geena Davis. But the film finally belongs to Hoffman, who seems to connect with the character at a very deep and abiding level. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (59)

What y'all really want is some gross, caricature of a woman!
In 1982, Dustin Hoffman played one of his most memorable roles as Michael Dorsey in the hilarious comedy, "Tootsie". As an out-of-work actor, Michael teaches acting classes because no director will hire him due to his somewhat peremptory attitude, or so says his agent George Fields (Sydney Pollack, who also directed the film). Frustrated with being undesirable and wanting to prove himself, Michael dons a dress and high heels so that he can apply for a female role in a television soap opera. Calling himself Dorothy Michaels, the soap opera director, Ron (Dabney Coleman), thinks that Dorothy is too ugly for the part, but Dorothy's dominance earns 'her' the right to a screen test and 'she' gets hired! As the film progresses, Michael's pretense as a woman earns him the stardom and recognition that he longed for. However, it also gets him into trouble not only with a woman that he's dating, Sandy (Teri Garr), but also with two of the regular stars from the soap opera, Julie (Jessica Lange) and John Van Horn (George Gaynes).

With an excellent script, superb acting and a hilarious story, it was completely unsurprising that "Tootsie" earned 10 Oscar nominations, including nominations for Best Picture, Best Director (Syndey Pollack), Best Cinematography and Best Screenplay. Dustin Hoffman was nominated for Best Actor and both Teri Garr and Jessica Lange were nominated for Best Supporting Actress. Of all the Oscar nominations, only Jessica Lange won the Oscar. Dustin Hoffman won the Golden Globe for Best Actor, as did Jessica Lange for Best Supporting Actress. The number of Oscar nominations that the film earned demonstrated the many strengths of the film, not to mention that the film will keep you laughing and fully engaged!

Other very memorable characters in the film include Julie's father Les (Charles Durning), Michael's roommate Jeff (Bill Murray), soap opera producer Rita (Doris Belack) and soap opera nurse April (a young Geena Davis).

If you enjoy films such as "Some Like It Hot" (1959) and "Mrs. Doubtfire" (1993), you will more than likely enjoy "Tootsie" equally as well. I rate "Tootsie" with a resounding 5 out of 5 stars and am very pleased to own it on DVD.

We Are Large...We Contain Multitudes
When I first saw this film more than 20 years, I really did not fully appreciate then what director Sydney Pollack, his cast, and his crew had achieved. To be sure, I found the humor hilarious, the cross-dressing and gender-bending clever, and all of the performances first-rate. I have the same opinion today. However, in ways and to an extent no previous film had done, Tootsie makes certain assertions which have serious implications, then and now. For example, that at least some men can more fully develop their masculinity by recognizing their femininity, as indeed Michael Dorsey/Dorothy Michaels (Dustin Hoffman) does. And the same is also true of at least some women. Moreover, this film effectively demonstrates how difficult it can often be to gain and then sustain another's complete trust. To salvage his acting career, Michael repositions himself as Dorothy so he will be hired to play a character in a soap opera. As Dorothy, he establishes an especially close relationship with another cast member, Julie (Jessica Lange), and falls in love with her while continuing to deceive her. Later, her widower father Les (Charles Durning) falls in love with Dorothy and thus becomes another unwitting victim of Michael's deceit. The eventual happy ending does not include Les.

Shakespeare never devised for his Italian comedies a plot as complicated as the one Larry Gelbart and Murray Schisgal provided for Tootsie. Under Pollack's direction, all of the cast members provide brilliant performances, notably Bill Murray as Michael's friend Jeff and George Gaynes as John Van Horn, another cast member. Jessica Lange was selected to receive an Academy Award as best actress and deserved it. Much of this film is hilarious, it is always entertaining, but as I indicated previously, having seen it again recently, I find it much bolder and more thought-provoking now than I did 21 years ago. To some, perhaps, its serious implications may even seem threatening.

A Nearly Perfect American Comedy
I heard a story that Dustin Hoffman was considering doing this movie, but that he waited until he had been made up to see if he made a convincing enough woman before agreeing. I don't know how true this story is, or even how convincing he is as a woman, but thank goodness this movie was made.

I can't think of another movie more perfectly cast except.... maybe... Casablanca? Jessica Lange is perfect as the beautiful soap actress and love interest. Charles Durning is perfect as the sweet older man who falls in love with Dustin's "Dorothy". Terri Garr is perfect as the insecure female friend who loses the role on the soap to "Dorothy". Bill Murray is great in his few scenes - this is one of the first movies where we actually got to see him "act". Dabney Coleman is perfect as the arrogant director of the soap who cheats on poor Jessica. Director Sydney Pollack wisely casts himself perfectly as Dustin's exasperated agent. (The scene early on where he informs Dustin that NO ONE will hire him because he's too "difficult" is fantastic.) Lastly, Dustin Hoffman is perfect as the actor who becomes a better man by pretending to be a woman.

The film is full of situations that turn your expectations sideways - I'd give examples, but that would ruin your enjoyment if you haven't seen it yet! Trust me - just watch this movie - but only if you want to be entertained!

FUNNY. AND MEANINGFUL.
What a tightly scripted, beautifully acted, finely paced comedy! Having seen it a long time ago, I felt it must've been very much like an older version of Mrs Doubtfire, but this marvellous film has a lot more going for it than the female impersonation angle.

When a failing actor cross dresses to get a job, he also discovers the inconveniences of being a "woman of the 80s". Throughout the film, there's always a pleasing sense of cynical humor (e.g., "I dont believe in hell. I believe in unemployment, but not in hell") and Hoffman is topnotch in his role.

The from Morricone has a somewhat grating refrain of Stephen Bishop's "It might be you" but I guess it perfectly serves its purpose, providing the touching backdrop to the actor's increasing awareness of the strength of feminine qualities -- the touch of the baby to his cheek, the poignant sight of Julie's skirt swishing in the kitchen, the offering to Dorothy of her chocolate-covered finger to suck, etc.

I can see that Hoffman must have committed to this movie bigtime, and I notice that there's a book that describes the making of this film but is currently out of print. Perhaps something to this effect would have been great to include on the DVD itself, which is incidentally quite lousy for such a classic film.

At any rate, it's a great addition to any movie collection.

Dustin Hoffman is the best!
Dustin Hoffman is a fantastic character actor, one of the all time greats. He is superb in this movie. He is an actor who can't get a job as a man but through circumstances, ends up getting a woman's part in a soap opera. The cast thinks he is a woman and it really was funny watching Hoffman try to keep them from learning he was a man. This movie was really funny and yet it had a lot of drama and humanity included.

I found his portrayal of a woman more interesting and likable than that of the male character, in fact, there were times that I would get so wrapped up in the character, Dorothy, that I would forget that he was a man acting as a woman. The cast, Jessica Lange, Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman, Bill Murray, Charles Durney, Geena Davis, were all great.

This is one of those movies that will be remembered for years to come! Enjoy! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

What sounds like a high-concept romantic comedy pitch from hell--widower president falls for smart lobbyist while the world watches--is actually intelligent, charming, touching, and quite funny. Granted, it's wish fulfillment all the way (when was the last time you saw a president who was truly presidential?), but in the capable hands of writer Aaron Sorkin (TV's Sports Night) and director Rob Reiner, The American President is incredibly enjoyable entertainment with quite a few ideas about both romance and the government. Michael Douglas stars as the president, who after three years in office starts thinking about the possibility of dating. When he auspiciously encounters cutthroat environmental lobbyist Sydney Ellen Wade (Annette Bening), sparks begin to crackle and the two begin a tentative but heartfelt romance. Of course, his job gets in the way--their first kiss is interrupted by a Libyan bombing--but darn it if these two kids aren't going to try and make it work! However, they hadn't counted on the president's Republican antagonist (Richard Dreyfuss), who starts carping about family values. The predictable plot--Douglas finally goes to bat for his lady and his country--is leavened by Sorkin's wonderful, snappy dialogue and a light touch from the usually subtle-as-a-sledgehammer Reiner. Both manage to create a believable White House-office atmosphere (with a crack staff including Martin Sheen, Michael J. Fox, Anna Deavere Smith, and Samantha Mathis) as well as a plausible and funny dating scenario. The true success of the movie, though, rides squarely on Douglas and Bening; this is unequivocally Douglas's best comedic performance (ergo his best performance, period) and Bening, usually such a good bad girl, takes a standard career-woman role and fleshes it out magnificently. You can see in an instant why Douglas would fall for her. One of the best unsung romantic comedies of the '90s. --Mark Englehart ... Read more

Reviews (116)

Makes me happy every time!
This is an all time favorite of mine and absolutely guaranteed to lift my spirits each time I watch it.

Michael Douglas plays somewhat against his usual type as a likeable, widowed, well-meaning single father who is also the President of the United States, Andrew Shepherd. He becomes romantically interested in an environmental lobbyist, Sidney Ellen Wade (Annette Benning) which turns out to cause a lot of problems for both of them.

These two high-powered actors manage to humanize their characters into ordinary, likable people who are just trying to fall in love despite unbelievable opulence of surroundings, ugly political maneuvering and living inside a media fishbowl of publicity. Along the way, there are plenty of funny, heartwarming moments including a couple of very funny telephone calls. (Imagine what YOU would do if you suddenly received a call from someone who claimed to be the President of the United States)

David Paymer, Michael J. Fox and Martin Sheen are excellent in their supporting roles as advisors to the President and Shawna Waldron is wonderful as the 1st daughter.

If you love humorous dialog, beautiful, nearly fairy-tale settings and happy endings, be sure to see this movie. You won't be disappointed.

A fireball of fun from the start
Who would think that widower Andrew Sheppard's (Michael Douglas)decision to date Sydney Ellen Wade (Annette Bening) would cause such a scandal? Normally that wouldn't make every news reporter jump. Except when Andrew Sheppard happens to be the President of the United States and Sydney Ellen Wade is a liberal lobbyist. And did I mention that it is an election year?

As President Sheppard's character ratings falling from personal best 68% to the low 40's, his interests become torn between the crime bill (his top priority) and Sydney's-passing Energy Bill 455. And it is up to the White House staff members A.J. MacInnerey (Martin Sheen), Lewis Rothschild (Michael J. Fox), Leon Kodak (David Paymer), Robin McCall(Anna Deavere Smith) to help him maintain focus against his rival, Bob Rumson (Richard Dreyfuss)

Filled with humor and unforgettable moments, you will not be able to watch The American President just once. The word 'charming' does not do enough justice to this wonderful piece of work.

Just Average...
I found this film to be just average. The story is nice, but a little unbelievable and very predictable. These films are usually my type, but for some reason, this one didn't do anything for me.

ALL GLORY TO THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY!!!!!
TAKE THAT YOU BABY EATING REPUBLICANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SAME GOES TO YOU THIRD PARTY MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY YOU NUTTY, COMMUNIST LIBERATARIANS AND 'INDEPENDENT' VOTERS, MOST OF WHOM MOST LIKELY EAT BABIES AS WELL!!!!!!!! HURRAY FOR ENVIRONMENTALISM!!!!!!!!! HURRAY FOR HUGE GOVERNMENT!!!!!!!!! HURRAY FOR HIGH TAXES!!!!!!! HURRAY FOR THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT!!!!!!

I love the President!
I absolutely loved "The American President"! I thought all characters and the plot was great, as well as being written with humour and intelligence! Great acting, and wow is Michael Douglass a good president, not to mention a hunk! I'd certainly vote for him! ... Read more