TV and Movies

[Oznell]

6:15 p.m. Eastern--  "My Favorite Year"  Peter O'Toole, Mark-Linn Baker, Jessica Harper, Joseph Bologna, Bill Macy, Lainie Kazan, Lou Jacobi, Cameron MItchell, Selma Diamond, Basil Hoffman

Flamboyant, slight but entertaining comedy, directed by clever actor Richard Benjamin.   Peter O'Toole is a swashbuckling movie star, beginning to flag a bit, who's set to appear on a Fifties' hit comedy show.  He turns out to be a bit of a tippler, and the autocratic star of the show (Joe Bologna) gives a junior writer (Mark-Linn Baker) the job of babysitting the potential loose cannon.... 

Inspired by real-life Sid Caesar's landmark of TV,  "Your Show of Shows",  of course.  I didn't know this originally, but apparently the kernel of inspiration for the movie was an appearance on "Your Show of Shows" by no less than Erroll Flynn!  

It's all done with a pretty broad comedy brush, but can be quite amusing.  Love getting a glimpse of the cutthroat television world of the Fifties.  Peter O'Toole is appropriately 'off the chain', and Joe Bologna makes a terrific Sid Caesar, with all his reputed egomania and seething creative talent.  ("The D i c k Van D y k e Show"'s  demanding "Alan Brady" was yet another portrait of Caesar.)

In a small role, singer Lainie Kazan is hilarious as the young writer's somewhat overwhelming, and overwhelmingly solicitous mother....   Lots of little comedy pleasures like this in the film. 

[withaK]

This is a great movie !!!    I think it could work as a Broadway musical...at the least one of the live shows that are being done on TV ....like The Sound of Music and Hairspray

[queendiva]

@withaK : I thought it was a B'way musical? My kids did this as one of their HS musicals.

[OldNana80]

This is one of my all-time favorite movies! It is hilarious.  It is especially interesting to those of us who remember Sid Ceaser and his television show and the raucous

Errol Flynn.  Just what we need now these days, some laughs!!

[kaydee50]

One of my all time favorites.  Peter is fabulous!  

[just bee]

Stockbroker #1: [looking over the edge of the balcony] I think Alan Swann is beneath us!

Stockbroker #2: Of course he's beneath us. He's an actor!

Stockbroker #1: No! I think Alan Swann is beneath us right now!

[just bee]

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@queendiva wrote:

@withaK : I thought it was a B'way musical? My kids did this as one of their HS musicals.

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@queendiva 

Yes, based on the film.

[denisemb]

I love this movie!

Peter OT:  (Indignently) "I'm not an ACTOR - I'm a movie star!!"

All the supporting actors were perfect.

[Johnnyeager]

[Johnnyeager]

This was O'Toole's next to last Best Actor nomination. 

With 8 nominations and no wins he holds the dubious distinction of most nominations in any acting category without taking home the Oscar.

Ben Kinsley:  Gandhi,  Winner

Dustin Hoffman:  Tootsie 

Jack Lemmon:  Missing

Paul Newman:  The Verdict

Peter O'Toole:  My Favorite Year