BootDigest
Such a frustrating disappointment
Hayden Kane
There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes
Cheryl
A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.
steveo122
Screwball. Deft. Not an unpleasant bone in its body, even when it dips into human frailties. One of those comedies that feels as if everybody got everything right, as in just what they were looking for. Wonderful character actors at work. Without them, it would have been insipidly corny. O'Toole as an Errol Flynn type is just about perfect. Excellent music choices.
vincentlynch-moonoi
Today we learned that Peter O'Toole passed away. So tonight I took out my favorite Peter O'Toole film -- this one -- and enjoyed watching it once again.I know that most people point to "Lawrence Of Arabia" because of its scope, and indeed it is a fine film...although not one of my favorites (although O'Toole is brilliant in it). But let's not forget that he was nominated for an Academy Award for this film, as well.Why is this my favorite O'Toole film? Because it's nice to see an actor not taking himself quite so seriously. And most of O'Toole's films were damned serious. This is rollicking fun, and as O'Toole' character points out early in the film, "Death is easy, comedy is hard." And indeed, that is so true. Comedy is tough! And that shows O'Toole's brilliance all the more, because we are used to seeing him in dramas. So I feel that here he is at his very best, challenged by being an actor who is acting funny, rather than a comedian doing what comedians do.The script, too, is brilliant. It seems to be based loosely on when Errol Flynn guested on Sid Caesar's comedy show...not that there were the fireworks that are portrayed here in this film. But, as hilarious as it is, it's also a very touching film. A washed alcoholic actor who can still buckle his swash. An estranged father who hasn't the courage to talk to his daughter. And a young man given the responsibility of managing an actor gone wild...and their adventures in Brooklyn and at a dinner party. It isn't just a funny movie. It's got real heart mixed in with the laughs...and I do laugh out loud when I watch this film.Mark Linn-Baker, an actor I've never seen in any other movie or television show (although I know he has been in several) is just right as the young studio aide whose job it is to manage O'Toole's character. Joseph Bologna is great as the Caesar-ish comedian. I enjoyed seeing the wonderful singer Lainie Kazan as Linn-Baker's mother. And Lou Jacobi as the uncle. I was very interested to see Adolph Green -- the famous composer -- as the television show's director. And Selma Diamond as the wardrobe woman. And Gloria Stuart -- as in "Titanic" -- as a lady at a nightclub.But, Peter O'Toole, on this sad day for your friends and family and fans, you made me laugh out loud once again. Thank you.
dougdoepke
Hilarious, an unexpected joy. The laughs keep coming, thanks to an expert cast and a big dose of Jewish humor. No one seems in charge of getting the weekly TV show together for an audience of 20-million. Instead, everyone backstage appears to be rushing around like spinning tops. Even the alleged star King Kaiser (Bologna) can't seem to keep the order of his skits straight. Looks to me like bibulous guest star Alan Swann (O'Toole) should fit right in, drunk or sober. Then there's poor young schlemiel (Linn-Baker) who gets to baby-sit Swann when not pursuing a fruitless romance with the comely K.C. (Harper). Mix in a bunch of mobsters who don't like being made fun of, and you've got a finale to end all finales, even if the mayhem is every TV producer's nightmare.Now I'm really curious whether the old Sid Caesar show was really as wild backstage as the movie presents it. At the time, I was a faithful watcher, so the hijinks here come as a special revelation. But what else could you expect from backstage characters like Caesar's writers Mel Brooks and Woody Allen. Anyhow, this was Dick Benjamin's first directorial outing even though you'd never know it. Then too, credit O'Toole with coming up with a really sly performance that alternates between drunken stupor and charming finesse. I particularly like it when Swann reveals his real self but still shifts gears into the movie swashbuckler when needed.All in all, it's a wacko comedy well deserving its place on Premiere's Top 50 comedies of all time.
Lenie Colacino
So says Alan Swann and he is so right. Peter O'Toole shows that there is a great actor inside of a great comedic performance. His remarkable portrayal of Swann stands out among all his other performances because Swann, in so many ways, is a thinly veiled O'Toole. His timing, physical grace and delivery rival the all time greats including Chaplin, Laurel, and Gleason. The pacing, casting and plot are expertly woven by director Richard Benjamin to create an inside look at early T. V. production and a crazy Jewish family. The scene of Swan attending dinner in Brooklyn with staff writer Benjy Stone's family is one of the funniest in screen history due in equal parts to the fantastic performances of O'Toole, Lou Jacobi (as a scene-stealing "Uncle Mortie") and Lainie Kazan as the mother of all Jewish mothers. As Swann, O'Toole manages to be loathsome, endearing, infuriating, charming and vulnerable. Kudos to Bill Macy as Benjy's crass boss and Joseph Bologna as the hot-tempered but indomitable King Kaiser. My Favorite Year never disappoints in delivering laughs and perhaps a sentimental tear as well.
