Why This Failed To Be 'The Classic' Comedy

I remember the first time I saw it, it was while being babysat at an older neighbor's house. I was probably about 9, and I remember being SO BORED, but my babysitter kept laughing. And it seemed to drag on ALL AFTERNOON (especially with commercials). It kept me occupied, and was in color, and on a "big" 27' console TV, but beyond that, I didn't get what the big deal was. I knew it was an "old" movie because of the cars with fins and the clothes/hairstyles. It just seemed to be paced so slowly, especially scenes like the couple locked in the basement because the store closed at noon (?!) which was never explained btw.

I think the primary reason I didn't find it very funny was that I had no idea who most of the actors/characters were, and without the knowledge of WHO some of them are, many of the scenes simply aren't funny. I could name several scenes that if played by an extra, people wouldn't like at all. It's the fact that it's JACK BENNEY saying "Well!" that makes that comedy note hit. I didn't know him when I was 9.

Now as an adult, and having gotten to know most of the actors over time, and having seen it as a second time 30+ years later on HBO yesterday, I found myself saying "HEY! That's young Jonathan Winters!" (I only knew him from Mork and Mindy.) Several of the others I now recognize but couldn't quite place, because I had known them as much older actors or hadn't seen their work on early television. But I got a lot more out of it, even if some of the scenes still seem over-long or completely unnecessary.

All of that said, also now looking at it as an adult, I am FLABBERGASTED with some of the stunts in this movie. Simple things like the cars speeding down an alley and an extra nearly getting squished against a brick wall...and those scenes were not sped up artificially! Many similar sequences with cars moving very fast and barely missing each other...made me wonder how many mistakes were made, how many takes it took, and how many crashed cars and injured stuntmen there were. (In today's movies, we all subconsciously think "CGI" if something looks incredibly dangerous, but this movie did it for real!)

Not to mention how many of the stunts and physical action was done by the actual (mainly middle-aged) cast! Again, today, even if someone has to fall off of a step they use a stunt double. These people were slamming into walls, jumping all over cars, jumping in and out of planes, etc. I know some doubles were used, but in many scenes where there are uncut shots, you can see that it is the real actors. They'd NEVER do that today.

So, "THE Classic Comedy"...I have to say no, because it depends a lot on people being "in on the joke". Like "Hey, there's Moe and Curly!". But for people who DO recognize and are familiar with the work of the cast, I'm sure this might BE "THE" Classic Comedy.

For me, to have the same impact of big name stars that I recognize from a long history of work (which I really didn't for this cast when I was little and still don't know them all now), it would have to be a cast like: Carol Burnett, Robin Williams, Richard Pryor, Chevy Chase, Mary Tyler Moore, Goldie Hawn, Bill Murray, Lilly Tomlin, Mel Brooks, and Steve Martin, and been made around 1985 when they were just at/past their primes to have the same effect.

That's when you light up when you see someone, or CRACK up just seeing a comedian because you've seen them in so many things before, and just their face makes you laugh (if you know them). That face brings with it all the previous comedies you've enjoyed with them and makes it much funnier.

So for me, this was just a bit off generationally to be "THE" Classic Comedy, but I respect it now that I know what an undertaking it was to get all those big stars in it and to perform the movie's incredible stunts without any special effects. But for pure humor...aye, sorry. I respect it, but I can't say it's a favorite from the aspect of true comedy.

As for a film critique I give it a "7".

If one is not disposed towards broad, physical comedy with exaggerated characters and situations then this film is not for you. This might eliminate about a quarter of the population right off the bat. For those that are inclined toward this style of humor, this is a generally well made but flawed film.

I think the film holds up well after 52 years. The only dated aspects are the Sylvester character and his girlfriend. The huge cast and massive scale is both a strength and a weakness (if that is possible!).

A recurring criticism is the film is much too long, that it becomes numbing as it piles on slapstick scene after slapstick scene. I think many apply this criticism even to the edited down version. I feel there is some validity to this line of thought.

Having said this I've never failed to be entertained by IMMMMW, and I saw it during its first release.