The World's Greatest Lover (1977)

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

A Masterpiece!

As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

Interesting how people rather would comment on their expectations that have apparently not been met by this movie than on the actual movie. Obviously many reviewers expected just a hilarious comedy and their anticipation at least in their view was disappointed. Well, the odd thing is that The World's Greatest Lover is a hilarious comedy offering very funny scenes, but it is also much more than this, it's a brilliant satire. As such it is a comment on Hollywood and not a very pleasant one, though it is set in an era that had at least according to this portrayal not yet succumbed to the mere business side of filmmaking. What one can see - if one chooses to - is a city completely revolving around make-believe. Everybody is a movie star, everybody behaves like one, may it be Rudy on his arrival at the hotel or Uncle Harry and his family. After all this is the dream factory, which btw is an oxymoron. Yet despite of the absolute irreality of movies, there is a craving for reality and truth at its heart. When Rudy finally wakes up and comes to terms with himself realising his love for Annie, the mostly female audience gets hysterical for this is what they are longing for. Thus this movie can also be viewed as a romantic comedy of a man finally waking up from the dreams and expectations imposed on him, which also runs in his most private, sexual life forcing him to use and apply a manual, to the reality of his own dreams, which he can and will make real.

I just saw this recently on DVD. I hadn't seen it since it was first released and couldn't remember it that well. Well, I've reacquainted myself with it and, although I'm genuinely not the one to exploit yiddishisms, my first thought was "Oy!" Somebody tell Gene Wilder to stop screaming! He did some funny shrieks in his previous films, including the Mel Brooks romps, but he kept it at the proper minimum. Here he screams in every scene like he's having his leg amputated with a steak knife and anesthetic was unavailable. Other times he mugs like a bad burlesque comic. The film itself is just as subtle, filled with loud music, heavy handed gags, and cartoon sound effects. The "Modern Times" parody is a major embarrassment. This film isn't even good bad. It's just sad bad. Even Wilder, in his DVD commentary said "They don't make movies like this today, and maybe that's a good thing." And then there's Carol Kane, who is absolutely adorable. In time, she too would become self conscious about her comic abilities (especially after "Taxi"), but here she gives a tender, endearing performance with occasional touches of genuine comedic spark which would be even better if only the material would give her more. The Sex-By-The-Numbers segment is the one truly funny bit in the movie.Those two look like they were made for each other. I'm really surprised they didn't become an item after the movie. Maybe she just couldn't handle the screaming.

This production was built around the search for the next Rudolph Valentino. While this work has become dated, it was filmed as a pseudo-retrospective at the time, so it was already "dated" the day it was filmed. This is a total Gene Wilder vehicle. He wrote the screenplay, directed the movie, and was the movie's sole credited producer. He is also THE star of the movie. He does share the limelight with Carol Kane (a pure delight, as usual), but this was one of Wilder's brightest moments. By this time, the world realized they had a comedic genius on their hands and after this work Wilder pretty much had the Midas Touch for a while.Kane plays Annie Hickman, the world's greatest Valentino fan. Wilder portrays a Milwaukean baker who is at the end of his rope. His idiosyncrasies are so severe, he finds it impossible to maintain employment. Upon learning of a contest held by Rainbow Studios (NOT the #1 studio) to find the next Rudolph Valentino, Rudy Hickman just "knows" this is his ticket to a better life. His wife leaves him to go find Mr. Valentino. But once Hickman is in the middle of it all, he realizes his wife is what is most important to him and he sets the works in motion to woo her away from Rudolph Valentino. The formula makes for some of the best heart-warming entertainment that's hit the big screen. It's endearing and funny in its bittersweet malaise.It also goes a long way towards showing what CAN be done with no effects and no locations beyond the Studio Backlot and a few, cheap but decent sets.While it is frayed about the edges, this classic favorite is one ripe for a DVD restoration...perhaps even a 2-disk director's cut for those of us fans who have BEEN fans since the beginning.It rates an 8.8/10 from...the Fiend :.

ok maybe not really but it sure felt like it the first 60 or 70 times i saw it as a kid on cable i loved this movie cause it was so freakin funny i watched it over and over and over again laughing myself hysterical every time and then when i saw it like 15 years later i laughed so hard i broke a rib laughing ok maybe not really but it sure felt like it ya know what i'm sayin