King of Comedy
King of Comedy
June 06, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
Inevitably, the best laid plans of summer will conflict with Mother Nature. The day at the beach, the picnic, or the softball game will be postponed because of bad weather.
Perfect time to watch a movie on the flat-screen television. I suggest a dark comedy with a television setting.
In the 1981 film King of Comedy, Robert de Niro plays against type. He does a 180-degree turn from his tough-guy roles and plays Rupert Pupkin. Pupkin is a nebbishy, wannabe comedian from New Jersey who idolizes late night talk show host Jerry Langford, played by Jerry Lewis.
Pupkin meets Langford outside the stage door to the Manhattan studio where Langford tapes his show.
Essentially, Rupert Pupkin stalks Jerry Langford.
Pupkin lives with his mother and sets up the basement to look like Langford's talk show set complete with Jerry and guest Liza Minelli. Pupkin pretends to be a guest on the show and talks to the cutouts.
Pupkin also fantasizes about Langford needing a break from the show and asking him to fill in as host for six weeks.
Because he is delusional, Rupert Pupkin believes he shares a connection with Jerry Langford. He even goes to Jerry's house in the country with Rita, a crush from high school. His goal is to impress her. Langford unceremoniously tosses the couple out of the house.
Pupkin partners with fellow autograph hound Marsha to kidnap Jerry Langford and hold him for ransom.
Not for money, but for time.
A few minutes of air time so Rupert Pupkin can introduce himself to America as its next great comedian.
But the audience must stay in the theatre until the taped show is broadcast at 11:30 pm Eastern time. Rupert wants to make sure Rita sees his appearance. Then, he will release Jerry Langford.
The network agrees. Pupkin gets his chance at stardom and an ovation after his appearance.
But Jerry Langford escapes from Marsha anyway.
The epilogue informs us that Rupert Pupkin went to prison because of the kidnapping and wrote a best selling autobiography called King of the Night.
Currently, he is considering several offers upon his release.
Jerry Lewis gives a stellar performance as America's fictional favorite late night talk show host. No funny voices, no funny faces, no funny lines. Just pure acting. You forget that he's Jerry Lewis and you believe he's Jerry Langford. Quite a feat for a comedy icon.
Robert De Niro's performance deserves equal praise. He doesn't merely play Rupert Pupkin. He is Rupert Pupkin.
De Niro performs the stand-up routine that is the basis for the kidnapping. Indeed, it's the climax of the film.
The Jerry Langford Show is a fleshed-out talk show in the film with verisimilitude to give it realism a la The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson.
Real life broadcaster Ed Herlihy plays himself as Langford's version of Ed McMahon.
Real life broadcaster Lou Brown plays himself as Langford's version of Doc Severinsen.
And Jerry Lewis plays Jerry Langford complete with monologue and an interview sequence on the show with Rupert Pupkin during a fantasy scene.
On the night that Pupkin performs his monologue, Tony Randall fills in as guest host.
And director Martin Scorsese has a cameo as does his mother. Scorcese plays a behind-the-scenes staffer at the Langford show. His mother plays Pupkin's mother though we only hear her voice when she tells Pupkin to keep quiet in the basement, his base of operations for rehearsing his fantasy that actually becomes reality.
He's played Mafia dons, cops, and overprotective fathers with an espionage resume.
But in this movie, Robert De Niro is the king of comedy.
david@davidkrell.com
Inevitably, the best laid plans of summer will conflict with Mother Nature. The day at the beach, the picnic, or the softball game will be postponed because of bad weather.
Perfect time to watch a movie on the flat-screen television. I suggest a dark comedy with a television setting.
In the 1981 film King of Comedy, Robert de Niro plays against type. He does a 180-degree turn from his tough-guy roles and plays Rupert Pupkin. Pupkin is a nebbishy, wannabe comedian from New Jersey who idolizes late night talk show host Jerry Langford, played by Jerry Lewis.
Pupkin meets Langford outside the stage door to the Manhattan studio where Langford tapes his show.
Essentially, Rupert Pupkin stalks Jerry Langford.
Pupkin lives with his mother and sets up the basement to look like Langford's talk show set complete with Jerry and guest Liza Minelli. Pupkin pretends to be a guest on the show and talks to the cutouts.
Pupkin also fantasizes about Langford needing a break from the show and asking him to fill in as host for six weeks.
Because he is delusional, Rupert Pupkin believes he shares a connection with Jerry Langford. He even goes to Jerry's house in the country with Rita, a crush from high school. His goal is to impress her. Langford unceremoniously tosses the couple out of the house.
Pupkin partners with fellow autograph hound Marsha to kidnap Jerry Langford and hold him for ransom.
Not for money, but for time.
A few minutes of air time so Rupert Pupkin can introduce himself to America as its next great comedian.
But the audience must stay in the theatre until the taped show is broadcast at 11:30 pm Eastern time. Rupert wants to make sure Rita sees his appearance. Then, he will release Jerry Langford.
The network agrees. Pupkin gets his chance at stardom and an ovation after his appearance.
But Jerry Langford escapes from Marsha anyway.
The epilogue informs us that Rupert Pupkin went to prison because of the kidnapping and wrote a best selling autobiography called King of the Night.
Currently, he is considering several offers upon his release.
Jerry Lewis gives a stellar performance as America's fictional favorite late night talk show host. No funny voices, no funny faces, no funny lines. Just pure acting. You forget that he's Jerry Lewis and you believe he's Jerry Langford. Quite a feat for a comedy icon.
Robert De Niro's performance deserves equal praise. He doesn't merely play Rupert Pupkin. He is Rupert Pupkin.
De Niro performs the stand-up routine that is the basis for the kidnapping. Indeed, it's the climax of the film.
The Jerry Langford Show is a fleshed-out talk show in the film with verisimilitude to give it realism a la The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson.
Real life broadcaster Ed Herlihy plays himself as Langford's version of Ed McMahon.
Real life broadcaster Lou Brown plays himself as Langford's version of Doc Severinsen.
And Jerry Lewis plays Jerry Langford complete with monologue and an interview sequence on the show with Rupert Pupkin during a fantasy scene.
On the night that Pupkin performs his monologue, Tony Randall fills in as guest host.
And director Martin Scorsese has a cameo as does his mother. Scorcese plays a behind-the-scenes staffer at the Langford show. His mother plays Pupkin's mother though we only hear her voice when she tells Pupkin to keep quiet in the basement, his base of operations for rehearsing his fantasy that actually becomes reality.
He's played Mafia dons, cops, and overprotective fathers with an espionage resume.
But in this movie, Robert De Niro is the king of comedy.