I love movie classics, the older the better. I tried to think which ones I’d mention as my favourite ones and I could not decide – and ultimately decided that I had to break them down into categories to make them justice. Today I’ll share my top 5 Comedy Classics!
- The Court Jester
with Danny Kaye
Danny Kaye is a just a sweetheart, you immediately have to like him and rule for him. On top of that he is a great dancer and singer – and a comedy genius. And this movie is by far his masterpiece. Every song is great and I can’t hear the word “fox” without adding “you can never outfox the fox” – or saying “Get it?. Got it? Goooood!”. But the scene the movie is famous for is this tongue loosener about the vessel that has the brew that is true:
2. Robin Hood – Men in Tights
Anyone who knows me knows I like silly humour – and Mel Brooks is its master! If there is one celebrity I’d like to have dinner with, it’s him. Men in Tights was the first Mel Brooks movie I saw and I think to this day, it’s the movie I’ve seen the most. I know it word by word – in English AND German. I might have to admit, I was in my teens and one of the reasons I’ve seen it this much is that I had a huge crush on Cary Elves. Back then there was no internet, I had it on a VHS tape and pausing the movie to get a glimpse was not as easy as it is today with a remote and HD resolution TVs.
I still love the movie, it’s silly but also witty and fast paced and has amazing songs in it. And as a cherry on top, Sir Patrick Stewart aka Captain Jean-Luc Picard and David Chapelle are in it.
To appreciate all its glory, it would take too much time to explain the many ways it is an homage to almost every Robin Hood movie that came before. There are many fan pages that explain all the references in detail and if you like it, I would recommend going down that rabbit hole.
And if you haven’t seen the movie, go and watch Men in Tights … (starts singing uncontrollably) “Tight tights! We roam around the forest looking for fights. We’re men… we’re men in tights. We rob from the rich and give to the poor, that’s right!”
3. Singing in the Rain
I love a good dance number as much as I love good humour – and this movie is still mentioned as the best musical ever made for a good reason. Gene Kelly was a perfectionist and had a great sense for comedic timing.
Everyone knows the title song, but there are so many great numbers that some don’t remember – which came as a shock to me. “Moses supposes his toeses are roses, but Moses supposes erroneously” is a great tongue twister and one of the best dance numbers in the film.
But my go to song that every kid I know loves, especially my four year old godson, is “Make ’em laugh”, Donald O’Connor’s great solo number. He makes it look effortless and graceful, even though it must have been one heck of a workout! “Don’t you know, everyone wants to laugh!”
4. Life Stinks
Another Mel Brooks movie, but a veeery different one. It’s still funny and silly, but not as much on the nose as most of his movies. He plays a rich guy who is part of a bet and is plotted against, so all of those around him pretend not to know him and not let him back into his house and his office. To him, he loses everything and is thought to be a homeless person, which he ultimately becomes.
I won’t give away the ending, but it is a sweet and endearing movie, that shows that sometimes if life does happen to stink, you learn to appreciate it so much more. “I know they’re only moments, but that’s all life is. Just a bunch of moments. Most of them are lousy… but once in a while, you steal a good one.”
5. Arsenic and Old Lace
This is such a good movie. And such a funny one. Cary Grant has a comedic talent that is so unique. His entire body and face are a mirror to everything he feels. It is extremely over the top and silly and shows that the script was done for the stage and not for a movie, but it still works so well. Every time I watch it, I feel everything with Cary.
Every cast member is a gem and it all works out like a great orchestra. If you have not seen it, please give it a go. It is such a heartwarming movie about family and love, but also just a good laugh. And I envy everyone who has no idea what it is about – which is why I am not explaining the plot whatsoever. You lucky people!
I hope you enjoyed this list and that you might even learned about a movie you haven’t seen or forgot about and want to see again. Leave me a comment, I’d love to hear about your favourite comedy classics!
