The World's Greatest Lover

Last updated
The World's Greatest Lover
The World's Greatest Lover.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Gene Wilder
Written byGene Wilder
Produced byGene Wilder
StarringGene Wilder
Carol Kane
Dom DeLuise
Cinematography Gerald Hirschfeld
Edited byAnthony A. Pellegrino
Music by John Morris
Production
company
Distributed by20th Century Fox
Release dates
  • December 16, 1977 (1977-12-16)(New York)
  • December 18, 1977 (1977-12-18)(Los Angeles)
Running time
89 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$4.8 million [2]
Box office$21 million [3]

The World's Greatest Lover is a 1977 American parody film directed, written by and starring Gene Wilder, and co-starring Carol Kane and Dom DeLuise. It is a tribute/spoof of classic silent comedies and the "old Hollywood" of the 1920s, specifically the popularity of romantic icon Rudolph Valentino.

Contents

Plot

In the silent film era, Rainbow Studios executives figure they are losing revenue to a rival studio because they do not have Rudolph Valentino. Led by studio head Adolph Zitz, they decide to hold a contest for the World's Greatest Lover in order to find a star to combat Valentino's popularity.

Rudy Hickman is a neurotic baker from Milwaukee, but aspires to become a Hollywood star. His entry into the contest tests his marriage, and his neuroses manifest in his screen test, where he nearly kills his fellow actress. Surprisingly, this behavior scores favorably with Zitz and the studio executives reviewing his performance. Now calling himself "Rudy Valentine," he gets a slot in the final phase of the contest, just after finding his wife Annie has left him.

Cast

Production

The railroad scenes when Valentine and his wife travel from Milwaukee to Hollywood were filmed on the Sierra Railroad in Tuolumne County, California. [4]

Release

The world premiere of The World's Greatest Lover took place in New York, on December 16, 1977. It was screened in Los Angeles on December 18, 1977 and released in the United States nationwide, by 20th Century Fox. [1]

Home media

The film was originally released in many countries on VHS. 20th Century Fox released the film on DVD in April 2006 with two special features; an audio commentary with Gene Wilder and the original theatrical trailer. [5]

Reception

Critical response

Critics who compared it to Wilder's earlier works with Mel Brooks were left largely unimpressed by the film, feeling it was not as balanced as previous works, and felt more excessive.

Vincent Canby of The New York Times described the film as not only "frequently side-splitting," but "uncommonly handsome" for a comedy, "the period sets and costumes having a lot of the fantasy quality of a stylish Broadway musical." [6] Arthur D. Murphy of Variety called the film "a good period comedy," adding, "This time the individual sketchpieces ... emerge as varyingly humorous episodes strung out on a skimpy story line." [7] Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune gave the film 2 stars out of 4 and reported, "I rarely laughed or even smiled during 'The World's Greatest Lover.' Quite the contrary, I found it depressing, because at the same time I wasn't laughing I realized that Wilder, one of the screen's finest bittersweet comic actors, seems hell-bent on a directing career. Therefore, to see 'The World's Greatest Lover' is to be filled with a sense of loss, the loss of seeing less of Wilder in Brooks' films or films other than his own." [8] Gary Arnold of The Washington Post called the film "not very clever at all" and wrote, "The prevailing tone of 'Lover' is shrill wretched excess, in both slapstick and sentimental passages." [9] Clyde Jeavons of The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote, "On top of its statutory, and for the most part uninspired slapstick, the film borrows freely from many of Hollywood's more anarchic comedians, from the Marx Brothers to Jerry Lewis, but never accurately enough to give the audience the satisfaction of recognition. Most unsettling of all is Wilder's own brand of rampaging comic hysteria, which here goes disastrously unchecked ... and augmented by the similar excesses of Dom DeLuise, Fritz Feld and Carl Ballantine, generates more decibels than laughs." [10]

Box office

Despite the negative reception, the film was a commercial success. Produced on a budget of $4.8 million, [2] the film grossed $21 million at the box office, [3] earning $9.9 million US theatrical rentals. [11] It was the 25th highest grossing film of 1977.

Related Research Articles

<i>Blazing Saddles</i> 1974 Western comedy film by Mel Brooks

Blazing Saddles is a 1974 American satirical postmodernist Western black comedy film directed by Mel Brooks, who co-wrote the screenplay with Andrew Bergman, Richard Pryor, Norman Steinberg and Alan Uger, based on a story treatment by Bergman. The film stars Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder. Brooks appears in two supporting roles: Governor William J. Le Petomane, and a Yiddish-speaking Indian chief; he also dubs lines for one of Lili Von Shtupp's backing troupe and a cranky moviegoer. The supporting cast includes Slim Pickens, Alex Karras and David Huddleston, as well as Brooks regulars Dom DeLuise, Madeline Kahn and Harvey Korman. Bandleader Count Basie has a cameo as himself, appearing with his orchestra.

<i>Silent Movie</i> 1976 American satirical comedy film by Mel Brooks

Silent Movie is a 1976 American satirical silent comedy film co-written, directed by and starring Mel Brooks, released by 20th Century Fox in summer 1976. The ensemble cast includes Dom DeLuise, Marty Feldman, Bernadette Peters. and Sid Caesar, with cameos by Anne Bancroft, Liza Minnelli, Burt Reynolds, James Caan, Marcel Marceau, and Paul Newman as themselves, and character cameos by Harry Ritz of the Ritz Brothers, Charlie Callas, and Henny Youngman. The film was produced in the manner of an early-20th-century silent film, with intertitles instead of spoken dialogue; the soundtrack consists almost entirely of orchestral accompaniment and sound effects. It is an affectionate parody of slapstick comedies, including those of Charlie Chaplin, Mack Sennett, and Buster Keaton. The film satirizes the film industry, presenting the story of a film producer trying to obtain studio support to make a silent film in the 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gene Wilder</span> American actor (1933–2016)

Gene Wilder was an American actor, comedian, writer and filmmaker. He was mainly known for his comedic roles, but also for his portrayal of Willy Wonka in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971). He collaborated with Mel Brooks on the films The Producers (1967), Blazing Saddles (1974) and Young Frankenstein (1974), and with Richard Pryor in the films Silver Streak (1976), Stir Crazy (1980), See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989) and Another You (1991).

<i>Young Frankenstein</i> 1974 film by Mel Brooks

Young Frankenstein is a 1974 American comedy horror film directed by Mel Brooks. The screenplay was co-written by Brooks and Gene Wilder. Wilder also starred in the lead role as the title character, a descendant of the infamous Dr. Victor Frankenstein. Peter Boyle portrayed the monster. The film co-stars Teri Garr, Cloris Leachman, Marty Feldman, Madeline Kahn, Kenneth Mars, Richard Haydn, and Gene Hackman.

<i>History of the World, Part I</i> 1981 film by Mel Brooks

History of the World, Part I is a 1981 American comedy film written, produced, and directed by Mel Brooks. Brooks also stars in the film, playing five roles: Moses, Comicus the stand-up philosopher, Tomás de Torquemada, King Louis XVI, and Jacques, le garçon de pisse. The large ensemble cast also features Sid Caesar, Shecky Greene, Gregory Hines, Charlie Callas; and Brooks regulars Ron Carey, Dom DeLuise, Madeline Kahn, Harvey Korman, Cloris Leachman, Andreas Voutsinas, and Spike Milligan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dom DeLuise</span> American actor (1933–2009)

Dominick DeLuise was an American actor, comedian, director, chef, and author. Known primarily for comedy roles, he rose to fame in the 1970s as a frequent guest on television variety shows. He is widely recognized for his performances in the films of Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder, as well as a series of collaborations and a double act with Burt Reynolds. Beginning in the 1980s, his popularity expanded to younger audiences from voicing characters in several major animated productions, particularly those of Don Bluth.

<i>Robin Hood: Men in Tights</i> 1993 film by Mel Brooks

Robin Hood: Men in Tights is a 1993 adventure comedy film and a parody of the Robin Hood story. The film was produced and directed by Mel Brooks, co-written by Brooks, Evan Chandler, and J. David Shapiro based on a story by Chandler and Shapiro, and stars Cary Elwes, Richard Lewis, and Dave Chappelle in his film debut. It includes frequent comedic references to previous Robin Hood films, particularly Prince of Thieves, and the 1938 Errol Flynn adaptation The Adventures of Robin Hood. Brooks himself had previously created the short-lived sitcom When Things Were Rotten in the mid-1970s, which also spoofed the Robin Hood legend.

<i>Silver Streak</i> (film) 1976 film directed by Arthur Hiller

Silver Streak is a 1976 American thriller comedy film, about a murder on a Los Angeles-to-Chicago train journey. It was directed by Arthur Hiller, written by Colin Higgins, and stars Gene Wilder, Jill Clayburgh, and Richard Pryor, with Patrick McGoohan, Ned Beatty, Clifton James, Ray Walston, Scatman Crothers, and Richard Kiel in supporting roles. The film score is by Henry Mancini. This film marked the first pairing of Wilder and Pryor, who were later paired in three other films.

<i>Stir Crazy</i> (film) 1980 film by Sidney Poitier

Stir Crazy is a 1980 American comedy film directed by Sidney Poitier, written by Bruce Jay Friedman, produced by Hannah Weinstein, and starring Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor as two unemployed friends who are given 125-year prison sentences after getting framed for a bank robbery. While in prison they befriend other prison inmates. The film reunited Wilder and Pryor, who had appeared previously in the 1976 comedy thriller film Silver Streak. The film was released in the United States on December 12, 1980 to mixed reviews, and was a major financial success.

<i>Haunted Honeymoon</i> 1986 film by Gene Wilder

Haunted Honeymoon is a 1986 American comedy horror film starring Gene Wilder, Gilda Radner, Dom DeLuise and Jonathan Pryce. Wilder also served as writer and director. The title Haunted Honeymoon was previously used for the 1940 U.S. release of Busman's Honeymoon based on the stage play by Dorothy L. Sayers.

<i>The Twelve Chairs</i> (1970 film) 1970 American comedy film by Mel Brooks

The Twelve Chairs is a 1970 American comedy film directed and written by Mel Brooks, and starring Frank Langella, Ron Moody and Dom DeLuise. The film is one of at least eighteen film adaptations of the Soviet 1928 novel The Twelve Chairs by Ilf and Petrov.

<i>The Greatest</i> (1977 film) 1977 film about Muhammad Ali

The Greatest is a 1977 biographical sports film about the life of boxer Muhammad Ali, in which Ali plays himself. It was directed by Tom Gries. The film follows Ali's life from the 1960 Summer Olympics to his regaining the heavyweight crown from George Foreman in their famous "Rumble in the Jungle" fight in 1974. The film consists largely of archival footage of Ali's boxing matches used in the screenplay.

<i>The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes Smarter Brother</i> 1975 film by Gene Wilder

The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother is a 1975 American musical comedy film with Gene Wilder, Marty Feldman, Madeline Kahn, Dom DeLuise, Roy Kinnear, and Leo McKern. The film was Wilder's directorial debut, from his own original script.

<i>The Last Remake of Beau Geste</i> 1977 film by Marty Feldman

The Last Remake of Beau Geste is a 1977 British historical comedy film directed, co-written and starring Marty Feldman. It is a satire loosely based on the 1924 novel Beau Geste, a frequently-filmed story of brothers and their adventures in the French Foreign Legion. The humor is based heavily upon wordplay and absurdity. Feldman plays Digby Geste, the awkward and clumsy "identical twin" brother of Michael York's Beau, the dignified, aristocratic swashbuckler.

<i>Lovers and Liars</i> 1979 film by Mario Monicelli

Lovers and Liars is a 1979 Italian comedy film directed by Mario Monicelli and starring Goldie Hawn and Giancarlo Giannini. It is Hawn's only foreign film. It was released in the United States in February 1981.

<i>Wholly Moses!</i> 1980 film by Gary Weis

Wholly Moses! is a 1980 American Biblical spoof film written by Guy Thomas and directed by Gary Weis. Dudley Moore plays Old Testament-era idol maker Herschel, whose life and adventures seem to parallel that of the more famous Moses, all the while being misled to think he is the prophet of God. The film also stars Laraine Newman, James Coco, Paul Sand, Jack Gilford, Dom DeLuise, John Houseman, Madeline Kahn, David Lander, Richard Pryor, and John Ritter.

<i>Valentino</i> (1977 film) 1977 Biopic by Ken Russell

Valentino is a 1977 American biographical film co-written and directed by Ken Russell and starring Rudolf Nureyev, Leslie Caron, Michelle Phillips, and Carol Kane. It is loosely based on the life of silent film actor Rudolph Valentino, as recounted in the book Valentino, an Intimate Exposé of the Sheik, written by Chaw Mank and Brad Steiger.

One on One is a 1977 American sports drama film starring Robby Benson and Annette O'Toole. It was written by Benson and his father Jerry Segal. It was directed by Lamont Johnson and features a soundtrack performed by Seals and Crofts.

<i>Bluebeard</i> (1972 film) 1972 film by Edward Dmytryk

Bluebeard is a 1972 mystery comedy drama film written and directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring Richard Burton, Raquel Welch, Joey Heatherton, and Sybil Danning.

<i>Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood</i> 1976 American comedy film

Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood is a 1976 American comedy film directed by Michael Winner, and starring Bruce Dern, Madeline Kahn, Teri Garr and Art Carney. Spoofing the craze surrounding Rin Tin Tin, the film is notable for the large number of cameo appearances by actors and actresses from Hollywood's golden age, many of whom had been employees of Paramount Pictures, the film's distributor.

References

  1. 1 2 "The World's Greatest Lover AFI Catalog". American Film Institute . Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  2. 1 2 Aubrey Solomon, Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History, Scarecrow Press, 1989 p258.
  3. 1 2 "The World's Greatest Lover, Box Office Information". The Numbers. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  4. ↑ Jensen, Larry (2018). Hollywood's Railroads: Sierra Railroad. Vol. Two. Sequim, Washington: Cochetopa Press. p. 56. ISBN   9780692064726.
  5. ↑ "The World's Greatest Lover DVD United States 20th Century Fox". Blu-ray.com. April 4, 2006. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  6. ↑ Canby, Vincent (December 19, 1977). "'Greatest Lover,' Great Comedy". The New York Times . 42.
  7. ↑ Murphy, Arthur D. (November 16, 1977). "Film Reviews: The World's Greatest Lover". Variety . 20.
  8. ↑ Siskel, Gene (December 26, 1977). "Wilder's 'Lover' not the greatest despite its debts". Chicago Tribune . Section 2, p. 10.
  9. ↑ Arnold, Gary (December 23, 1977). "A Wilder 'Lover'". The Washington Post . D1.
  10. ↑ Jeavons, Clyde (April 1978). "The World's Greatest Lover". The Monthly Film Bulletin . 45 (531): 74.
  11. ↑ Solomon p 234. Figure is rentals not total gross.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.