Tausend Clowns

A choice movie, and an original. The writing is sharp, the characters well played. Highlight is Martin Balsam's defense of "getting along," climaxing in "I am the best possible Arnold Burns." Robards holds it all together, but the supporting cast, especially Daniels and Sax, deserve lots of credit. And of course young Barry Gordon was perfect. Movie makers everywhere take note: It's the script, stupid!

"A Thousand Clowns" has been my favorite movie for 30 years -- not because it's the world's finest work of cinema (it's not; mainly it's a well-filmed play -- good, but not a masterpiece). What makes it my favorite is that the story is profoundly human, the script is unique and genuinely witty, the performances are delightful, and -- most importantly -- it's a movie that takes on new meaning as you mature.

When I first saw it I was in college and Murray was my hero; his crisis, to me, was all about selling out. Later, after I had started a family, Murray's story seemed less about selling out than about owning up to his devotion to his nephew. By the time I showed this movie to my teenage children, I had come to see Murray's brother -- the master compromiser -- as the hero. Now my children are grown, and I just watched it again -- and for the first time I saw that the buttoned-up male social worker (Mr. Amundson, played by William Daniels), shows great heart in the second act and is the only character who aims at all times to do what he knows is right. Amundson hasn't become my hero, but I saw him as a good man this time -- and I never as a young viewer imagined that he was anything but laughable. Also on this viewing, I came full circle to see that Murray really IS the hero in this story -- not because he's a charming nonconformist but because he does achieve redemption.

What keeps this movie so important for me is that, even after raising children, I still respect Murray's conflict and so I think his redemption really is heroic -- though no more heroic than any parent's true devotion. (If you don't respect Murray's conflict -- if conformity has never bothered you, or if you think he's just a bum, period -- then you might not enjoy this movie.)

This movie grows up with you, but some things remains constant with every viewing: the film's stunning wit, its passion for authenticity (Murray's speech on the fire escape is a deeply moving plea to wake up and live), and its charmed performances. If you like Jason Robards, you will love him in this film. And Gene Saks, as the TV star Chuckles the Chipmunk, does some of the best comedy work I've seen anywhere. (Notice his timing on the line, "She's done a wonderful job," and the ridiculous walk he came up with for the line, "You told me her name was Minnie Mouse!")

As a bonus, this movie gives you a sidewalk-level, free-wheeling view of Manhattan when it wasn't so overpopulated and Lincoln Center was just being built. It's enough to make you want to quit your job and start collecting eagles.

I loved this movie passionately the first time I saw it, which was almost 30 years ago, and I love it every single time I watch it. Certainly aspects of it have gotten more meaningful as I've gotten older. The cast, full of people I had no idea of at the age of 10, turned out to be full of some of my all-time favorite actors (William Daniels, Barbara Harris, Jason Robards...how can you go wrong?)

I think some of the reviewers here (especially the ones giving it mixed reviews) are under the impression that the viewer is supposed to view Murray as a totally sympathetic character. He's not, and I don't think he's intended to be. Murray is really fun to be around for over half the movie; you're rooting for him all the way. As Sandy says, "No wonder Nick loves it here. I'd love to live here too if I were eleven years old!" When it's really time for Murray to settle down and do something to keep Nick, he can't bring himself to do it, and his free-spirited ways start looking, to the objective viewer, shallow and irresponsible. Murray needs to grow up, and do it fast, and growing up means compromising. That's the lesson; not that Murray was right all along, but that you can't be completely free if you do in fact have something left to lose, and Murray does. But life isn't a black and white choice between happiness and unhappiness, it's a continuum, and sometimes "doing the best you can" is enough.

I found it truly interesting that, throughout the movie, Nick was what Murray describes as "a middle-aged kid," seeming older than Murray himself. At the end, when Murray grows up, Nick seems to revert. He throws a full-scale tantrum, and that's the first time in the whole movie I remembered he was actually a child. I think that's a testament to Gordon's skill as an actor.

For anyone who read/saw the play: the director didn't seem to quite "get" the point of the play, and changed the end of the first and second (or is it second/third? I don't have it in front of me) to make the end of the movie more of a downer than the play. I never quite forgave him for that. The end of the play suggested that compromises have to be made, life goes on and it can even be good. The end of the movie seems to suggest that the last scene was unsubtly a "sell-out." I disagree. But I still loved the movie.

"Getting back to reality..." "I'll only go as a tourist!"

I first saw it years ago as an idealistic college student who did not want to become one of the great gray working millions, saddled with a job I didn't like, a huge mortgage, etc.. At that time, I fell in love with the movie and the characters. That's the problem. The movie cast a spell over me and sprinkled some weird kind of fairy dust over me. I wanted to be Murray Burns: a nonconformist, a smart ass, a non-contributor, a guy who ALWAYS did ONLY what HE ALONE wanted to do. And so, for a few years, that's what I did.

Those years, I must admit, were not very happy ones for me. Self-indulgence is a dead-end. I needed to be working hard, towards a goal, with a family, for me to feel truly fulfilled. And I think that is the case with most of us.

Murray Burns and his world are totally unrealistic AND unhealthy. Do not try to emulate him. It is a trap and a prison. It's like smoking dope all the time: you lose your drive and you increase your cynicism.

But perhaps I'm being too serious. Murray does have the kid, and he seems to fall in love at the end, so maybe there is hope for him. The movie has some great lines and funny characters. The black and white scenes of NYNY in the 1960's are wonderful, Martin Balsam as Murray's brother is one of our greatest actors, Barbara Harris is great, William Daniels is great, Barry Gordon as Rafael Sabattini, etc., is great.

See it and enjoy it but don't take it to heart like I did.

Alexander Hamilton imitations???

What does it say about the public when they will support about 200 TV showings a year of 'Sixteen Candles' but a film as great as this might appear once? This is an excellent, thoughtful, interesting movie. It's well-written and the acting performances are all flawless in my book.

Jason Robards, one of the all-time great actors, portrays an idealistic sort of guy who has taken in his sister's son whom she more or less abandoned. Such an idealist is he, that Robards can't bring himself to take employment at jobs that would require him to compromise his standards or work for people whom he doesn't respect. Unfortunately this puts him in danger of losing custody of his nephew, played by young Barry Gordon. A young social worker (played by Barbara Harris) unexpectedly finds herself falling in love with Robards and being taken with his nephew.

There are some really great surprises in this movie. Robards' ukulele performance of 'Yes Sir That's My Baby' is surprisingly pleasant, and much better than just 'on key'; in the part where Barry Gordon joins in, it's obvious he too had some musical talent as he does a fine job as well. In fact it is apparent that Robards was actually playing his uke and if Gordon wasn't also I couldn't tell it. (Used to be a time when performers could play some sort of musical instrument but I have seen more people blatantly fake playing a guitar or piano than I can stomach.) The views of downtown New York in the 60's will certainly be of interest especially to those who lived there then and can look for old (or new) landmarks in the background on the outdoors scenes.

Barry Gordon has to be one of the best juvenile actors ever. It makes me a little ill to think of the ones in the 80's and 90's who were paid ungodly amounts of money to mug for a camera; I bet Gordon was paid far less for a performance that was as fine as any adult's. There are so many good scenes in which he appears but to me the most powerful one is near the end of the film when he is afraid his uncle will take a lousy job just to appease the child welfare department. You can't miss it if you watch the film. Gordon shines in the whole film, and most brightly in that scene.

I don't know how else to say it; I "liked" Barbara Harris in her role, very much. Maybe the best way I can explain is that while I never saw the Broadway play version of this story, the same character in the play was portrayed by an actress who for some reason I just never liked. If someone was going to come into the relationship with Murray (Jason Robards) and Nick (Barry Gordon), she was ideal. I don't know why but if I don't like an actor or actress, I resent it a little when their character gets involved with other characters I care about.

It's amazing how great a movie can be made even if you don't budget latex rubber aliens oozing goo, or space battles, or massive slow-motion explosions or other disasters. This had to be a very low budget film - there are not many actors, the scenes and sets are rather simple one-room locations, the outdoor scenes were shot on location in NY. But when you have a great script with an interesting story and fine performers playing the roles, well it just shows that money alone does not (and can not) make a great film.

I decided to record 'A Thousand Clowns' and save it based on some of the other comments listed here and I am very glad I did. This movie would make an excellent intelligence / maturity test. "Which do you prefer to watch, 'Sixteen Candles' or 'A Thousand Clowns'?" Seldom anymore do I see a movie for the first time and realize that I had been missing something; this movie gave me that feeling. It has immediately entered my short list of favorite films, it's that good. All I can say is watch it and follow the story and you will see one great movie well worth your time.