Enter Laughing

This is a poignant, funny, coming of age film, based loosely on Carl Reiner's introduction to show business during the depression. Teenage David decides to become an actor to the dismay of his mother, played superbly by Shelley Winters, as an ever-suffering Jewish Mom ("Whatever makes you happy"). There are great performances by Jack Gilford as David's old-world boss, worried that he may be mixed up with an Italian girl ("Wanda, I think", he tells David when she calls). Mel Ferrer and Reni Santoni have a hilarious scene, on which the title is based, where David is given the stage direction "Enter Laughing", and does his best to comply, with no success. It brought tears to my eyes. Elaine May sets up punch lines like a pro, and Janet Margolin is adorable as the girlfriend, and Don Rickles has a nice, small role, that suits him well.

The screenplay sounds like it was written by Neil Simon. It should have gotten more recognition. Well Worth seeing.

This film is a classic thanks to a superb and wonderful cast, headed by newcomer then, Reni Santoni. Unless you've had an interest in becoming an actor, you probably won't enjoy the film as much. However, if you ever wanted to be a famous actor or a famous "somebody," this is your movie. The story is set back in the late 1930's about a young man just out of high school who decides he wants to be an actor. His parents, of course, are dead set against the idea. They want him to go to "pharmacy school" to become a druggist. David (Reni Santoni) is determined to become an actor even if it kills him. He starts going to acting school at a local run-down theatre owned by Jose Ferrer. There he begins acting lessons with instructor Ferrer and his daughter Elaine May, in some of the film's funniest moments, as they prepare David for his debut on stage. This is a great film with a great cast that includes Shelley Winters, another then newcomer Don Rickles, David Opatoshu, Michael J. Pollard, Janet Margolin, Rob Reiner, and the very pretty Nancy Kovack. The finale of the film had me rolling on the floor with tears in my eyes from laughing so much. The previous reviewer criticized the casting of Reni Santoni, but this was perfect casting in every way. I love the film and highly recommend it.

A terrific movie whose human and humorous story is enlivened by an ensemble company of great character actors at the top of their form: Shelley Winters as the archetypal manipulative mom, Jack Gilford as the tough but sympathetic boss, Ferrer and May, Richard Deacon as the long-suffering stage manager, Michael G. Pollard as the best friend, and Don Rickles as the put-upon Harry Hamburger.

But Ferrer gets two of my favorite lines in all of cinema. Walking by as Rickles and Santoni exchange pants -- don't ask -- he says, "We don't GO for that sort of thing." And, forced to complement Santoni after a disastrous performance, he mutters to himself, "Thank God I'm an alcoholic!"

"Enter Laughing" is a delightful film based on Carl Reiner's book about his own early show business experiences.

The 1967 film stars Shelley Winters, Elaine May, Jose Ferrer, Jack Gilford, Don Rickles, David Opatashu, Janet Margolin, and introduces the attractive Reni Santoni as "Don Coleman," aka David Kolowitz.

The film I believe is supposed to take place in the late 1930s - the first frame is a 1938 Photoplay cover of Tyrone Power - but in all honesty, the clothing and atmosphere only suggest that era.

David is a young man living at home, and his parents want him to be a pharmacist. He's not thinking about much of anything except getting laid.

He works for a more than tolerant boss (Gifford), flirts with a beautiful secretary in the building (Nancy Kovack, who became Nancy Mehta) and sneaks time on the phone with his girlfriend (Margolin) and imitating Ronald Coleman to her.

David decides to try acting and goes to a drama school audition. The school is actually a playhouse run by the seen better days Harrison Marlowe (Jose Ferrer) and his too old to be an ingenue but she's one anyway daughter Angela (Elaine May) starring in a play currently running.

At the moment, they're short a leading man. Looking over the prospects - "Clark Baxter," "Spencer Reynolds" and "Don Coleman," she wants Coleman. Unfortunately, David (as Coleman) auditions by reading the stage direction "Enter laughing" as a line.

The hilarity then begins, with David trying to learn an entire script in two days, never having acted before, trying to find his way on stage and being literally thrown on by the stage manager and practicing love scenes with Angela.

The cast is a riot, and if Santoni is a bit wrong for the role, so be it. He has a sweetness and a guilelessness that come across very well. He went on to enjoy a prolific television career and today, at 69, he's still working.

The acting is great, with Elaine May hilarious as Angela, Shelley Winters and David Opatoshu wonderful as his long-suffering parents and Gifford as his boss. Ferrer as the insufferable Marlowe is perfect.

The comedy remains fresh after 40 years. Recommended.

Carl Reiner's debut feature 'Enter Laughing' deserves to be better known than it is. Very sweet, likable and often funny, it almost makes you wish a TV series had resulted from this where you could follow the further adventures of David Kolowitz as he continues his acting pursuits.

There are many fine performances from a standout cast but the highlight is Elaine May who is funny, sexy and charming as David's acting counterpart. Michael J. Pollard is also impressive in his too brief role.

The film has some minor flaws. It struggles to escape its stage origins and at times feels like a recording of a play instead of fully cinematic piece. It doesn't have a great 1930s feel to it, partly because of budget constraints and partly because several of the actors (especially Nancy Kovack) have 1960s hairstyles.

But overall, 'Enter Laughing' is a charming film, well worth seeking out.