The In-Laws

This truly hilarious comedy is one of the funniest movies of the period. No one does the sort of deadpan face that says "I can't believe what I'm hearing and seeing" like Alan Arkin. Peter Falk's comic abilities match his skill in heavier roles. The interplay between them is marvelous, matching that of Lemmon & Matthau (one wishes they had made more films together). Many side-splitting moments, and some superbly comic dialogue. Not to be missed.

Serpentine, Shel, serpentine!!!

I'm a big Peter Falk fan, so I watched this movie because he was in it. I was in for quite a surprise. It has quickly become one of my favorite comedies of all. Peter Falk and Alan Arkin are a perfect pair. The great thing about this movie is that it seems to invent itself as it goes along. The movie isn't following any type of formula, it's making itself up as it goes along, or so it seems. Very funny. My rating: 10

As a whole, I was not as impressed with this movie as most people here at IMDB however the dinner table scene is worth the time and money all by itself. I never laughed so hard in my life. Peter Falk should get his place in cinema history for the infamous "tsetse fly" speech. His look of self-righteousness and one-upmanship vocal tone was unforgettable.

I wasn't expecting much when I went to this movie. The plot is silly and outrageous. What makes it, however, are the performances of Peter Falk and Alan Arkin. Fall is a person's worst nightmare. Totally sure that no matter how crazy things get, you will always land on your feet. Arkin is the opposite, scared of his own shadow and wanting to avoid any sort of strain or physician exertion. As soon as they meet, everything goes a hundred miles an hour. Arkin ends up in a confrontation with some Latin American soldier who talks to his own hand and is absolutely unbalanced. The result is slapstick and funny. The soldier is so wacko that Arkin is absolutely done in.

Alan Arkin and Peter Falk made a great comic duo in this classic comedy. Each one bounces off the other in excellently timed humor.

The story is wild and off the wall. Peter Falk's secret agent guy is too, and he has you and co-star Alan Arkin guessing whether he is a legitimate government agent, or some kind of schizophrenic maniac. The two are the respective dads of two soon to be wed kids, and their shenanigans take precedence over their offspring and the upcoming nuptials. Arkin's straight-laced everyman who rapidly waxes panicky, then neurotic due to being suddenly cast in the bizarre world of Falk makes for brilliantly hilarious contrast between the two.

Needless to say, Falk is on a case and gets Arkin inexorably caught up in the situation, which soon degenerates into a wild romp with loud explosions, shootings, and other confusion. The "Serpentine!" routine is a classic of riotous buffoonery.

Falk and Arkin understand comedy, and manipulate it well. Their comic chemistry is worthy of comparison to some of the classic duos over the years, as they ping-pong the lunacy back and forth with expert timing and delivery. This original is far better than its recent remake, and is recommended.