Schmok

This movie was definitely overlooked as a classic. Strange, yes; bizzare, oh yes! but funny if you have a strange sense of humor. Monty Python and Benny Hill fans may like the strange and off-beat humor of this movie, other humor fans may be wondering what this is about. The secret is that what you see is what you get: what you see on the screen is what this movie is about. This is a disfunctional family before the term became fashionable. I loved the characters' goofiness, and the way that the actors portrayed them. Alan Arkin, Vincent Gardenia, and Rob Reiner were the "stars" of this movie, but they wouldn't have gone anywhere without the supporting cast of characters. Uncle Sherman, Marian, Ruthie,and of course, Captain F#@k, rounded out the chaacters. Not getting into the plot of the movie (which there was none, really) : there was no stoy plot or character arc - it was just fun and goofy comedy. I just wish it was offered on VHS or DVD!

Now I have to tell you that I thought that this movie was just a figment of my imagination, as no one I know except my date for the evening in 1977 has ever even heard of this movie. I was a 17 year old on a date with my soon to be (1 ½ later) husband. I found it funny. Hilarious in fact. I would love to buy the movie and see it again as a mature adult, to see if it is as funny now. But alas, I've never found this movie for sale. The movie itself starts with a strange scene with a noise in the dark. When the lights come up and you figure out what is going on, I remember laughing so hard. For me, that's the way the entire movie was. Slap shot comedy perhaps.

Like many of the previous reviewers, I only ever saw this movie once, and that was a long, long time ago (again like them). But even though I was only a teenager, where for me the world of the US East Coast Jews may as well have been on another planet, what gags I did understand (and I realized that there were many, many gags that I didn't!) were exceptionally funny. Leonard_M - loosen up a little. The movie IS funny.

I saw this movie back in 1977 and thought is was a comedy classic. I still remember plotlines and laugh when I think about some of the dialogue and situations. Like Benny and his wife stopping at all the Howard Johnson's from NY to FL and her having to take pictures of them. When Benny collapses in the parking lot of the H.J. his wife yells at him, "Benny! Get Up! You're not going to ruin my vacation!' When they get to the hospital she thinks she is in their FL hotel resort. Benny on his deathbed and his wife calling the same caterer that catered her hysterectomy to do the funeral for a man who isn't even dead. The H.S. Basketball coach that "adopts" a grown black man because his wife wants a baby and she acts like she is caring for an infant. Alan Arkin buying the boy a purple Cadillac with Leopard skin upholstery. (How delightfully un-politically correct!) Or how about Benny plotting to get his shell-shocked Vet brother-in-law or brother, whatever, to burn down the store and then we find out that Russell cancelled the fire insurance policy to buy more clothes for the store. When Benny finds out that the store is no longer insured he miraculously comes to and rushes to try and stop Sherman and his wheelchair from burning the place down. Ah.so many memories! Good Times! Good Times!

From the second the movie starts in the dark w/ the (noise) of a blowdryer, warming up the cold toilet seat, till the very end I loved this movie. I'm sorry that I've never seen it on TV or in the video stores. The comedy just kept on coming and coming. Here it is 1999 and I seen it in 1977, it's my favorite comedy of all times. I only wish that I could share it with my family now.