La Folie aux trousses

I didn't think this film was as bad as I had heard people say it was when they saw it. I love Gene Wilder and it was nice to see him working with Gilda Radner. The film isn't very well done but it has a very watchable attraction and that is watching the leads do their thing. Watch it on a rainy day and enjoy the performances of Wilder And Radner.

The typical mistaken identity thing here as a man named Michael Jordon (go figure that one) played by Gene Wilder gets caught in a web of bad guys. He is being chased for a murder he did not commit and it is also believed that some classified military secrets were stolen as well. Naturally Wilder falls in love with Gilda Radner in the process and constantly tries to elude Richard Widmark. Sidney Poitier actually directed this dud that just never does really come together. The routine is nothing new and it ends up being just like a Road-Runner/Wile E. Coyote cartoon that has silly episodic situations coming at you over and over again. Not a total waste, but still not really interesting enough to make itself any different from dozens of the kind. 2.5 out of 5.

How on Earth do you go about classifying this film, it's a romantic comedy, espionage, drama thriller. It really does cross several genres, and whilst it perhaps lacks laughs, it makes up for it with performances, and larger then life characters. I always loved the combo of Wilder and his beloved wife Gilda Radner, and whilst I prefer the duo in woman in Red and Haunted Honeymoon, you cannot help but enjoy the chemistry between them.

Wilder, Michael Jordan, truly makes every bad decision imaginable, but you cannot help but like his zany character. Fun performances all round, it's well made, and the aeroplane scenes look great, and are very funny.

Not a classic, but well worth a look. 6/10

Imagine Sidney Poitier doing a North by Northwest type movie. That is pretty much what Hanky Panky is. Sidney Poitier is no Alfred Hitchcock, though. Gene Wilder (alias Michael Jordan) saves this movie from being very mediocre. One has to go back to 1982 (the movie is actually situated in 1981) where things like national security and cold war had other dimensions than today. So take a little bit of murder mystery, a little bit of spy movie, add a neurotic character (Wilder) and his big-staring-eyes sidekick (Gilda Radner), take a few villains (a not quite convincing Richard Widmark), smashing bottles, men in dresses (yes, Wilder, too), stupid policemen, grim-looking NSA people and presto, racing here, racing there, driving, flying, smashing, that's the movie. Oh, did I forget to mention the really beautiful scenery of the Grand Canyon when flying within the Canyon was still allowed? This flight is really a wild ride and there are some low-level laughs in the cabin: how much intestinal gas can a fat pilot stand before he suddenly dies (of what?) in mid-air? If you're in for computer history, observe the excessive use of data tape and the by then state-of-the-art 3D-graphics. Actually, this movie has its very funny moments, but by today's standards its pace is slow, despite the fact that Wilder/Jordan is frantically running away from someone, something or else all the time. And the DVD is too expensive for not featuring any special features except of a full screen trailer. But if you own the DVD, watch that trailer, but don't fall asleep: would one advertise a screwball comedy like this in such a lame way, today?

I like this movie - based on the 2 stars in it - Gene Wilder & Gilda Radner. They make this flick watchable. They are a sweet and funny comedic duo. I know this movie is billed as a comedy and I feel that the reason for that is - basically because Gene and Gilda are / were COMEDIANS... It's a little funny - It's more like a mystery. Which actually makes for the reason this film is so misunderstood. To put two well-known comedians , head - to - head , in a mystery - wanna - B - comedy ... Well , it speaks for itself. But I like it. It's cute and Gene and Gilda are cute in it. It's not as good as the other films they are in together , but then again - the movie wasn't writtenfor them - and the other movies the two appear in together ARE , most definately COMEDIES.