L'embrouille est dans le sac

Why does everyone think Sylvester Stallone is terrible at comedy? I never saw "Rhinestone" as that is considered one of the worst movies ever made and while I thought "Stop! or my mom will shoot" was illogical and hokey at times it was mostly entertaining. But "Oscar" out of all his attempts at comedy is Sylvester Stallone's best attempt at comedy and it remains a mystery to me why this did so terrible critically and financially. Maybe critics and audiences had trouble accepting Stallone as a gangster doing something different from "Rocky" or "Rambo". I mean yes like "Stop! or my mom will shoot" this one is very illogical and confusing at times. But if you put your full mind into the movie and think about it you will realize it is very funny. While Stallone is terrific I think some of the best scenes in this film belong to Tim Curry. Some of his scenes made me want to laugh out loud! I cannot really summarize the film because many parts are confusing but I can certainly say that critics and audiences need to stop putting it down and give it another try because they don't know what their missing. Sure it's no "Godfather" or "Goodfellas" but it is a very funny little gangster comedy that has the intelligence one misses in comedies. All in all "Oscar" is no masterpiece but it is very funny and enjoyable and that's enough for me to recommend it. It also proves that Sylvester Stallone is not a terrible comedy movie star.

I would never have dreamed that Sylvester Stallone would appear in a film that has its basis in a French farce. But Oscar is exactly that.

Taken from a play by Claude Magnier with the same title, the action is transferred to 1931 Chicago where gangster Angelo 'Snaps' Provolone is looking to go legitimate because of a promise he made to his dying father. The father is played by Kirk Douglas and Douglas's death scene opens the film and it's hilarious.

Sly Stallone looked like he was having one great old time spoofing his own image. The rest of the film is a day in his life dealing with bankers he's coming in with, an embezzling employee, a rival mob, a daughter looking to break loose from the family, and the police.

It's all done at a pace that rivals Billy Wilder's classic, One Two Three. In fact Oscar would have been a classic if they'd somehow persuaded Billy Wilder to direct it. It just needed that extra something from a comedy master.

Still Stallone gets good support from several generations of Hollywood players who range from Don Ameche as a priest to Marisa Tomei in her film debut as Stallone's daughter.

Catch this one if it's broadcast, especially you Stallone fans.

Personally, I love this film.

You look past the Syvester Stallone attempt at comedy, you're left with a neat fast paced funny film that'll make you laugh. How many things can go wrong and backfire between 8am and 12noon? Well, there's 3 possible husbands for a pregnant daughter who isn't pregnant. One of whom wants to marry the father's other daughter who isn't his daughter............don't even get me started on the 3 bags of money/jewels/knickers.

I could watch this film over and over again. In fact - I have.

This is maybe one of the best comedies I have seen. The whole story is nothing much, but the actors made it it unforgettable. The thing that makes this movie so good is the cast, the actors are really perfectly chosen and they play it really well. There isn't a one single actor who doesn't play good in this movie. Well if you expect Stalone to shoot out crates of ammo, then you will be disappointed. This is the movie that made me realize that Sylvester Stalone can act not just shoot. With two words this is a movie to make you laugh. Tip: if you have a heart condition you probably shouldn't watch this movie without some medical personal attending.(your heart may burst from laughing)

If you love Sly, if you love comedy, if you love gangster films, then this one's for you! It's got all that & more! Marisa Tomei playing Sly's daughter?? It works! The beautiful Italian import, Ornella Muti playing Sly's wife? It works! Chazz Palminteri playing a hood yet once again? That always works! Whatcha got here is 1 Mob Boss (the ever-elegant Sly) tryin' to go straight 'cuz he promised his dying father (Kirk Douglas's cameo), cops who just won't buy it, bankers who can't stand it, a mix-up with "a little black bag", a search for a husband for Sly's daughter, an annoying accountant who skims $$$ off the top to marry Sly's "other daughter, the one that's not Lisa", & this all happens in ONE MORNING!! Ya gotta feel sorry for the guy! How can he cope? He does it - just as Sly as he can be, too!

Buy this one if you can still find it. It's a comedy of 'great ethnic proportions'!