100 Greatest Comedy Films
Comedies are light-hearted plots consistently and deliberately designed to amuse and provoke laughter (with one-liners, jokes, etc.) by exaggerating the situation, the language, action, relationships and characters. This section describes various forms of comedy through cinematic history, including slapstick, screwball, spoofs and parodies, romantic comedies, black comedy (dark satirical comedy), and more. A large portion of the winners on this list involve men dressing up as women, cross-dressing.
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| smith44's Rating | My Rating | |
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| 1 |
The Producers (1968, PG)
The funniest film I have ever seen. Mel Brook's best film. With hilarious plot, hysterical characters, and great song 'Springtime for Hitler'. The biggest joy of the film is Gene Wilder and Zero Mostel as the Producers Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom their chemistry is unparalleled. The Producers is a Comedy classic. Winner of my Funniest Film. |
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| 2 |
Some Like It Hot (1959, Unrated) |
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| 3 |
The General (1927, Unrated) |
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| 4 |
Dr. Strangelove Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964, PG)
Dr Strangelove is the greatest black comedy ever made. I found it to be one of the funniest, cleverest films I have ever seen. Stanley Kubrick is simply a genius of film making, like Mozart was a genius of music or Rembrant with art. In my opinion Dr Stranglove comes in a close second after Space Odessey. Peter Sellers is also a genius but, a genius of comedy his three performances were side splittingly funny as they were staggeringly perfect. One can see that it was made as a cynically objective, Monty Python-esque, humorous, biting response to the apocalyptic fears of the 1950s. The final scene montage of exploding nuclear bombs with the song We'll meet again, is amongst the most memorable endings ever. "Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room!" |
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| 5 |
Tootsie (1982, PG)
Tootsie is one of the funniest films ever. Why is it that most of the funniest films to come out of Hollywood are cross dressing comedies, i.e. Some Like It Hot? Hoffman is sensational; puts on a dress, lands the role of a lifetime in a TV soap opera and makes a complicated, gender-bending love story. "That's one nutty hospital!." |
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| 6 |
Duck Soup (1933, Unrated)
The best Marx Brothers comedy and one of the funniest films ever. The war between Freedonia and Sylvania. Made in the height of the Depression as a great way to escape from your troubles and it is just the same way today. This Marx Brothers comedy is basically a satirical attack on politics and the absurdity of war. Most memorable scene, of the mirror image. "Remember, we're fighting for this woman's honor, which is probably more than she ever did." |
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| 7 |
Annie Hall (1977, PG) |
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| 8 |
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975, PG) |
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| 9 |
Auntie Mame (1958, Unrated) |
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| 10 |
His Girl Friday (1940, Unrated) |
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| 11 |
Arsenic and Old Lace (1944, Unrated) |
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| 12 |
It Happened One Night (1934, Unrated) |
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| 13 |
Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949, Unrated)
Best Of The British. Ranked as an all time greatest British film. Alec Guinness stars as a remarkable 8 characters, in this black comedy of a young man's startling rise to the top of his family tree, by means of murder. Terribly British, terribly black, terribly funny and terribly brilliant. A masterpeice of comedy and remarkable story. Winner of my Top Ealing Comedy. Winner of my Best Revenge Films. |
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| 14 |
The Lavender Hill Mob (1951, Unrated) |
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| 15 |
The Philadelphia Story (1940, Unrated)
Sophistication takes a film form in this devine marriage drama/comedy features three of the screen's biggest stars at their wittiest and most beautiful Grant, Hepburn and Stewart. The most memorable 'drunk' scenes between Stewart and Hepburn, and Stewart and Grant. The dialogue, costumes and acting are absolutely perfect. "What a fine day, is everybody fine, that's fine". |
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| 16 |
Singin' in the Rain (1952, G)
The musical of life, "to sing in the rain". Delightful musical send-up of the transition period from silent to sound films. "Good Morning", "Make 'Em Laugh," "Broadway Rhythm" among the best. With the most talented dancer Gene Kelly singing, dancing and splashing in puddles. Winner of my Best Film from the 1950's. |
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| 17 |
Mrs. Doubtfire (1993, PG-13) |
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| 18 |
National Lampoon's Animal House (1978, R) |
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| 19 |
The Odd Couple (1968, G) |
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| 20 |
The Apartment (1960, Unrated)
I had heard that this film was a romantic comedy, but as I watched the comedy almost shrank to irrelevance as the deep saddness roze. Jack Lemmon is perfect as always and Shirley MacLaine is so sweet and innocent that you cannot help but wonder at her current demeanor. If anything this film is a truly heart aching romance that takes you on a journey of laughs, pity, sorrow and love. Amazingly winner of Academy Awards for Best Picture, Director, and Original Screenplay. Billy Wilder has to be one of the all time great directors and king of famous last lines: "Shut up and deal". |
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| 21 |
Modern Times (1936, Unrated) |
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| 22 |
Groundhog Day (1993, PG) |
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| 23 |
The Great Muppet Caper (1981, G) |
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| 24 |
Harvey (1951, Unrated) |
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| 25 |
City Lights (1931, Unrated) |
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| 26 |
The Lady Eve (1941, Unrated) |
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| 27 |
High Society (1956, G) |
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| 28 |
The Awful Truth (1937, Unrated) |
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| 29 |
The Ladykillers (1955, Unrated) |
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| 30 |
Waking Ned Devine (1998, PG) |
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| 31 |
Mixed Nuts (1994, PG-13) |
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| 32 |
Trading Places (1983, R) |
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| 33 |
The Court Jester (1956, Unrated) |
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| 34 |
The Princess Bride (1987, PG) |
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| 35 |
Amarcord (1974, R) |
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| 36 |
Zoolander (2001, PG-13) |
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| 37 |
Fargo (1996, R) |
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| 38 |
Adam's Rib (1949, Unrated) |
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| 39 |
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006, R) |
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| 40 |
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975, R) |
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| 41 |
Ghost Busters (Ghostbusters) (1984, PG) |
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| 42 |
The Blues Brothers (1980, R) |
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| 43 |
Little Miss Sunshine (2006, R)
Dysfunctional Family: A Study Of Human Hilarity. An exercise in dark comedy, this film stands out as a work of comical genius. Strikingly original, perfectly casted and acted with a strong message to top it off. A road trip with a yellow van full of tragically flawed characters that induces joy. Little Miss Sunshine is the funniest and one of the best films of the year. Breathing a fresh breeze into a stagnant comedy year, and the movie year as a whole. |
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| 44 |
Rat Race (2001, PG-13) |
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| 45 |
Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959, Unrated) |
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| 46 |
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936, Unrated) |
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| 47 |
Toy Story 2 (1999, G) |
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| 48 |
The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005, R) |
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| 49 |
Bananas (1971, PG-13) |
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| 50 |
Coming to America (1988, R) |
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| 51 |
Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986, PG) |
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| 52 |
My Best Friend's Wedding (1997, PG-13) |
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| 53 |
The First Wives Club (1996, PG) |
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| 54 |
Muriel's Wedding (1995, R) |
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| 55 |
Back to the Future (1985, PG) |
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| 56 |
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948, Unrated) |
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| 57 |
Roman Holiday (1953, Unrated)
My first oversaes trip was to Rome, Italy and no other film could capture the feeling of Rome, or indeed travel in general than Roman Holiday. So much is this film loved by myself and my family that it has practically become part of our personal history. No matter how I may be feeling Roman Holiday always puts a smile on my face and makes me cry. The breakout Oscar winning performance of Audrey Hepburn, one of my all time favourite actresses and the ideal leading man role of Gregory Peck truly make the film what it is. My favourite scene, by far is the Mouth of Truth visit where Peck actually improvised an unscripted moment when he pretended to have his hand eaten off, always makes me laugh."I don't know how to say goodbye. I can't think of any words. Don't try." |
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| 58 |
Lolita (1962, Unrated) |
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| 59 |
My Fair Lady (1964, G)
An adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion. Harrison is fantastic as the obliviously cruel Henry Higgins, and the beautifully sensational Eliza Doolittle (Hepburn). Although the acting is superb, the music is the film's enduring element. The best are: "I Could Have Danced All Night", "Wouldn't It Be Loverly," "The Rain In Spain," . Overall a great musical with some of the most memoriable songs in musical history. |
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| 60 |
Sabrina (1954, Unrated) |
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| 61 |
Shrek 2 (2004, PG) |
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| 62 |
The Muppet Movie (1979, G) |
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| 63 |
Toy Story (1995, G) |
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| 64 |
Hot Fuzz (2007, R) |
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| 65 |
Spaceballs (1987, PG) |
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| 66 |
Robin Hood - Men in Tights (1993, PG-13) |
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| 67 |
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971, G) |
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| 68 |
Manhattan (1979, R) |
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| 69 |
Life Is Beautiful (La Vita č bella) (1998, PG-13) |
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| 70 |
Clueless (1995, PG-13) |
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| 71 |
Finding Nemo (2003, G) |
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| 72 |
A Serious Man (2009, R) |
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| 73 |
A Night in Casablanca (1946, Unrated) |
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| 74 |
Sullivan's Travels (1941, Unrated) |
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| 75 |
Holiday (1938, Unrated) |
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| 76 |
Dumb and Dumber (1994, PG-13) |
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| 77 |
The Man in the White Suit (1951, Unrated) |
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| 78 |
Analyze This (1999, R) |
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| 79 |
Pleasantville (1998, PG-13) |
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| 80 |
Meet the Parents (2000, PG-13) |
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| 81 |
Shrek (2001, PG) |
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| 82 |
Home Alone (1990, PG) |
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| 83 |
Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987, R) |
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| 84 |
Mujeres al Borde de un Ataque de Nervios (Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown) (1988, R) |
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| 85 |
Babe (1995, G) |
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| 86 |
Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988, PG) |
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| 87 |
My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002, PG) |
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| 88 |
Three Amigos! (1986, PG) |
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| 89 |
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988, PG) |
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| 90 |
Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965, G) |
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| 91 |
Juno (2007, PG-13) |
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| 92 |
Bean (1997, PG-13) |
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| 93 |
Tropic Thunder (2008, R)
The funniest film of 2008. The Zoolander of actors. A hillariously sharp satire on the movie business. The opening credits are intensely enjoyable from vapid rap-star promoting "booty sweat" beverage, to the man who gave the world the "faty farts" franchise in return for drugs (aka Eddie Murphy), to an aging formerly highest grossing action star whos once sucess hinged on 6 films involving a man saving the world from its staryed tilt, to my favourite of all a five time Academy Award winning Australian actor who recently stared in "Satan's Alley" a story about a priests love for another priest. In truth Robert Downey Jr. steals the show and is fast becoming one of the best acors working today. Stiller shows he still has the nack to send up another overly self concious industry wether it be models/actors (not the other way round). If you hate the way Hollywood is headed, let it redeem itself by making fun of its many character flaws. See this movie. |
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| 94 |
Brüno (Bruno) (2009, R) |
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| 95 |
Forrest Gump (1994, PG-13)
A simple, kind man changes history. With flashbacks through some of the highlights of modern American history. It is such a fascinating story as he becomes central to the major events of the late 20th century. I thought it was very clever how, through the use of seamless digital visual imagery, Forrest appears to interact in scenes with famous historical people. "Mama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get." |
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| 96 |
You've Got Mail (1998, PG) |
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| 97 |
The Truman Show (1998, PG) |
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| 98 |
Pirates of the Caribbean - The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003, PG-13) |
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| 99 |
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953, Unrated) |
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| 100 |
Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994, R) |





































































































greenkisses41 posted 418 days ago
That is a descent list. I love some of the movies you listed.
smith44 posted 418 days ago
Thanks