The King of Comedy

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The King of Comedy

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The King of Comedy

Diahnne Abbott, Ed Herlihy, Jerry Lewis, Robert De Niro, Sandra Bernhard

Martin Scorsese's satirical comedy/drama caustically explores the lengths to which a nobody will go to be as famous as his idol. Practicing his patter in his basement with cardboard cut-outs of his fa...( read more  read more... )vorite celebrities, mediocre aspiring comedian Rupert Pupkin (Robert De Niro) believes that one appearance on the evening talk show of the Johnny Carson-esque Jerry Langford (Jerry Lewis) will be his ticket to stardom. After he helps Jerry escape the advances of amorous fan Masha (Sandra Bernhard), Rupert takes Jerry's patronizing brush-off as a true promise for an audition and begins haunting Jerry's office. Provoked by Masha's needling and a rejection from Jerry's smooth production exec Cathy Long (Shelley Hack), Rupert makes a disastrous trip to Jerry's country house with embarrassed date Rita (Diahnne Abbott), then hatches an even more outlandish scheme to get ahead. With Masha's help, Rupert kidnaps Jerry and demands as ransom the TV appearance that he believes will turn his fantasy into reality.~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide

Id: 10873154

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The King of Comedy Recent Reviews
  • SirPant
    September 7, 2009
    SirPant
    De Niro's best comedy performance of his career. I guess there isn't much competition really, he's not really known for his 'Laugh out loud' comedy performances, which is strange though because this is a fantastic dark comedy, where his timing is perfect. One of Scorsese's (and D...( read more)e Niro's) more overlooked pieces. Jerry Lewis is also, as always, brilliant.
  • DrZeek
    July 14, 2009
    DrZeek
    Secretary: Is Mr. Langford expecting you?
    Rupert Pupkin: Yes, I don't think he is.

    A film that manages to be much more disturbing than one might think. It features good performances and provides some satirical looks at the celebrity obsessed culture. Mainly though, this is a ve...( read more)ry awkward film that gives you an interesting look at a desperate man that takes things a bit too far.

    Rupert Pupkin: Why not me? Why not? A guy can get anything he wants as long as he pays the price. What's wrong with that? Stranger things have happened.

    Robert De Niro teams up again with director Martin Scorsese, staring this time as Rupert Pupkin, a wannabe stand-up comedian. Rupert's idol is talk show host Jerry Langford, played by Jerry Lewis. Rupert manages to have a conversation with Jerry, who tells him to give him a call some time, in an effort to get rid of Rupert. This doesn't work. Rupert begins to try with all his might to get a meeting with Rupert, get him to listen to his material, and become a good friend of his. Rupert tries to impress a woman through these efforts. He even brings another Jerry fan, played by Sandra Bernhard, into the mix. During all this, we are treated to a number of fantasy sequences in which Rupert has become successful and is in fact a good friend of Jerry's. There is no need to spoil what ends up happening, but things do take some radical turns.

    As mentioned, I found this movie to be very creepy and dark (especially whenever Bernhard was on screen). De Niro does a great job with this character, a lonely man, who may or may not have the talent he needs, but is clearly standing in the same weird-man line that Travis Bickle is in. Rupert is made more interesting by his basic manner. He is a polite individual, well spoken and dressed, looking for a way in.

    Jerry Lewis deserves a lot of credit here for being an amazing straight man in this movie. The way he puts up with a lot of the events that unfold in this movie is portrayed wonderfully through his facial expressions and reactions.

    This was a strange picture, but not one I regret watching. The Scorsese/De Niro team does manage to remain solid.

    Rupert Pupkin: I'm gonna work 50 times harder, and I'm gonna be 50 times more famous than you.
    Jerry Langford: Then you're gonna have idiots like you plaguing your life!
  • rubystevens
    June 19, 2009
    rubystevens
    this may be de niro's greatest performance; funny, creepy and criminally underrated. it's also the only jerry lewis film i can stand. it's like a black comedy version of taxi driver. it may not be bloody but it's nearly as tough to watch
  • binky013
    June 19, 2009
    binky013
    As a huge fan of De Niro, this is one I always wanted to see but hadn't until now. No surprise to me here: What a beautiful movie. I'm not a big Scorsese fan, as you may know by reading my past comments about his work. Have to say, however, this is a masterful directing effor...( read more)t that draws outstanding performances out of all the actors involved.

    And speaking of folks for whom I'm not planning to join a fan club, Sandra Bernhard . . . she's a problem. But she's wonderful here.; I kid you not.

    But I've saved the best for last. I think I actually might have sensed this before, but because Jerry Lewis often plays to type, it's very difficult to determine whether he has innate ability. I've now decided the question -- at least for me myself. Jerry Lewis is a very good actor. This may be the best work he's ever done. Astonishing. Maybe this is the one that convinced the French to name him the greatest American actor of all time. See this just for the great ensemble effort. I really do have to give Martin Scorsese kudos for this work. I never thought I'd say that about him.

    Thinking about it as I'm typing this, I'm struck by the fact that one of the great emotional beauties of this film is that it reads pretty much like classic tragedy from the beginning. Rupert Pupkin is destined to fail. You know it by every single one of the signposts along the way. Flaw after flaw after pathetic flaw. But he doesn't fail. Amazingly, he succeeds; he is a winner. It's tragedy turned on its head. Actually, in the end, this truly is classic comedy.
  • RiderOfTheStorms
    April 20, 2009
    RiderOfTheStorms
    The Acting makes this movie
  • MisterTuttle
    December 28, 2009
    MisterTuttle
    Photobucket

    Jerry Langford has his own show. He's always being asked for au...( read more)tographs and people either love him or hate his guts. One night after one his shows, a mob of fans wait for him. As he's trying to get into his car, a man named Rupert Pupkin helps Jerry by pushing back some of the mob of people so Jerry can get into his car. What a nice guy until Rupert gets into the car with him.

    Rupert chats away with Jerry in the backseat. It's Rupert doing all the talking. What Rupert wants is Jerry to let him be on his show. Rupert says he's a comedian and wants to present his act on Jerry's show. Jerry tells Rupert to call his office to set something up, but he's only telling Rupert that to get rid of him.

    Rupert is a very delusional individual. He talks to himself while pretending to fantasize that he's chatting with Jerry. He lives with his mother, but we never really see what she looks like and even she asks him "Who are you talking to?".

    Rupert is not only delusional, but obsessive. So is Masha, an equally obsessed fan of Jerry Langford. They don't get along well. Rupert tries to get in contact with Jerry, but gets turned down every chance he gets to meet him again. We begin to see more into Rupert's lonely life. He's creepy and reminds me of Sy Parrish from One Hour Photo except funnier and not so serious.

    Rita works as a bartender and Rupert was in love with her in high school. Now he gets the courage to ask her out. Something he never could in school. She isn't as aware, I think, of Rupert's obsessive behavior. When he asks her if she wants to meet Jerry she gets excited about it. She believes that he knows Jerry, blinded by fantasy of being popular again like she was in school.

    It all leads Rupert, when he can't get his way, to kidnap Jerry. What Rupert wants in return is to be on the show so he can do his act. Masha and Rupert team up to abduct him and they do succeed. When the word gets out that Jerry has been kidnapped, Jerry pleads with Rupert to let him go and also that he promises to not press any charges. This very scene is a crucial one because Jerry is asking Rupert to not go any further. He can stop, but Rupert doesn't want too.

    Rupert leaves Jerry with Masha who is such a mental case. Sandra Bernhard does a very good job at playing a psycho bitch.

    Rupert gets his chance to act and his act is actually very funny. This film reminded me a lot of 'Network' and 'Observe & Report'. The script is excellent and the direction from Scorsese isn't as flashy from his other work which is good because this is type of tale doesn't need any of that stuff. Overall, a beautifully deranged dark comedy with great performances and a great script!
  • datatronic1
    December 27, 2009
    datatronic1
    One of De Niro's only great comedies.
  • StewartMc
    December 23, 2009
    StewartMc
    De Niro is hilarious in this very dark comedy.
  • farahghandour
    December 12, 2009
    farahghandour
    Another Scorsese - De Niro collaboration. A brilliant satire with a desperate De Niro talkshow wannabe and his desire to achieve fame.
  • Yelverton
    November 20, 2009
    Yelverton
    I found this movie more disturbing than funny.
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