The World's Greatest Lover (1977)
-
22% of critics liked it
(9 reviews) -
53% of users liked it
(582 ratings)
After writing, directing, and starring in The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother, Gene Wilder added the producer's hat to his three-headed beast in The World's Greatest Lover. Wilder plays Rudy Valentine, a Milwaukee baker who enters a talent search in the Hollywood of the… More After writing, directing, and starring in The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother, Gene Wilder added the producer's hat to his three-headed beast in The World's Greatest Lover. Wilder plays Rudy Valentine, a Milwaukee baker who enters a talent search in the Hollywood of the 1920s, initiated by movie studio mogul Zitz (Dom DeLuise), to find a new Rudolph Valentino. He travels to Hollywood with his wife Annie (Carol Kane) in hopes of taking a screen test, but Annie falls in love with the real Valentino. Jealous of the Latin Lover, Rudy disguises himself as a sheik in an attempt to look like Valentino. Rudy then invites Annie to a rendezvous at the studio, where he tries to seduce his own wife. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
- Directed By
- Gene Wilder
- Genres
- Comedy
- In Theaters
- Dec 18, 1977 Wide
- Studio
- Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Critic Reviews
-
Austin Kennedy, Sin Magazine
In a generation that's filled with cynical, ultra-raunchy, dark comedies, this was refreshing to me. There's a certain innocence in this kind of immature humor that I miss from the movies.
-
Chuck O'Leary, FulvueDrive-in.com
A shrill, silly farce that starts out with some funny moments but quickly fizzles and ends up being quite lame.
-
Mark Bourne, DVDJournal.com
Even those of us with a longtime and well-earned affection for Gene Wilder have to respond to The World's Greatest Lover ... with a dispirited sigh.
-
Steve Crum, Kansas City Kansan
Misfire by Gene Wilder who finds he is not Mel Brooks after all.
-
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
This really just doesn't work.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
Featured Audience Ratings
Currently unavailable on Flixster
Also available on
Other Retailers
Subscription Services
Cast
-
Gene Wilder
as Rudy Valentine
-
Carol Kane
as Annie
-
Dom DeLuise
as Zitz
-
Fritz Feld
as Hotel Manager
-
Carl Ballantine
as Uncle Harry
-
Michael Huddleston
as Barber
-
Carol Arthur
as Woman in Record Store
-
Pat Ast
as Bakery/Wardrobe Lady
-
Candice Azzara
as Anne Calassandro
-
Elya Baskin
as Actor with Bad Breath
-
Nora Boland
as Woman
-
Teda Bracci
as Whore #3
-
Stanley Brock
as Yes Man #2
-
Cousin Buddy
as Himself
-
Warren Burton
as Drag Queen
-
Matt Collins
as Rudolph Valentino
-
Rita Conde
as Whore #1
-
Lou Cutell
as Mr. Kipper
-
Danny DeVito
as Assistant Director
-
Hannah Dean
as Maid
-
Nick Dimitri
as Boyfriend on Train
-
Richard Dimitri
as Tony Lassiter
-
Josip Elic
as Headwaiter
-
Lydia Goya
as Singer in Jail
-
Zooey Hall
as Finalist #1
-
Alvin Hammer
as Second Wardrobe Man
- David Huddleston
-
Charles Knapp
as Bakery Foreman
-
George Memmoli
as Truck Driver
-
Jorge Moreno
as Mexican Gangster
-
Frank O'Brien
as Yes Man #4
-
Lupe Ontiveros
as Whore #2
-
Poncie Ponce
as Pineapple
-
Jack Riley
as Projectionist
-
Billy Sands
as Guard
-
Norbert Schiller
as Captain
-
Rolfe Sedan
as Conductor
-
Marya Small
as Slave Girl #2
-
Bunny Summers
as Mother on Train
-
Florence Sundstrom
as Aunt Tillie
-
Pavla Ustinov
as Leading Lady
-
Sal Viscuso
as Assistant Director
-
Speedy Zapata
as Mexican Sidekick
- Robert Ball
-
James Hong
as Yes Man #3
-
David Levy
as Elevator Operator
-
Sidney Miller
as Man at the Table
-
Richard Roth
as Chico
-
Patrick Regan
as Assistant Director
-
Peter Elbing
as Robert Drake
- Frederico Roberto
- Harriet Gibson
-
Gino Gottarelli
as Make-up Man
-
Richard Karron
as Bodyguard
- Gustaf Unger
-
RONNY GRAHAM
as Director
-
Mike McManus
as Yes Man #5
-
James Gleason
as Room Clerk
