They All Laughed (1981)

33% of critics liked it
(6 reviews)
51% of users liked it
(544 ratings)

Peter Bogdanovich wrote and directed this quirky romantic comedy that was shelved by Twentieth Century-Fox for a year, until Bogdanovich purchased the film from Fox and tried to distribute it himself, with limited success. Suave John Russo (Ben Gazzara), inept Charles Rutledge (John Ritter), and hip… More Peter Bogdanovich wrote and directed this quirky romantic comedy that was shelved by Twentieth Century-Fox for a year, until Bogdanovich purchased the film from Fox and tried to distribute it himself, with limited success. Suave John Russo (Ben Gazzara), inept Charles Rutledge (John Ritter), and hip Arthur Brodsky (Blaine Novak) all work for a detective agency, where they are assigned to follow a trio of beautiful women -- Angela Niotes (Audrey Hepburn), Deborah Wilson (Patti Hansen) and Dolores Martin (Dorothy Stratten) -- whom their husbands think are cheating on them. Soon the three detectives all become romantically involved with the women they are trailing. In a real life scenario that overshadowed the film itself, Bogdanovich was having an affair with Dorothy Stratten during the production and they were being followed by a detective hired by her husband Paul Snider, who as a result ended up murdering his wife and himself. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 55 min.
Directed By: Peter Bogdanovich
Genres: Comedy, Romance

In Theaters: Aug 14, 1981 Wide
On DVD: Oct 17, 2006

Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Not much sparkle.
Fernando F. Croce, Slant Magazine
The disappointing extras shouldn't detract from the charm of Bogdanovich's lilting urban valentine.
Fernando F. Croce, Slant Magazine
The film is a delicately staged roundelay of intertwined pursuit.
Carol Cling, Las Vegas Review-Journal
Hepburn still lights up the screen in this uneven Bogdanovich comedy.
Joe Leydon, San Francisco Examiner
The movie is wildly uneven, equal parts low-key romance and off-key farce, a screwball comedy played, unaccountably, at three-quarters speed.

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Featured Audience Ratings

Adam M

Turns easygoing simplicity into a mundane affectation. In a way this is Bogdanovich's version of a Woody Allen romance-and-infidelity NY comedy, told in reverence for the Hollywood Golden Age. The dialogue tries to pass off a lot of sub-par shmoozing as poetry, which is a major… More
Turns easygoing simplicity into a mundane affectation. In a way this is Bogdanovich's version of a Woody Allen romance-and-infidelity NY comedy, told in reverence for the Hollywood Golden Age. The dialogue tries to pass off a lot of sub-par shmoozing as poetry, which is a major step below the achievements of Saint Jack. If this movie is accurate, it was never more easy than in NYC c. 1981 to make instant friends, to "meet someone" on a given afternoon and to run into them the next day on the sidewalk. Characters are supposed to be preternaturally cool or elegant and every man is a smoothy or a klutzy charmer. The movie is not so much in love with women as it is in love with different types of dapperness in men and with lustfully pining for Dorothy Stratton. But there's a lot of treasure here for people who love movies, in the shots and the performances and a witty end credit sequence. All the women are good, even Colleen Camp after you get over her being directed to deliver lines like a typewriter. John Ritter, doing Bogdonavich, may be at his best. Blaine Novack is quite a character; Patti Hansen is the cab driver of every boy's dreams; and Dorothy Stratten can look like a genuine star and chew gum at the same time.
jay n

Audrey is wonderfully elegant and Dorothy Stratten glows with potential, such a waste, and while the film isn't bad it just sort of strolls along with nothing happening. Colleen Camp in what seems to be a pale imitation of the divine Madeline Kahn in What's Up, Doc? is… More
Audrey is wonderfully elegant and Dorothy Stratten glows with potential, such a waste, and while the film isn't bad it just sort of strolls along with nothing happening. Colleen Camp in what seems to be a pale imitation of the divine Madeline Kahn in What's Up, Doc? is horrible and beyond annoying, the total removal of her character would have helped enormously.
Wu C

I had been trying to find this for a while, but unfortunately I was left disappointed. I can't believe this is one of Tarantino's favorite films. The only thing that kept me interested was John Ritter, cause he's one of my favs.