# Best decade for movie comedies? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 2, 2012, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-decade-for-movie-comedies/611558 "2012-02-02T18:03:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-decade-for-movie-comedies/611558/1 "2012-02-02T18:03:25Z")
Self-explanatory. What decade do you think had the best movie comedies? My pick would be the 1980s, which gave us: _Airplane! Caddyshack This Is Spinal Tap A Christmas Story Midnight Run Planes, Trains and Automobiles The Blues Brothers Withnail And I Raising Arizona National Lampoon’s Vacation Repo Man Fletch Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life Heathers Fast Times at Ridgemont High Sixteen Candles Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Better Off Dead_ etc., etc. Pretty strong list, IMO. What do you say? Poll to follow. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-decade-for-movie-comedies/611558/2 "2012-02-02T18:24:19Z")
On the other hand, the 90s gave us: _Home Alone City Slickers 1 and 2 Hot Shots! Father of the Bride A League of Their Own Wayne’s World Groundhog Day Ace Ventura: Pet Detective Clerks PCU Austin Powers Men in Black There’s Something About Mary American Pie Office Space Galaxy Quest_ That’s about as strong as the 80s list, which makes it really hard to decide which decade was better. And then of course the 70s was Mel Brook’s golden decade, and he should be declared a national comedic treasure. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-decade-for-movie-comedies/611558/3 "2012-02-02T18:28:05Z")
I favor the 1930s, when giants like the Marx Brothers, W. C. Fields, Mae West, and Charlie Chaplin (including the sublime **City Lights** ) walked the Earth. Not to mention the entire screwball comedy genre, with **Bringing Up Baby** and **My Man Godfrey** leading the pack. There were great romantic comedies like **It Happened One Night** , and musical comedies like **42nd Street, Golddiggers of 1933, Dames, Golddiggers of 1935, Top Hat, The Gay Divorcee** and **Swing Time**. You had Frank Capra’s social comedies like **Mr. Deeds Goes to Town**. You also great comedy shorts with Laurel and Hardy, the Three Stooges (their best era), Our Gang, Edgar Kennedy, Charlie Chase, and others. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-decade-for-movie-comedies/611558/4 "2012-02-02T18:47:48Z")
I’m with **RealityChuck**. It’s the awful truth, baby. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-decade-for-movie-comedies/611558/5 "2012-02-02T20:35:28Z")
Hm. Surprising results so far (and only 2 decades picked in the poll). I’ve never been a fan of slapstick, which comes across as hacky and childish to me, though there are a few movies listed from the 30s I can get on board with. I figured there would at least be some for the 40s (just because of Preston Sturges) and 70s (M_A_S_H_, Animal House, Monty Python, Mel Brooks). ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-decade-for-movie-comedies/611558/6 "2012-02-02T20:37:56Z")
I said 80s. The 90s are a close runner. I suspect this is purely because I was born in 1975. ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-decade-for-movie-comedies/611558/7 "2012-02-02T20:48:00Z")
80’s. Add Spaceballs and Clue to the list. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-decade-for-movie-comedies/611558/8 "2012-02-02T21:03:02Z")
> [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](#): > > 80’s. Add Spaceballs and Clue to the list. Also: A Fish Called Wanda and Top Secret. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-decade-for-movie-comedies/611558/9 "2012-02-02T21:49:48Z")
For help, here is a Wikipedia page which links to [lists of comedy films by decade](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_comedy_films). I’m leaning toward the 30’s but I’m going to refresh my memory a bit first. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-decade-for-movie-comedies/611558/10 "2012-02-02T22:01:53Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > And then of course the 70s was Mel Brook’s golden decade, and he should be declared a national comedic treasure. The 70s also had some of Woody Allen’s best films (_Annie Hall; Sleeper; Manhattan_) as well Oscar winner _The Sting_, not to mention _Smokey and the Bandit; Bad News Bears_ and _American Graffiti_. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-decade-for-movie-comedies/611558/11 "2012-02-02T23:16:59Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > For help, here is a Wikipedia page which links to [lists of comedy films by decade](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_comedy_films). I’m leaning toward the 30’s but I’m going to refresh my memory a bit first. Man, the 60s, overall, were a pretty bleak time for comedy movies. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-decade-for-movie-comedies/611558/12 "2012-02-02T23:39:11Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > The 70s also had some of Woody Allen’s best films (_Annie Hall; Sleeper; Manhattan_) as well Oscar winner _The Sting_, not to mention _Smokey and the Bandit; Bad News Bears_ and _American Graffiti_. Also _Blazing Saddles_, _Young Frankenstein_, _Monty Python and the Holy Grail_, _M.A.S.H._, various _Pink Panther_ films (& _Murder By Death_ & _Being There_ while I’m at it), and _Animal House_. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-decade-for-movie-comedies/611558/13 "2012-02-02T23:53:42Z")
I pick the 80s, but then I was a teenager in the 80s, when I was deeply involved in the pop culture of the time. Ever since then I compare the state of popular entertainment to what I experienced during my teens, so naturally nothing is good enough. Halcyon days. ---
**Author:** ![Crawlspace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Crawlspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crawlspace)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-decade-for-movie-comedies/611558/14 "2012-02-03T01:35:47Z")
> [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](#): > > 80’s. Add Spaceballs and Clue to the list. And The Breakfast Club,and Coming To America, and Ghostbusters, and Stripes, and The Jerk only came out with 2 weeks left in 1979, so you could still see it in the theater, and Stir Crazy, . . . Oh, and did I forget to mention the greatest comedy ever Trading Places, not to mention Eddie Murphy’s Delerious and Raw as well as Bill Cosby’s himself. There are some great movies in every era, but the 80’s is the golden era for comedy. All the comedians born into the counter movement, all the not ready for prime time players, took their act to the silver screen. ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-decade-for-movie-comedies/611558/15 "2012-02-03T02:17:12Z")
…Risky Business, Real Genius, Ferris Beuller, Naked Gun, Back to the Future, Mr. Mom… ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-decade-for-movie-comedies/611558/16 "2012-02-03T03:09:00Z")
I also said 30s because I love those screwball comedies! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_jeffrey_lebowski/32/215_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Jeffrey_Lebowski)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-decade-for-movie-comedies/611558/17 "2012-02-03T07:40:11Z")
Hmmm…the 80’s had way more, but the 70’s did have some great ones. 70’s Catch-22 M_A_S\*H The Out-of-Towners Bananas Harold and Maude Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex What’s Up, Doc? American Graffiti Paper Moon Sleeper The Sting Blazing Saddles The Longest Yard Young Frankenstein Love and Death The Bad News Bears Car Wash Annie Hall The Kentucky Fried Movie Oh, God! Slap Shot Smokey and the Bandit California Suite Foul Play Heaven Can Wait Animal House Up in Smoke Being There Breaking Away The Jerk Manhattan Real Life Monty Python and the Holy Grail The Life of Brian 80’s Airplane! The Blues Brothers Caddyshack Hopscotch Melvin and Howard Nine to Five Private Benjamin Seems Like Old Times Stir Crazy Arthur Stripes History of the World, Part I 48 Hours Diner Fast Times at Ridgemont High Night Shift Tootsie Victor Victoria A Christmas Story The Man With Two Brains Mr. Mom Vacation Risky Business Strange Brew Trading Places Beverly Hills Cop Ghostbusters This Is Spinal Tap Back to the Future Better Off Dead Fletch Lost in America Weird Science Down and Out in Beverly Hills Ferris Bueller’s Day Off Planes, Trains & Automobiles Raising Arizona Beetlejuice Big Bull Durham Coming to America Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Hairspray Midnight Run The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! Scrooged Who Framed Roger Rabbit A Fish Called Wanda The Meaning of Life Withnail and I I cherry picked from that wiki link which isn’t entirely complete, they don’t have all of the John Hughes movies - no Sixteen Candles on the list?? I do think that the 30’s deserve mention, they had some great ones. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-decade-for-movie-comedies/611558/18 "2012-02-03T14:40:01Z")
No contest, nothing beats the '30s. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-decade-for-movie-comedies/611558/19 "2012-02-03T15:25:50Z")
70’s because I love: Blazing Saddles Young Frankenstein Holy Grail Life of Brian ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-decade-for-movie-comedies/611558/20 "2012-02-03T15:38:04Z")
70s too, primarily because of: Catch-22 M_A_S\*H Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex American Graffiti Blazing Saddles Young Frankenstein Animal House Being There The Jerk Monty Python and the Holy Grail [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-decade-for-movie-comedies/611558.md?page=2)